MAGNA – The Oquirrh Hills Performing Arts Alliance’s production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a delightful experience filled with talent, laughter and heart. No doubt, patrons of this production will leave with a smile of their face.
Based on the beloved comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz with book, music and lyrics by Clark Gesner and additional dialogue by Michael Mayer, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is not only a wonderful opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the iconic Peanuts characters, but also the perfect way to introduce audience members to the always-anxious Charlie Brown and his eclectic group of friends.
THE EMPRESS
As a first-time patron of The Empress Theatre, I was impressed with the warm welcome I received upon entering the lobby and grateful to the kind usher who guided me to my seat. As I waited for the production to begin, I was thrilled to see and hear a live band under the direction of Amanda Robison warming up for the performance. As a violinist with experience performing in an orchestra pit, the use of a live band filled me with even more anticipation. Nothing compares to live music.
The Empress Theatre is unique in that the audience all sits to the side of the stage. Because of this, I was curious to see what kind of view I would have of the production. Emma Hallett-Leyva’s superb directing and understanding of this layout was immediately evident with the actors giving ample facetime to all. As one who attends the theatre all across the Salt Lake valley, it is said with confidence that this attention to detail is not common. Hallett-Leyva’s thoughtfulness in this regard was one of the biggest strengths of the entire production.
As the music began to play and the actors entered the stage, I found myself overcome with nostalgia particularly due to the simple, yet effective costumes by Hallett-Leyva. It was delightful to see the classic yellow shirt adorned with its single chevron stripe and the ever-present blue blanket that fans of the Peanuts universe know and love.
DESIGN ELEMENTS
Equally nostalgic were the props by Elder Jordan Shami, Bentley Jenks, and Colby Nash. Snoopy’s (Colby Nash) dog house, Lucy Van Pelt’s (Gweny Adams) psychiatric stand and Schroeder’s (Brady Neilson) piano were excellent replicas of what was seen in the comic strips and Charlie Brown movies. The scenes with Schroeder’s piano were particularly fun due to the wonderful talent of pianist Ben Ellis who performed live while Neilson mirrored him on stage. The addition of Lucy trying desperately to get the attention of Schroeder by throwing herself all over the piano while he plays Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata only enhanced the nostalgia.
PERFORMANCES
Overall, each cast member shined in their respective roles. Sonny Payne gave a magnificent performance and was the highlight of the production as Charlie Brown. Payne’s monologues were flawlessly executed, and his vocals were stunningly powerful and beautiful. Despite Payne’s strength on stage, his performance was always in line with the true nature of his over-thinking, always worrying character. Portraying such a well-known character must be challenging, but Payne rose to the challenge with his exceptional abilities.
Also noteworthy was Adams’s portrayal of Lucy Van Pelt. Adams commanded the stage in Lucy’s signature blue dress and had high energy throughout. She conveyed Lucy’s often mischievous and bossy behavior with exactness and was a delight to watch from start to finish.
Some of the best scenes of the production were when the entire cast was on stage together. Despite the modestly sized stage, the choreography by Gracie George was energetic and upbeat, with actors filling the space to capacity. Such scenes allowed one to get a sense of the camaraderie between the actors and the general enjoyment they were having.
Perhaps the most memorable scene with respect to choreography was My Blanket and Me. Lead by the talented Raiden Yocom as Linus Van Pelt, Yocom’s impressive dance skills made for a charming moment in the show. What propelled the scene even more was the use of light by designer Kayla Martin. I adored the choice to use blue lighting as an ode to Linus’s favorite blue accessory.
NOTES & CONCLUSION
While having a band perform live exceeded my expectations for this production, a few improvements could be made. It was often challenging to hear Nash and Neilson over the band, especially when they were singing. Despite these minor missteps, I applaud Robison and each musician for their incredible talent. It is not always easy to accompany actors on stage, but this band was well-prepared and performed spectacularly.
Whether you’re revisiting these characters or meeting them for the first time, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is an experience that all people will enjoy. With a talented cast and crew, this production illustrates the importance of the theatre where people of all ages can create art for the enjoyment of a community.
