By Jet Burnham | [email protected]

Like the Peanuts comic strip it is based on, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” is a series of short scenes featuring characters from the Peanuts gang: Charlie Brown panics about a book report, Sally’s jump rope gets tangled, Linus gets teased about his blanket, Snoopy imagines an intense battle as the Red Baron, Lucy torments Charlie Brown. 

Tanner Bowen plays the role of Charlie Brown, who flies a kite, plays baseball and writes a Valentine’s Card with his usual pessimistic attitude and annoyed exclamations of “good grief!”

“This whole show is about how bad things have been happening to Charlie Brown and how nothing has gone right for him,” Tanner said.

However, the story ends on a positive note with Charlie Brown realizing he’s a “good man” after all.

“I like the part where it shows that you can still be happy, even with irritating or hard circumstances,” Tanner said. That’s a lesson he said everyone can relate to. “Especially after the tough year we've had last year, it helps remind us that we should look for the happy and the good things in life.”

Alexis Pavlides, a ninth grader in the cast, said Charlie Brown’s story is relatable for everyone—even teenagers.

“He’s an awkward kid who thinks everybody's out to get him but really everybody loves him,” she said. “He's very insecure and every teenager goes through that.”

Forty-eight cast members, most of which are not insecure teenagers, exude confidence and enthusiasm in their roles as young children. Ninth-grader Tilly Twitchell plays Snoopy, a character she describes as “a dog who doesn't think he's a dog.” Snoopy takes the audience on adventures into her vivid imagination in brief vignettes throughout the play.

The classic comic strip humor of the script is illustrated with colorful costumes, clever music and spirited choreography that will draw audiences of all ages.

The production runs Nov. 18, 19 and 20 at 6:30 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 1 p.m. Tickets are $4.