Stage Right by Molly Grimmius

“You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” is a musical that will leave audiences of all ages entertained and with some happiness in their heart. From the adults who grew up reading the iconic Peanuts comic strip by Charles Schulz to the children who have only ever seen the “Charlie Brown Christmas Special,” this fast-paced, upbeat musical covers it all.

The cast of six was well picked for their roles. Even though they are all adults, they do an excellent job of portraying these child characters. The cast is mainly filled with seasoned ACT performers but there is one newcomer to the stage: Kyle Frank, who plays Schroeder. Kyle is clearly at home on stage as he does an excellent job portraying the brooding pianist that is Schroeder. He steals the spotlight in the song “The Book Report,” when all the characters have very different reactions to writing a book report on “Peter Rabbit.” Another newer to the ACT stage is Stephanie Nelson who plays Lucy.

She completely embodied this crabby, bossy, older sister character that is Lucy in both her many lines and songs. Whether seasoned or new, this cast definitely plays off each other well. They are all on and off stage constantly. They are continually getting along, arguing, playing tricks, supporting or chasing rabbits. This cast has a great chemistry with each other making the show flow smoothly and adding to the physical humor element.

Since the majority of the script is based on comic strips, there are a lot of almost one-liners or quick little humorous antidotes that have to be delivered quickly and accurately to get the designated reaction. This cast did an excellent job at delivering these bits of humor tucked in between songs. The characters of Sally Brown and Linus, played by Lisa Sturtz and Jason Howland respectively, had several of these humorous mini monologues and were spot on every time. From simple lines of Linus stating, “His thumb was losing its flavor” to Sally making a very compelling case as why she did not deserve a C on a project, the delivery was always believable and so sincere, which added to the humor.

In between the one-liners and mini-monologue stories, there are excellent musical numbers. Sue Jorgenson, director, and Lora Virgil, music director, did a great job at helping the characters to shine through in their songs. Dylan Kaercher who had the dual role of playing Charlie Brown and also choreographer, added great movements to the number including the classic crazy dancing that the characters are known for from their “Christmas Special” episode. Also a very fun dance with blankets during Linus’ musical number “My Blanket and Me.” The movements weren’t overdone and are just right for this light-hearted production. “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” runs February 12, 13, 14, 15M, 18, 19, 20, 21.This would be a wonderful family outing during the bleak winter month of February in which every member of the family would be entertained. It is a great first musical to take your children to, as it is relatable, fast-paced and of course funny. Don’t miss out on seeing this heartwarming musical in our community.

 

Molly Grimmius lives in Albert Lea with her husband, daughter and son. She has directed 10 productions at Albert Lea High School.