Review: A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS at The Coterie

With the possible exception of those who might be allergic, children universally love Charlie Brown and Peanuts. The Coterie Children's Theater on the lower level of Crown Center in downtown Kansas City serves up a live action, Christmas sized helping of a beloved "Charlie Brown Christmas" suitable for children of all ages.

Fifty years ago, the animated " A Charlie Brown Christmas Special" first appeared on television screens. All the Peanut characters suddenly came to life and immediately became integral to the holiday canon. Eric Schaeffer has adapted the Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson television script into a stage presentation for family audiences. Artistic director Jeff Church has pulled it all together in a most charming and pleasant manner that will certainly be imprinted into the memory of all young "Peanuts" fans that have the opportunity of being introduced to live theater through this short, happy production.

All the classic Peanuts characters are in attendance. Steven Eubank is an appropriately hopeless and sad sack Charlie Brown. Lexi Morris becomes the annoying and bossy Lucy Van Pelt still dispensing dubious, but budget priced, paid in advance psychiatric advice from her iconic lemon stand. And emerging from a cloud of perpetual dust is Matthew Lindblom as the irreplaceable Pigpen. And most classic and endearing is the voiceless pantomime and clever dance of Donovan Woods as the brave and perpetually best balanced character, Snoopy the beagle dog and World War I fighter pilot ace.

Like everything else produced at The Coterie, the stagecraft remains first class. Lights, sound, makeup, costumes, and sets would do credit to any theater company. This production is accompanied by a three piece jazz trio headed by pianist Gary Adams with Jeff Harshbarger on the string bass and Sam Wisman on percussion.

The actors are professional. The staging is precise and the action is innovative with little touches added which add to the theatrical magic. The show opens with lighting that introduces the illusion of the characters skating convincingly on a frozen pond. When we meet Pigpen for the first time, a cloud of dust billows from his wild, unkept, flyaway hair. The young people are deliberately included and collectively charmed.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" is short enough for very young people, but good enough to entertain most children and their parents and grandparents. It is supplanted by some very nice musical addendums. The actors sing well and original arrangements add to the holiday feeling.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" continues live on stage at The Coterie through January 3, 2016. Potential audience members are encouraged to buy their tickets now as seats (and floor space) in the time Coterie performance space are being committed quickly. Remaining tickets can be purchased at www.thecoterie.org online or by telephone at (816) 474-6552.

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