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You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown by San Diego Junior Theatre 
It's the familiar Peanuts gang taken straight out of the beloved comic strips and animated specials and placed on the Casa del Prado stage by San Diego Junior Theatre. Great music and dialogue nicely and humorously captures all those various characters we are so familiar with.
The show was originally under the direction of Jasper Grant, but his work on Beehive (currently running in Old Town) made it necessary for Junior Theatre Artistic Director Michael Anthony to jump in a week before the opening. Between the two great directors and an excellent cast, Happiness is being an audience member of this show. The play encompasses "a day in the life of Charlie Brown." This particular day is Valentine's Day -- typically one of the worst for Charlie Brown (Christopher Tilley nicely playing the luckless, self-doubting title role). There's no way he'll get as many Valentines as his dog Snoopy (Alex Anaya). But he'd settle for one from the beautiful Little Red-Headed Girl (Karyn Alexander). Good grief, he'd settle for one from ANYBODY!!! Throughout the day we see dozens of scenes depicting the various characters in well-known situations, often philosophizing the way the young Peanuts characters always have. We see the kids at school replying to their incoherent teacher, playing a baseball game (with Charlie Brown losing it again), Charlie Brown seeking five-cent psychiatric help from Lucy, Lucy tormenting Linus about his blanket, Sally flirting with Linus, Lucy flirting with Schroeder, Snoopy reveling in his supper or dancing with Woodstock or fighting the Red Baron. It's all there, and all superbly performed by the cast. The directors did a nice job of spreading the big scenes around, allowing many more cast members the opportunity to shine than the original script called for. Some of the highlights of the show: Lucy (Mara Solar) is a highlight throughout. In Schroeder she does everything she can to distract her beloved Schroeder (Joseph Glaser) from his piano playing long enough to discuss the concept of marriage, but to no avail. In the Doctor Is In she encourages Charlie Brown to state all his faults for the record, and she then helps out a little by adding a few dozen faults that he missed. Imagine, all that help for just a nickel! Elsewhere, Lauren Campbell displays her outstanding singing and comic talent most notably in a highly amusing scene where she explains her New Philosophy, a philosophy that is eloquently concise but apparently still very much in the development stage, as it changes every few seconds. Linus (Matthew Bohrer) makes a commendable, if ultimately unsuccessful, effort to wean himself from his blanket in My Blanket and Me. Patty (Rebecca Marberry) leads a group of other ensemble members in a charming song wherein the imaginative group sees all kinds of things in the Clouds (a song swiped from the play's sister musical, Snoopy!). All the main characters put their creative minds and voices together to complete a book report on Peter Rabbit consisting of 100 words -- no more, no less! And Schroeder (Joseph Glaser), backed up by the rest of the cast, polishes off the first act with tremendous fanfare in declaring a new holiday -- Beethoven Day!  And, of course, there's Snoopy (Alex Anaya). Alex has everyone howling with laughter as the dog with the most personality. He also leads two of the best and biggest scenes of the show. In Rabbit Chasing, Snoopy leads the persistent, naturally curly-haired Frieda (played by the talented Stephanie Ward) and the rest of the ensemble on a wild rabbit chase with theme music that includes Mission Impossible, Hawaii 5-0, and The Bunny Hop. Later, Snoopy and the adorable Woodstock (Jonathan Edzant) lead the cast in the rousing showstopper -- Suppertime.
Although that song doesn't really stop the show. It's followed by the big finale, and the play's most popular tune, in which the characters tenderly sing about all the little things in life that brings them Happiness. Though not mentioned in the song, watching this heartwarming production is certainly one of those "little things"! Rob Hopper San Diego Playbill ~ Cast ~
Charlie Brown: Christopher Tilley Lucy Van Pelt: Mara Solar Sally Brown: Lauren Campbell Linus Van Pelt: Matthew Bohrer Schroeder: Joseph Glaser Peppermint Patty: Amanda Robb Marcie: Nikki Rayfield Snoopy: Alex Anaya Patty: Rebecca Marberry Shermy: Tyler Knell Frieda: Stephanie Ward Violet: Lauren Mickler Pig Pen: Phillip Bowen Eudora: Meryn Beckett 5: Adam Carver Flora: Charlotte Wen Fauna: Alyssa Schechter Little Red-Headed Girl: Karyn Alexander Jose Peterson: Daniel Amor Molly Volley: Dana Vincent Naomi: Jackee Bianchi Olivier: Kyle Porter Peggy Jean: Meagan Rossin Thibault: Alyssa Cose-Primus Frankie: Shanda Pierce Lydia: Veronica Jensen-Chavez Roy: Clifton McPherson Loretta: Catherine Miller Emily: Savannah Smith Mimi: Megan Cox Sophie: Pia Tuchscher Rerun Van Pelt: Jacob Sampson Woodstock: Jonathan Edzant Director: Michael Anthony Set Design: David Kevit Light Design: Rick Mittleider Scenic Artist: Darlene Daley Costume Design: Margaret Hagar Sound Design: Alan Edwards Stage Manager: Alexandrea Oliver ~ Orhcestra ~ Conductor/Keyboards: Michael Anthony Piano: Nataasha Senecal Violin/Viola: Jennifer Williams Reeds: Trish Schenkelberg Bass: Sean Rose Percussion: Chuck Elledge |