The 1999 Broadway revival cast recording of You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown was released this month 27 years ago. When I was a kid I would rip the comics and games page out of the newspaper just to get the latest story from the classic Peanuts gang. My heart jumps with joy when I see reruns of the holiday specials on TV and teenagers rocking merchandise. I wish they knew the Peanuts characters who already infiltrated their hearts could also infiltrate their playlists through this awesome album. The cast features well known stars including Kristin Chenoweth, known for her role as Glinda in Wicked on Broadway, and B.D. Wong, the dialogue voice actor for Li Shang in Mulan.
One of my favorite aspects of the album is how the structure mimics a classic Peanuts comic strip. The show is written as a day in the life of the characters, each song is a solo standing story from the day. Even without the show’s dialogue, the soundtrack alone gives a full experience of the show.
Although the show originally premiered off Broadway in 1967, it featured an alternate original character, Patty, not to be confused with Peppermint Patty. The 1999 version, reprised by Addams Family musical composer Andrew Lippa, swaps out Patty for Charlie Brown’s sister Sally. With this character addition the song “My New Philosophy” was added to the album.
The character of Sally adds the perfect amount of witty humor to the storyline. Chenoweth is the perfect actress for the role with her bouncy vocal tone and youthful characterization, it comes as no shock she was awarded a Tony for the role. The lyricism of the song is witty yet fast paced, while still being packed with followable humor. The song stars Schroader and Sally as they reflect on what a philosophy truly is. My personal favorite moment in the number is when Sally announces that, “someone once said to live each day as if it’s the last day of our lives.” In a moment of misunderstanding, Lucy only hears the last 7 words and assumes the world is ending: “This is it? This is the last day? Help me! Help me! AHHH!” Sally follows it with a witty, “Clearly some philosophies aren’t for all people.” The different voices are so distinct to each character that the song feels like an audiobook of a classic Peanuts comic strip. The visual onomatopoeias instead become emotions exaggerated through tone and enunciation.
Another stand out star for me is Roger Bart as Snoopy. I feel like at school Snoopy is everywhere I look whether it’s t-shirts, keychains or profile pictures. Bart is known for his role as the singing voice of Disney’s Hercules. At first I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with the historically non-verbal anthropomorphic dog everyone knows and loves, belting out tunes and speaking real words, but it’s undeniable that Bart’s depiction of Snoopy remains true and faithful to the comics. In the song “Snoopy” the beagle’s lazy and imaginative nature from the strips truly shines through. The song varies in pacing and follows Snoopy’s daydream about being a jungle monster and about little birds visiting his dog house. My favorite part of the instrumental is the obnoxious tambourine because it is perfectly fitting for Snoopy’s adrenaline filled adventure.
My absolute favorite number from the show is “Schroder” sung by Ilana Levine. The number follows Lucy Van Pelt as she confesses her immense love for Schroder as he plays the piano. The charm of the number is that Schroder does not have any real dialogue, instead he plays through Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata“ in an attempt to play aloof to Lucy’s feelings. Levine’s singing tone matches my own vision of what animated Lucy would sound like singing in a musical. Although Levine maintains a nasally tone throughout the song, it all remains comprehensible and clear. Through Lucy’s clear story telling and confessions, and Schroder’s lack of reaction, the listener can really feel for both characters. I also find it hilarious how Schroder is playing a preplanned consistent song while Lucy attempts to sing along to the tune through her aversion. Even when she suggests changing the tune and Schroder ignores her, she girlbosses onward. To me, Lucy’s storyline through her son is a prime example of a cliché teenage girl crush.
You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown is an awesome soundtrack that feels straight out of the comic strip. The album is packed with accurate character depictions, witty humor and comprehensible plot from just the lyrics. In a world where live stage performances may not be accessible for all, albums like these that contain comprehensible plot through songs on popular streaming services allow a wider audience to enjoy artistry from the comfort of their own home. I think having more musicals that can translate in ways similar to an audiobook is a great way to increase streams and publicity.
