One could call the Longwood Theatre’s production of the play, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” an undisputed success looking at the box office sales alone. Tickets were sold out for every showing and waitlists were made for the overflow of people who still wanted to attend.
An audience of all ages watched the Sunday matinee, ranging from small children to adults in their seventies and eighties, all drawn in by their love for the classic cartoon. While waiting during the brief intermission, a group of older adults in the front rows discussed their distant memories of watching the show growing up and their favorite characters.
After the show, one little girl around four years old, accompanied by her mother, said she liked “the blue girl” the best. Her mother smiled and clarified that she meant Lucy. “(She) already asked when she could come back,” said her mother.
Hard work, talent and love brought these beloved characters to life for the Longwood and Farmville communities, making this play a success beyond the box office. Longwood freshman and ensemble member Mason Patrick said the cast members were all good friends just like the characters themselves, helping them bring the characters to life.
Assistant Director Gracen Jones brought her own bout of excitement to the production, stemming from the opportunity to help direct a play as a freshman. “Charlie Brown” was the first production she has directed at Longwood.
The audience experienced many of the side plots from the cartoons, such as Lucy’s (Lorin Hope Turner) undying love and pursuit of piano prodigy Schroeder (Harrison Runion), Linus’ (Aaron Burstein) struggle to give up his blue security blanket and Snoopy’s (Garrett D. Reese) daydream of becoming a fighter pilot and taking down the infamous “Red Baron.” Some of the other Peanuts members were present as well, such as Patty (Olivia Pedigo) and Woodstock (Randall Linkins).
However, the main plotline centered around the many failures and disappointments in the life of the block head himself, Charlie Brown (Allen Coates). Poor Charlie Brown searches for happiness and meaning in life during the play in ways familiar to anyone who watched the cartoons or read the original comics. Yet at the end he still finds happiness, despite all his disappointments, through the love and support of his friends.
The play “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown” was directed by Dr. Rhonda Scarrow, originally written by Clark Gesner and based upon the comics of Charles M. Schulz. The production was warm and familiar to all who grew up watching the shenanigans of the Peanuts gang. However, it was also funny and relatable to those who weren't as familiar with the cartoons.
The cast made even the most mundane failures and disappointments of childhood humorous and interesting to children and adults, alike. It also recognized how much power the support and love of friends can have on the confidence and happiness of all, even a block head like Charlie Brown.
