Kalamazoo Civic Theatre's Senior Class Readers Theatre presents a fully staged production of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" opening Friday, October 10 at the Parish Theatre, offering audiences a nostalgic journey into the beloved Peanuts universe.
Director Ken Holda emphasizes this is far from a simple reading. "We are doing a full production of You're Good Man, Charlie Brown with a full set, costumes, props, and staging and choreography," he explains. The Senior Class Readers Theatre format allows performers aged 50 and older to participate without full memorization, though the production remains fully staged and choreographed.
Tim Smith takes on the title role of Charlie Brown for the third time in his life, bringing new perspective to each iteration. "Charlie Brown's a lot of people. Just somebody who wants to be loved, wants to be liked, wants to connect with people and struggles with that," Smith reflects. He notes the character's relevance today: "Particularly in our world today, I see a lot of people who are struggling with making connections with other people."
Kara Smith plays the bossy-yet-vulnerable Lucy, making her Civic debut. "Lucy is a complicated character. She seems nothing but bossy on the surface, but really she has a heart of gold underneath," she says.
The production features six cast members accompanied by a four-piece pit orchestra. Holda chose the 1967 original version rather than the 1999 Broadway revival, creating what he calls "a small, intimate staging" in the horseshoe-configured Parish Theatre.
The show runs two weekends. Tickets are available at kazoocivic.com or by calling 269-343-1313.
This interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.
