Meet the whole Peanuts gang at Playhouse 38 show

This week, join the Peanuts gang as they meet the 21st century - complete with new songs, classic tunes, and Lucy's plans to be queen, Snoopy's quest for supper, and Charlie Brown's continuing attempts to go "fly a kite."

Playhouse 38 will present "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," based on the comic strip by Charles Schultz, at 7 p.m. Friday, July 19, and 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at its theater, 321 Stevens St., Suite P, Geneva.

Tickets are $10 each, available online at genevaprks.org or at Stephen Persinger Recreation Center, or Sunset Community Center.

In this production, Sally Brown joins Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, and Snoopy in this charming revue of vignettes and songs. Two new songs, "Beethoven Day" and "My New Philosophy," have been added to the 12 numbers from the original version, which include "My Blanket and Me," "The Baseball Game," "Little Known Facts," "Suppertime," and "Happiness."

"'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown' is the first company show that we have cast at Playhouse 38," said Meredith Vandre, Playhouse 38 youth director. "It is a fun musical with a cast of six. Generally, when we have had auditions for our youth shows in the past, everyone is cast. This one we only cast six. So the talent pool was very high. The children who made it in to this cast were ready for an elevated experience."

The structure of this musical is unique. Since the story is based on a comic strip, Vandre has set it up in the same manner, with short snapshots of the Peanuts gang. You'll see Charlie Brown try to fly a kite, Lucy plan to be queen, Sally sing about her philosophy on life, Linus dance with his blanket, Snoopy sing about his supper, and Schroeder champion adding Beethoven to Mount Rushmore.

The cast features Kaelin Baird, Quinn Beier, Maeve Olechowski, Anna Pankoke, Will Vandre, and Lucy Webster, who range in age from 10 to 13.

"The hardest part (in putting together a youth production) is always casting," Vandre said. "I knew all the kids who came to audition from past shows, so it was hard to only be able to cast six. However, it has been really rewarding to work more one-on-one with these kids and watch them grow into their parts."

The young cast members are looking forward to the performances.

"My favorite part of the play is when we sing the song 'Glee-Club,' because it is humorous and all the characters' personalities come through in the song. People should definitely come see 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown' because it is very funny and it is not a 'junior show' as we typically do," said Lucy Webster.

Playhouse 38 is the cultural arts facility of the Geneva Park District. Call (630) 232-4542 for details.