Ever since the first Peanuts comic strip premiered in 1950, millions of people have been able to commiserate with the everyday plight of Charlie Brown, an ordinary kid with a bad case of anxiety. Through Peanuts, creator Charles M. Schulz offered solace to people who feel like nothing ever goes the way it’s supposed to, by throwing a heavy dose of comic relief into the downtrodden mix.
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, the popular 1960s musical based on the comic strip, augments this ethic by bringing Charlie’s unfair world to life, and allows the audience to chuckle at-and sympathize with-his unfortunate existence.
Shawn Mitchell, director of Trinity College’s production of Charlie Brown, understood the need to offset Charlie’s doom and gloom with quality comical moments, and even more importantly, fun. Perfect for the student stage, this musical doesn’t depend on flashy costumes or elaborate set pieces-the strength of Charlie Brown revolves around having a vibrant, dynamic, and energetic cast to bring the well-known characters to life.
Since the show is basically a series of vignettes from Charlie Brown’s daily life, there is no overarching plot other than the unique personalities of the characters themselves. So even more than usual, the cast can make or break this show. Lucky for Mitchell, his cast turned out to be more than just peanuts.
In the lead role of Charlie Brown, Nicholas Nasrallah was able to create a character that was both a pessimistic worrywart and a positive presence on stage. Part of this was his sheer charisma, but also his wide-eyed physicality which constantly reminded the audience that even though Charlie is a bit of loser, he still has lots of determination, and some sense of hope. His expression when Lucy calls him a “failure face” was hilarious.
Linus, the blanket-carrying wimp, was nicely portrayed by Rob Cumming, who displayed an admirable vocal ability while singing, and an appropriately childish lisp while talking. As Linus’ tyrannical sister, Lucy, Allison Leggat hit just the right balance of funny and edgy. She did an excellent job of playing the self-centered child who will do or say anything to wield power over her peers. The scene in which she steals Linus’ security blanket was especially good, because it showed how she could be more than just a brat.
Overall the show succeeded because the cast as a whole was able to give the production a cohesiveness and real joie de vivre that is often missing from even most professional performances.
