SHS Presents ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown’

Kelli McRobert | May 08, 2024

This past weekend the students of Sydenham High School were finally back to acting on stage for a live audience. 7 performances were planned for the public, students, and local school groups. The planning for the show had been in the works for almost a year, after a 15-year (yes, years) hiatus. Costume design, stage lighting crew, sound crew, and set building consumed the devoted group during their waking hours. The musical itself was directed by Kristen Martin whose assistant was Janice Keene. Evan Jackson and Kristin Stevens were in charge of the music and vocal direction. Stage management was the responsibility of Tyler Elliott, Caitlin Ball, and Angela Boucher. Rounding out the management team was Brooklyn Pritchard who choreographed the animated crew.

The play itself has been performed on stage since March 7, 1967, when it premiered off-Broadway at Theatre 80 in East Village, NY, and lasted 1,597 performances closing on February 14, 1971. Since then, there have been various tours and television adaptations that have earned the show and performers awards and nominations at the Tony’s and the Grammy’s to name but a few.

As guests arrived at the school, you were directed toward the auditorium which was located in the newer section and is bright and inviting. You can’t help but be taken back to your school years as lockers lined the well-lit hallways and classrooms lay dark, desks lined up, ready for Monday sessions. As we headed downstairs, we were greeted by a few friendly faces who took our tickets and offered us an informative program with candid photos, cast and crew details, and the Director’s notes. Lining the hallway were beautiful black and white photos that captured the creativity and ‘moments in time’ as more than “40 students and over 20 staff members” worked on every detail of the upcoming theatrical performance.

A quick turn to the right brought you to Snoopy Snacks where you could enjoy large chocolate chip cookies, chips, or a beverage for a reasonable price. The fundraising efforts continued throughout the evening to help offset some of the costs for materials, copyrights, and equipment rentals. Young spectators were keen to sample the freshly baked cookies as they laughed and clapped during the 90-minute show.

To the left was the main auditorium that could seat 100 quite comfortably, and you were immersed in the play as the large Snoopy dog house stood tall and oversized, bright red, with the sarcastic Snoopy, lounging atop. Woodstock would appear beside his canine pal unintelligible as he hummed out his latest concern. Schroeder's piano, painted blue sits in the corner, a memory that dates back to 1951 when Charlie Brown first introduced him to a toy piano.

The simple props were bright, creative, and effective in setting the tone. Rabbits, alarm clocks, baseballs, and pencils … each one drawing us into an imaginary world of angst, childhood, friendship, and discovery. When Pigpen (Liam Guthrie) was on stage you couldn’t help but see the dust and dirt as he scratched and sniffed amongst his friends. As Snoopy (Alexia Hotner) donned her apparel to battle the Red Baron, the lighting and sound carried you back to WWI. Each scene offered up the musical talents of the troupe and brought back nostalgia for the Charles M. Schulz comic strip Peanuts. The sound and lighting were ‘spot on’ as it moved us from scene to scene, highlighting the tap performance of the Blanket (Kate Walker) who comforted Linus (Carter Bomba) as he struggled to part with ‘it’. The black YGMCB shirts were a polished touch to acknowledge the hard work the ‘behind the scenes’ crew were performing from the glassed-in control booth.

It was refreshing to see the diversity in genders as the cast appeared on stage, each one exuding a sense of confidence and whimsy as they told the tale of Charlie Brown. When Charlie Brown (Lauren Good) began to sing, it was amazing the voice that greeted us, along with Snoopy and Schroeder (Charlise Varrette) , who surprised you with their depth of range. It was fun to see Lucy (Honour McQuay) stomp around the stage and solicit the affections of Schroeder atop his piano. A fun surprise was that Woodstock (Aeryck Hook) thought it would be nice to dance a jig to impress another, and was quickly dismissed by Snoopy, but the Scottish Sporran was a nice touch!

The play itself unfolded in two Acts with a brief intermission where guests mingled and snacked as the performers prepared themselves for Act 2, and the final act of the week-long engagement. From the Book Report to the Baseball Game, and onto the Suppertime dance, the cast and crew continued to entertain us with wit, charm, and talent that never waned. As I count the words in my article, I chuckle and think of the play as Lucy struggled to get her book report done on Peter Rabbit, a very, very, funny reminder of book reports of the past.

As the final number Happiness finished with Charlie Brown realizing that ‘It hasn’t been such a bad day after all”, we are reminded that you can find joy in the little things – “loved by you”.

Here’s to looking forward to the next play!