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Characters fun, familiar in Hopewell Theatre’s ‘Snoopy’
By Eric McCrea
Good Grief! Are they playing enough Christmas music yet? If you need a quick break from the festivities, check out The Hopewell Theatre’s December production of “Snoopy.”
This cute musical has a holiday feel, but avoids being covered in tinsel. Written as a sequel to “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” the Peanuts gang performed a selection of songs that are framed by comic-strip-like skits.
A loose story carries the show along. Snoopy, played by Bob Gerdes, hangs out atop his doghouse, at one point overhearing Tracie Balentine’s Lucy inquiring about why a dog makes a good pet. Feeling insecure, Snoopy sets out to make sure he’s an invaluable pet by trying to be a writer. Snoopy’s quest for glory leaves Charlie Brown (Josh Bodnar) feeling lonely, but it pays off when Snoopy earns the title of Head Beagle.
Characters in this show were fun and familiar, but filtered through grown up actors. This altered the classic feel of these cartoon icons.
Balentine overshot Lucy’s matter-of-fact persona and made her sassier, but she was great at being domineering. Her presence was strong and pleasantly imposing, which made Lucy a great fit for her.
Gerdes was energetic and spry as Snoopy, and he had fun breaking the fourth wall. He interacted with the audience well and kept the show moving.
Stephen Kountz played Linus and didn’t exactly embody the calm, reliable fellow that Charlie Brown can count on. However, his scene during his blanket washing was one of the best parts of the show.
Adrienne Mackey played Sally with an undefeatable smile. She had a great child-like quality that worked incredibly well in this production.
Josh Ford was adorable as Woodstock. He was mute, but pantomimed enough to be a part of the story.
Elainie Huncik was the most impressive cast member as the always ambiguous Peppermint Patty. She had a down-trodden optimism rounding out her love-lorn tomboy.
Costumes, coordinated by Marlene Strollo, made the characters unmistakable, from Charlie Brown’s signature yellow zig-zag shirt to Linus’ blanket.
The Hopewell did some major rearranging of its space, performing “Snoopy” in thrust format. This versatility should prove useful in the future.
Singing was not a forte for this cast, but given the ages and species they played, this was easy to overlook. Harmonies were admirably done, but tended to highlight the sharpness of a few singers.
The use of live music was admirable, but unfortunately didn’t help the cast with tempo precision. There was also a school scene that was begging for a muted trombone.
“Snoopy The Musical” can be seen at the Hopewell Theatre on Mahoning Avenue at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. For reservations call 330-746-5455 or visit hopewelltheatre.org.