By Holly Gould
Nothing brings to mind the phrase “Good Grief!” like Midvale Main Street Theatre’s presentation of You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown in Midvale, Utah. This delightfully family friendly show is a fun filled review of songs and vignettes based on the beloved comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schultz. Director Kristina Stone leads a phenomenal ensemble cast who bring our beloved childhood characters alive with childlike energy, enthusiasm, and playful cheer.
Midvale Main Street Theatre is a charming old theater where audiences feel welcome in a cozy and warm atmosphere. Seats are all situated by tables to comfortably accommodate the plentiful choices from the full snack bar. The set quickly draws the eye with a simple and colorful design (Tammy Ross, Stone) that is versatile and fun. Seamless lighting (Kyle Esposito) enhances the set and draws perfect attention to the stage, along with the bright and fun costumes (Jan Harris) that represent the iconic characters perfectly.Derek Wayman is perfect as the devastatingly dejected Charlie Brown. He quickly transports audience members to a place that we feel our childhood insecurities come rushing back to memory. The constant struggle between the desire to be brave, and the fear of trying is adorably hopeless. His little sister Sally Brown is precociously played by Jenni McKay. She brings out the annoying qualities that many younger siblings possess with a silly and fun energy as she learns to develop her “New Philosophy.”
Linus (Todd Taylor-Hoisington) and Lucy Van Pelt (Maddy Barazoto) are simply adorable as siblings. They are truly the characters we remember from our beloved comics. Barazoto has a strong and spunky know it all attitude and is delightfully devious as she uses her powerful instrument with great voice control to boss and bully the other characters. Taylor-Hoisington is consistently charming as he delivers intellectually superior lines with the perfect lisp. The boy to blanket bond is ever present and is showcased cleverly in “My Blanket and Me.”
Rounding out the cast are Jeffrey Black as Beethoven’s biggest fan, Schroder, and Makayla Conner Marriott as the playful pup we all love, Snoopy. Black takes the role of musician seriously and is cluelessly indifferent to Lucy’s pursuits. He has captivating tones to his voice and is enormously skilled at the physical acts that are required of him as he sings effortlessly. Marriott uses her bright and clear voice to bring high level energy to her dog of a character. Her animal instincts bring so many laughs to the audience as she consistently has scene stealing moments throughout the show. Her vocal gymnastics are brilliantly showcased in “Suppertime.”
I was simply blown away by the incredible talent of this ensemble cast. Every actor has vocal abilities that are simply hard to match. The sheer amount of energy that it takes to convincingly play children is enormous. The characters have plenty of fun and playful energy when interacting together. While cast members have individual moments of brilliance as they each get their own moments in the spotlight, something magical happens as they perform together and combine beautiful harmonies with eye pleasing choreography by music director and choreographer Brynnly Bosworth, culminating with the reminder of all of the simple joys of childhood in “Happiness.”
For many, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown is a sweet walk down memory lane that sweeps us up in memories of our own childhood. Midvale Main Street Theatre in Midvale, Utah is the perfect place to go, either for your own parade of the past, or as an introduction of these loveable characters to your own loved ones. Bring the kids and get to this heartwarming, family friendly show.
Midvale Main Street Theatre Presents You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Book, Music, and Lyrics by Clark Gesner.
Based on the Comic Strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schultz.
Midvale Main Street Theatre, 7711 South Main Street (700 West), Midvale, UT 84047
January 23-Feb 3, 2020, 7:30 PM
Tickets – Adults: $15, Child/Senior: $12
Contact: 801-208-0435
Midvale Main Street Theatre Facebook Page
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Facebook Event
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