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Going nuts with the Peanuts!
3rd
June 2008
By Sean Bryan
Cartoons come to life this June as Melbourne Musicals jumps from the
cartoon strip to the stage with their performance of the ‘You’re A
Good Man, Charlie Brown’. All your favourite characters are there
singing and dancing their way through the adventures of Charlie
Brown, Snoopy; the world’s most famous beagle, and all their
friends.
‘You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown’ originally premiered Off Broadway
in 1967 running for over 1,500 shows and appeared on Broadway in
1971. The show was then revised in 1999 and featured Kristen
Chenowith (of WICKED fame) as Sally Brown and Anthony Rapp (from
RENT) as Charlie Brown. The revival received four Tony nominations
and won two for Best Featured Actor (Roger Bart as Snoopy) and Best
Featured Actress (Kristin Chenoweth).
The show’s true success comes from it’s ability to be staged by
Theatre Companies of all shapes, sizes and budgets with it’s family
friendly themes, happy songs and familiar characters who will have
you smiling from ear to ear by the end of the show.
To find out all about Melbourne Musicals production of the show I
thought I’d interview some of the people involved- Charlie Brown,
Lucy Van Pelt and Snoopy.
TP: So you're about to appear in a musical. Are you nervous about
this?
Lucy: “I’m nervous for Charlie Brown because he usually makes a mess
of things. If he makes me look bad, I won’t be happy.”
Charlie: “I am also nervous, for me.”
Snoopy: “It really is a one-dog show.”
 TP:
How would you describe yourself in one word?
Lucy: “BEWDIFUL”
Charlie Brown: “Good Ol’ Charlie Brown…. wait. That is four words. I
am sorry. Can I answer the question again?”
Snoopy: “Sugarlips”
TP: I know Sally is constantly changing her philosophies, what is
your current philosophy on life?
Lucy: “‘Give me back my ball, you blockhead!!!’
Charlie Brown: “Good grief.”
Snoopy: “Yesterday I was a dog. Today I am a dog. Tomorrow I will
probably still be a dog. There is just so little hope of
advancement.”
TP: Snoopy, you have a pretty wild imagination! What does an average
day for the worlds most famous Beagle include?
Snoopy: “I am a song-and-dance dog, a World War One Flying Ace and
for a brief moment a drag queen. I am a virtuoso at every endeavour
that I can imagine….
The average day starts with coffee and the newspaper. I may take in
a stroll. Occasionally I will pull the typewriter out and continue
to work on my novel. I enjoy reading. I am currently reading Leo
Tolstoy’s War and Peace at the rate of a word a day. I adore
Suppertime - that is when the little round head kid remembers to
feed me.”
 TP:
What's so special about Charlie Brown that they've made a musical
about him?
Lucy: “Charlie Brown is one big failure. He has failure written all
over him.”
TP: Charlie, what are your favourite hobbies and past times?
Charlie: “I have never pitched a winning baseball game. I have never
been able to keep a kite in the air. I have never won checkers or
ping-pong. And I have never successfully punted a football.”
TP: Snoopy, what is your favourite food?
Snoopy: “Root beer and pizza. Oh, and sausages, marshmallows and
cookies.”
TP: Lucy, You're an enterprising girl, I hear you operate a
psychiatry booth, is that little venture successful? Is there
something you're saving up for with the profits?
Lucy:“Of course it is successful: I make money and people
learn things about themselves. Someone suggested I was mean to
charge friends for advice, but if you compare it to the going rate
of psychiatry these days then it’s actually very reasonable. I am
saving up to be a queen. So I am going to use the money to pay my
way into the monarchy.”
TP: Is there anything else you'd like to say about the show?
Charlie: “Book now for our very happy little production. Opening
night is completely booked out, but there are tickets available for
each performance.”
Snoopy: “On the Melbourne Musicals blog there are also some behind
the scenes videos of our rehearsals and some incredible photos of me
too! Woof.”
 Some
Facts About The Show:
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You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown is playing on June
7,8,10,11,12,13 at 8pm, June14 at 8pm and 2pm, and June 9 at 5pm
at the Cromwell Road Theatre, 27a Cromwell Road South Yarra.
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A beloved cast of comic strip characters come to life to share
their hopes, dreams and their angst-ridden-but-optimistic view of
the world in this charming family musical directed by Bryce Ives
and musically directed by Adrian Portell.
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The show features some of Melbourne’s brightest new musical
theatre talent including James Cutler (Charlie Brown), Darryn Gatt
(Snoopy), Laura Burzacott (Sally Brown), Emma Caldwell (Lucy Van
Pelt), Matt Perfect (Linus Van Pelt) and Richard Hughes
(Schroeder)
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Tickets: Adults $33, Concession $27 and Children under 12 $23
Bookings:
http://melbournemusicals.wordpress.com/performances/
Or directly through MoshTix
http://www.mostix.com.au
1300 Get Tix (438 849) |