Charlie Brown to kick off new season at Little Theatre
Chester Boffo and Alison Foutz rehearse for the upcoming “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” production.
“You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” will kick off the 2023-24 season at the Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County on Friday, Oct. 6. A cast of seven will bring the characters of the “Peanuts” cartoon to life, exploring life’s great questions as they play baseball, struggle with homework, sing songs, swoon over their crushes and celebrate the joy of friendship.
Chester Boffo heads the cast as Charlie Brown with Joe Compton as Snoopy, Josie McCutcheon as Sally Brown, Allison Foutz as Lucy Van Pelt, Garret Davis as Linus Van Pelt, Jacob Sustersic as Schroeder and Simon Cannizzaro as Woodstock.
“This show holds a special place in my heart as a lifelong ‘Peanuts’ fan,” Director Jared Sparks-Lee said. “I truly hope the audiences enjoy the nostalgia and magic that is Charlie Brown and his friends.”
“You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” is a 1967 production with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner. Based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip, “Peanuts,” the actual published script is by Jon Gordon, which is a pseudonym for the staff and cast of the show who worked together to bring it to the stage.
Gesner said, “Even though adults are playing the parts and are not 6 years old and don’t look like the cartoon characters, it doesn’t seem to make much difference once we are into the play because what they are saying to each other is with the openness of that early childhood time, and the obvious fact is that they are all really quite fond of each other.”
Throughout the show characters deal with the familiar daily traumas of the “Peanuts” gang: Charlie Brown’s insecurities, the little red-haired girl, Lucy’s infatuation with Schroeder, Snoopy’s daydreams, Linus and his blanket, Charlie Brown’s kite flying, and homework from school.
Sparks-Lee’s artistic crew includes Jade Boffo, assistant director; Zac Rusk, musical director; Sarah Jane Toy, choreographer; Mary Maxwell, stage manager; Sarah Jane Spies, costume design; Linda Alexander-Radak, set design; Kenn Holmes and Linda Alexander-Radak, set construction; Joe Compton, lighting design; Sparks-Lee, Radak and Francis Brogan, props; Meghan Miller, sound design; and Jade Boffo, producer.
“You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” will run Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, Oct. 8, 15 and 22 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children and students. They may be purchased online at www.thelittletheatreonline.org, at the box office of Kent State Tuscarawas Performing Arts Center or at the door. Sponsors for the show are Kait, Andrew and Eliza Wilsterman.
The Little Theatre is located at 466 Carrie Ave. NW in New Philadelphia.