Peanuts gang experiences rocky teenage years

Marcella Veneziale Staff Writer

Charles Schulz’s Peanuts characters has hit adolescence with unexpected results in “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” a new play presented by Philaletheis. With good-natured humor, the original comic strip chronicled everyday childhood life through the eyes of Charlie Brown, Linus, Sally, Lucy and Schroeder. But in “Dog Sees God,” the cute kids have grown up into teenagers with a whole spectrum of issues such as eating disorders, psychiatric and drug problems, and suicide.

Director Caitlin Crisp ’09 proposed this production to the Philaletheis board after missing a chance to see the play performed Off Broadway. It has been staged several times between 2004 and 2005, starring actors such as Michelle Trachtenberg, Anna Paquin and John Gallagher Jr. of the musical “Spring Awakening.” Different productions have picked up awards, including Best Overall Production at the 2004 New York International Fringe Festival.

Crisp explained why many audiences have found the play so engaging. “It’s interesting to see such an iconic figure [as Charlie Brown], who was never really perfect…grown up, about 16 years old, trying to get by as best as [he] can,” she said. The production magnifies the common problems one encounters during the teenage years that are universal to almost all audiences.

In the play, Schulz’s characters have changed drastically from their perennial youthfulness in his comic strip. Despite such changes, Crisp maintains that the original character traits are still discernible. “A lot of aspects of the original characters are recognizable, but they all have at least one huge transformation,” she said.

Lucy, who once doled out psychiatric advice for a nickel, is herself a patient in a psychiatric hospital in the play. In the meantime, Charlie’s sister Sally has gone goth. Pigpen, now known as Matt, is an uptight germaphobe and homophobe. Marcy and Tricia, formerly Marcie and Peppermint Patty, have evolved into alcoholic Barbies, while Charlie’s best friend Linus, now Van, is a stereotypical pothead.

According to Crisp, it is precisely the play’s comedic tone that makes it bearable to watch the seemingly insurmountable problems. “Because of the comedy, it will be more digestible,” said Crisp. “It makes it more relatable, that the audience isn’t being preached to.” Ultimately, the play lends a sense of hope to the group’s struggles. “As teenagers grappling with issues, the message is that you will get through it,” said Crisp.