The story of the play itself is told through a series of vignettes that mimic the four-panel format used by the original cartoon strip, “Peanuts.” This panel format is supplemented with longer passages that are vaguely reminiscent of Shakespearean soliloquies and by musical interludes.
The play moves along quickly, introducing more of the “Peanuts” gang; Patty, Schroeder, Lucy, and Snoopy. All of the characters share their observations, largely unflattering, of Charlie Brown. Lucy, for example, discusses what she terms Charlie Brown’s “Failure Face.”
As the play progresses, the relationships of the “Peanuts” characters to one another are further expanded. To anyone who has followed the comic strip, these relationships will not provide any surprises. Included is Lucy’s infatuation with Schroeder and her perverse joy at tormenting Charlie Brown, Linus’s love of his blanket, Snoopy’s rich world of imagination, and, of course, Charlie Brown’s hopeless love-at-a-distance of the mysterious little redheaded girl.
Cast
- Charlie Brown: Christopher Parker
- Lucy: Michele MacShane
- Snoopy: Robert L. Hegeman
- Linus: Craig Benson
- Schroeder: Kevin Miller
- Patty: Loretta A. Romero
Production Team
- Producer: Thelma Zeh
- Director: Barbara Mahlmann
- Music Director: Catherine R. Giammatteo
- Choreographer: Bill Baetz
- Asst Director: Jeffrey Farrell
- Lighting Design and Execution: George Cain
- Set Design, Decor and Construction: Dick Harte
- Stage Manager: Claire Bee
- Costumes: Midge Consler
- Makeup Design: Ted Rucinski
- Hair Design: Loretta Romero
- Properties: Shirley Arensberg
- Sound: Paul Croteau
