Review: YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN at Windgate Center For The Fine And Performing Arts
UCA Summer Theatre's inaugural show runs through Sunday, June 30
Broadway World was excited when we heard that the University of Central Arkansas decided to start their first professional summer theatre, aptly named UCA Summer Theatre. To open their inaugural show, they are performing YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN through the end of the month in the new Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts in the James M. Bridges Black Box Theatre. If you love the Peanuts gang, this is the show for you.
Based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz, with Book, Music, and Lyrics by Clark Gesner, the gang pieces the musical together through comic strip-like scenes. The show opens with the cast singing the title song, which has Charlie Brown wondering what it means to be a good man. Then they are off to school where Charlie Brown (Jimmy Bowler) has lunch, contemplating life and his peanut butter sandwich and notices the redheaded girl that he admires. At recess Lucy (Leah Fimple) sings "Schroeder" to Schroeder (Ethan Perry) while he is playing the piano. Sally (Gabriella Collins) struggles with her jump rope. She also argues with her teacher...wa wa wa wa wa wa....to get her paper changed from a C to a higher grade.
Back home, Snoopy (Bret Kagebein) is at his house dreaming of all the people that love him, but he daydreams about being a wild fierce animal ready to bite someone. In ACT II he fights the Red Baron.
Holidays come and go. During Valentine’s Day, Charlie Brown tries to give Lucy a card but ends up telling her Merry Christmas. Then on April Fool's Day, Lucy warns Charlie Brown that she is going to play a trick on him, immediately does it, and he falls for it anyway.
Charlie Brown isn’t the only person tormented by Lucy. Lucy steals Linus' (Takashi Ito) blanket, which leads to Linus singing a song about his blanket.
There are many comic vignettes throughout this show, but in the end, Charlie Brown decides that being a good man means doing your best and making the most out of life.
This ensemble was animated and brought their characters to life. Bless him Jimmy Bowler had to embrace Charlie Brown’s depression and low self-esteem. I kept hearing my inner voice saying ‘poor thing’ a lot. You couldn’t help but root for him wanting good things to happen to him.
Leah Fimple was a snarky Lucy. She embodied confidence and self-awareness. I wasn’t aware that Lucy and Sally were such good buddies, but she and Gabriella Collins’ Sally mixed well together.
Another great pairing was Collins’ Sally with Bret Kagebein’s Snoopy. I loved when they went hunting together. They really made the pretend play seem so real that the audience could feel like they were close to getting the rabbit. On a side note, Sally has my favorite song “My New Philosophy.” It is so cute and sassy. I loved it!
Tahashi Ito’s Linus had a great number with his blanket. I also loved how intellectually advanced he was compared to the rest of the gang, yet it didn’t seem to matter to the rest of his friends. I’m not sure if this was a correlation between his blanket, himself, and his intellect, but there was a definite advancement in Linus’ mentality.
Ethan Perry’s Schroeder was a typical musician fixated on his piano and composer icon, ignoring his adoring fan Lucy. His love for Beethoven was so big, he had his own song and holiday-”Beethoven Day.” It was cool how everyone celebrated with him.
This is fun for the whole family and the tickets are family friendly as well, so don’t miss this great classic. For more information, visit their website at uca.edu/theatre.
Creative Team
Director: Lauren Carlton
Music Director: Dr. Celeste Church
Stage Manager: Margaret M Saba
Assistant Stage Manager: William O’Neill
Scenographer: Austin Aschbrenner
Costume Designer: Keagan Styes-Pena
Paint/Props Coordinator: Cory Steiger
Assistant Lighting Designer: Liz Baker
Assistant Sound Designer: Peter Kha
Assistant Costume Designer/First Hand: Echo Mitchell
Rehearsal Pianist: Yifei ChenExecutive Director: SHauna Colclasure Meador
Production Manager/Technical Director: Austin Aschbrenner
Costume Shop Manager: Keagan Styes
Business & Company Manager: Joshua Gibby
House Manager: Kat Bale
Shop Assistant: Xander Udochi
Social Media Director: Kat Bale
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