Princeton Summer Theater pays tribute to Clark Gesner with a production of this ever-popular musical.
By: Stuart Duncan
On the evening of March 7, 1967, Walter Kerr, the theater reviewer for The New York Herald Tribune (and later for the Sunday New York Times) went to Theatre 80 St. Marks, off-Broadway, for a new musical You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. It was based on a series of Peanuts characters, taken from Charles Schulz’s popular newspaper cartoon and translated into vignettes on stage. The music and lyrics for the show were written by a Princeton alumnus, Clark Gesner, class of 1960.
Mr. Kerr was so charmed by the show and its performers that he did two things he had not done before, and would not in the future: He went backstage to congratulate the six in the cast. That, in turn, caused him to miss the deadline for his review. It ran the next day, March 9, and he apologized and explained. He also said he didn’t think a single day would make much difference the show would last forever.
He was right, of course. Charlie Brown ran for 1,597 off-Broadway performances, there have been countless community and school productions, a 1988 TV version and a Broadway revival in 1999. And now there is a lovely version at the Princeton Summer Theater, specifically dedicated to Mr. Gesner, who died last summer. (His heart gave out, just outside New York’s Princeton Club.)
The show can be thought of as an average day in the life of Charlie Brown. Actually, it is a day made up of little moments, picked from Valentine’s Day, the baseball season swinging from wild optimism to despair, from uncertain morning to hopeful, starlit evening.
The original 1967 production listed "Book by John Gordon." That was a pseudonym for the cast. Read the names carefully, as you might know one or two: Bob Balaban, Gary Burghoff, Bill Hinnant, Skip Hinnant, Karen Johnson and Reva Rose.
This cast has the same appeal: Benjamin Mains plays Charlie Brown with open-faced bewilderment. His "lunchtime is the worst time of the day" monologue is delicious. Ronit Rubinstein has all the smug assurance that Lucy needs. Sean Effinger-Dean almost steals the evening as Linus, particularly in "My Blanket and Me." Jed Peterson plays Schroeder as if he really could play the toy piano. Mary Katherine Sheena gets about as much out of the role of Patty as there is to find. The part is seriously underwritten. And Virginia A. Pourakis is a memorable Snoopy, combining a natural comic voice with a great look (her hair is done in side-of-the-cheeks ponytail style to give us Snoopy’s ears) and a mobile face. She warms us up with "Pleasant Day," then pulls out all the stops in "Suppertime."
Director Lindsey Mantoan has approached the material with obvious love and respect. And when the company sits on the edge of the stage at the finale, looks the audience right in the eyes and sings "Happiness," you can’t help the welling in your own eyes. "Happiness is anything and anyone that’s loved by you."
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown continues at Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Murray-Dodge Hall, Princeton University, through Aug. 3. Performances: Thurs.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 2 p.m. Tickets cost $12-$14, $10-$12 seniors, $8-$10 students. For information, call (609) 258-7062. On the Web: www.pst2003.com