The South Simcoe Theatre in Cookstown brings Charles M. Shultz’s beloved characters from the “Peanuts” comic strip to life in the musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Nov. 3 to 19.
The production is colourful and lively, appealing to adults and children. For adults who grew up with the Charlie Brown comic strip and television specials, it is both a trip to younger days and an opportunity to embrace one’s inner child.
Snoopy (Nolan Richards), Lucy (Emma Charlebois), Sally (Krissy Hutchens), Linus (Nathaniel Hong), Schroeder (Richard Doria) and, of course, Charlie Brown (Patrick Voo) sing and dance as they experience some of life’s joys and conundrums. Charlie Brown’s struggle with how to approach the Little Red-Haired Girl shows insecurities many of us have.
Even if the characters are unfamiliar to some children now, the show is engaging through some strong acting and impressive voices. The live music played by a band adds a lot to the feel of the show.
Director and set designer Archie Ballantyne couldn’t resist putting his name forward to direct. He said, “It is such a great show with amazing music and the humour and fun of seeing adults playing and having fun just like children.”
He hopes audience members “start to remember that inner child that so many of us have forgotten and that they start to play and have fun in life even when it gets hard, just like Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang.”
Ballantyne worked with Sabrina Merks, director and choreographer, as well as music director, Ernesto De Luca, to create a cohesive vision. They each had a love for the Peanuts and the stage show.
Merks said, “I believe that having a clear and concise vision is crucial for any project. One way to achieve this is by defining it with a single word that is easy to understand, meaningful and purposeful. For our project, the (phrase) we chose was 'child-like wonder.'"
“I absolutely adore the music and the message of kindness and hope conveyed in the story,” Merks added.
Ballantyne and Merks have been working collaboratively for the past three years. Merks explained, “Archie and I share a passion for the art of theatre, and we are both fortunate to be part of the amazing Black Cat Studios team — a local indie theatre company.”
They each enjoyed working with De Luca. “Ernesto was the perfect fit for my and Sabrina’s vision. He is so easy to work with and has such an extensive knowledge that it was like he was the missing piece to our team,” Ballantyne said.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown gave a welcome opportunity to De Luca to debut as music director for a stage show. He said, “Working with the cast and the band has been wonderful. Seeing the progression from when we started to the show opening has been amazing.”
De Luca grew up watching Charlie Brown cartoons and his favourite is A Charlie Brown Christmas. He said, “I found it kind of fitting with the show going into November and leading to Christmas. It’s close to home for me.”
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, book, music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., at the theatre (1 Hamilton St. in Cookstown).
Please note the change in start time from previous seasons, and that shows no longer run of Thursdays.
Tickets may be purchased online or by calling the box office at 705-458-4432 or emailing [email protected]. Visa, Mastercard, cash, cheques and Interac e-transfer are accepted. Note: the online system can't accept Visa debit cards.
To learn what shows are coming up, and what else the theatre offers, visit thesouthsimcoetheatre.com.
