Whether you grew up with the cast recordings of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (the original 1967 off-Broadway or the 1999 Broadway revival depending on your age), saw the 1985 animated adaptation, were in the audience of one of the many, many productions being performed across the country, or none of these, walking into the bright and boisterous world created by Charles M. Schulz (assisted by composer/lyricist Clark Gestner and book writer John Gordon) feels like greeting old friends. Charlie, Lucy, Sally, Linus, Schroeder, and Snoopy are part of the fabric of so many childhoods that the goodwill is built in and the production of the musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at Seattle Musical Theater takes full advantage of this.
Though it is traditional to cast adults to play the parts of children (and one dog), this particular production goes beyond that and has assembled a cast of actors who are 55 and older. This leads to the wisdom and experience that comes with age adding extra layers to the inherent innocence that comes with children and it is incredibly effective. What could easily become a gimmick is only used to deepen our understanding of these beloved characters.
At the helm of this whimsical ship is Michael Byron-Ingersoll as the titular Charlie Brown. At no point does Byron-Ingersoll fall into the trap of pretending to be a little kid. Instead he fully embodies the vulnerability and truth of every moment. His voice is open and sweet and his timing is impeccable. As Charlie Brown’s foil is Teri Lee Thomas as Lucy van Pelt. Though Lee sometimes fails to reach the level of authenticity of Byron-Ingersoll (it is an admittedly high bar) she has clearly done her homework. Her Lucy seems to have leapt directly from the pages of the comic strip. She has a presence tailor-made to play a cartoon character and she does it with gusto.
As the Beethoven loving pianist Schroeder is Patric A. Creelman. He has a powerful voice and it really shines in his ode to the birthday of his favorite musician. Michelle Blackman takes the role of Sally Brown and brings to it a gravitas that is unexpected and delightful. Robert Falk as the precocious Linus van Pelt has brought a charm and likeability to the unaffected air and ennui that comes along with always being the smartest guy in the room. Rounding out our cast is Scott Farrell as Snoopy. He is chock full of charisma and it is clear why he gets all the valentines. Farrell is the consummate showman and he has just the right amount of rasp to his voice to remind everyone he is a dog.
The staging is perfectly simple and restrained thanks to director Tyrone Brown and choreographer Claire Marx. Though the cast did have some opening night bumps with the orchestra, I am sure with a few more shows under their belt, these can be ironed out. The set designed by Alexander Winterle was light and cheerful and equal parts cartoon strip and Laugh-In which works perfectly for the sketch comedy pace of the show. The costumes, by Amanda Headley, stayed true to characters we know and love while still staying grounded in reality.
In the end, an evening spent with these six characters will always be enjoyable. And, while I went into the evening with a cautious optimism about the unique casting concept, I left with my heart sufficiently warmed.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is playing at Seattle Musical Theater through June 17th. Tickets and more information can be found at http://seattlemusicaltheatre.org/good-man/