Greetings!
Welcome to The Waldorf School of Garden City Music Department’s presentation of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown! We thank you for joining us this evening, and hope that you enjoy your stay with us.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown opened off-Broadway on March 7th, 1967. The show began as a collection of songs loosely based on the Peanuts characters, composed by Clark Gesner. While never intending to write a full-fledged musical, Gesner was nevertheless inspired by the various characters and stories portrayed in the Peanuts comic strip, and eventually sent a tape of his songs to Charles Schultz asking permission to record and release his compositions to the public. At the suggestion of Gesner’s producer, the “concept album” was instead reworked as a stage musical, becoming the original version of the show. Running for 1,597 performances off-Broadway, and 32 performances on Broadway, the original version of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown enjoyed a long life as a nationally and internationally touring musical before being revived in 1999 back on Broadway. This revival added two new numbers (Beethoven Day and My New Philosophy,) as well as reworked some of the existing material, creating the version of the show you are going to see tonight.
A small show with minimal sets, props, costumes, or indeed plot, Good Man depicts “a typical day in the life of Charlie Brown.” Throughout a variety of scenes and vignettes, we are given a window into the different personalities and characteristics that make up each of these little kids (and animals.) As outdated and “old-fashioned” as some people nowadays may consider the Peanuts comic strips, there is still quite a lot that we can relate to in our fast-paced lives. Who hasn't woken up one morning feeling like Charlie Brown at some point? If nothing else, we could all use a reminder about what being truly happy is all about: finding whatever it is that you love and cherishing it.
If you are a parent or guardian to one of the members of cast or crew, you have my unending thanks. This entire production has been a labor of love on both sides of the coin so to speak. These outstanding young adults have poured their hard work and dedication into something has taken on a life of its own. I understand that many a long night has been spent preparing, rehearsing, constructing, rehearsing, painting, and rehearsing even more for this weekend. I thank all of you for your patience and understanding as we moved through our rehearsal schedule, and I know that what you are about to see will show you just how much this has meant to all of us. As Charlie Brown himself says, “Happiness is anyone, and anything at all that’s loved by you.” This show, this cast and crew have become an incredible source of happiness for everyone involved.
From the entire Music Department here at The Waldorf School of Garden City, I thank you for coming out tonight, and I hope we will see you in the future as well! Enjoy the show!
-Andrew Fallu
Director/Music Director, Music/Chorus Teacher grades 1-12, Chapter Advisor Tri-M Music Honor Society Chapter 7109
