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I grew up loving the Peanuts comics. Snoopy was pretty much the best thing on the planet and I spent plenty of hours marveling at his adventures as the famous World War I pilot, figure-skater, and novelist. One of my favorite books as a kid was a collection called Speak Softly and Carry a Beagle. I think there's something timeless about that round-headed kid and his dog. In my director's note for this show, I tried to encapsulate what I think makes the comics so special and what I think we gain from seeing the characters come to life in this musical.

The Longwood Players' production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown opens tonight. Performances run November 13, 14, 19, 20, 21. More info.


A Note from the Director

If you're sitting in the audience reading this, chances are that you already have an idea what's in store for you. Ninety-eight percent of Americans today grew up during a time when the Peanuts comic was printed in newspapers. And even the oldest and youngest among us are likely to know about the trials and tribulations of these iconic characters: the adventurous Snoopy, the crabby Lucy, and the ever-failing, ever-determined Charlie Brown.

Charlies Schulz wrote and illustrated 17,897 Peanuts comic strips, publishing one every day for 50 years. At its height, Peanuts ran in over 2,600 newspapers in 75 countries and 21 languages. Schultz's work touched hundreds of millions of people and left a legacy that is, quite simply, remarkable.

I believe You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a fitting tribute to this remarkable legacy. At its heart, the show portrays Schultz's characters and stories with a tender and faithful affection. But what makes the musical special is that it gives voice to unspoken dreams and fantasies in a way that was never possible in the comic strip. Shy, sarcastic Schroeder is a man of few words, but in his dreams, he gets to experience a show-stopping musical celebration of his favorite composer. Snoopy's great adventures are usually limited to a handful of comic frames and some thought bubbles, but here, you'll get to see these escapades come to life.

Our production of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown celebrates these hidden dreams of the Peanuts universe. You'll still see Lucy being bossy and Sally being precocious. Linus still depends on his blanket and Charlie Brown is still in love with the little red-haired girl. You'll also see some familiar faces that we've added to the musical: Pig-Pen, Peppermint Patty, and others that Schulz created to share in the triumphs, the failures, and the strange brand of cynical optimism that Peanuts made a part of our daily lives for fifty years.

When our actors step out of the comic and into song, however, we hope you'll see something a little different. We hope that you'll allow yourself to be transported into the dreams and fantasies of these wonderful characters and, in doing so, see them again for the first time.

This spring, The Longwood Players will be producing City of Angels—another show about a troubled character and the fantasy world he creates. But then, what is our responsibility in creating theater if it is not to build another world and, for two brief shining hours, transport ourselves and you into this other time and place?

Thank you for joining us in our journey. And thank you, Mr. Charles Schulz.

Kaitlyn Chantry, Director

"Happiness is anyone and anything at all that's loved by you."