You're a Good Man Charlie Brown

Beloved “Peanuts” gang comes to life as Mainstage presents You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown

April 3, 2011 · Print This Article

“Happiness is two kinds of ice cream, sharing a secret …” or spending a couple hours with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and friends as Mainstage Center for the Arts (MCA) presents You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, a musical for all ages, April 29 through May 1, Camden County College.
This award-winning Broadway revival version brings Charles Schultz’s beloved characters to life. It follows one full day in the lives of Charlie Brown and the “Peanuts” gang capturing classic moments such as Schroeder at the piano, Linus with his blanket, Lucy as a psychiatrist, and Snoopy with his supper dish.
Don Rider of West Chester, PA portrays everyone’s favorite blockhead, Charlie Brown and Mike Angelini of West Deptford, NJ is his more-or-less faithful beagle, Snoopy.
The production features 14 upbeat songs including “My New Philosophy,” “The Baseball Game,” “Suppertime,” and the well-known “Happiness.”
The line “Happiness is coming home again” is especially poignant for the show’s director and Schroeder Billy Hart, of New York; and cast members Erin Waldie of Ridley, PA who plays Lucy; Kelly Karcher of New York as Sally; and James Cristiano of Philadelphia, playing Linus. Each of them participated in Mainstage Center for the Arts’ Summer Stage and Harmony Show Choir before moving on to college and professional careers.
“I’m really excited to be coming back to Mainstage ,” said Cristiano. “I had such great experiences here and made some of my best friends. It will be something special to perform with my old friends. Billy Hart and I first performed together in Mainstage’s production of Pinocchio, twelve years ago. While Kelly Karcher and I were car-pooling buddies.”
Erin Waldie also looks forward to the opportunity for a Mainstage reunion. Not only did she perform with MCA, but she was also Encore Show Choir’s first choreographer. “It was so exciting to see my ideas come to life at Mainstage and to work side by side with my Mom in the Summer Stage Dance Explosion program,” said Waldie.
Ed Fiscella, MCA Producing Artistic Director, is delighted that Summer Stage alumni, now focused on professional careers, are returning and giving back where they got their start.
“It’s very gratifying to see the kids that have grown up here at Mainstage, move on, become successful and decide that they want to come back. In addition to being an enchanting, entertaining show for audiences, this one personally means a lot for the Mainstage family,” said Fiscella.
Along with providing a fun weekend of entertainment, the You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown production will support the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS charity, which is one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. Mainstage will have collection containers available for audience members who would like to support this cause.
“As director and with a show that is capable of reaching out to every demographic, I felt it necessary to capture Charlie Brown’s spirit of hopeful optimism. BC/EFA is a great organization that the theater community at large has initiated; and my goal is that our community and our audiences at Mainstage will be able to donate at least $1,000. But every penny and nickel counts – just look at Lucy’s psychiatrist’s booth,” said Hart.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown runs Friday and Saturday April 29 and 30, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 1, 2 p.m. at the newly-renovated Dennis Flyer Theatre, Lincoln Hall, Camden County College, Blackwood. Ticket prices are $13 for seniors/students and $16 or $21 for adults. Special group rates are also available. To order tickets, visit www.mainstage.org, or call (856) 227-3091.

Mainstage Center for the Arts, located at Camden County College in Blackwood, NJ is committed to make the arts experience enjoyable for all its patrons. In an effort to make the shows, concerts, events, workshops, classes, and offices accessible to as many as possible, Mainstage offers many services for patrons requiring assistance. For anyone in need of assistance, please notify the office at (856) 227-3091 at the time of purchasing tickets, or at least five days prior to the event you are attending.