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:)you will not regret purchasing it. good cast and i'm really a Broadway fan, so i truly appreciate this musical.
There is a great "easter egg" of a musical quotation that has been incorporated into "My Blanket and Me." Overall, however, the many attempts to "spice up" what, in its original form, is a still-delightful treat fall flat, and this revival should only be listened to and appreciated alongside the original cast recording. Wong's Linus is overwrought (e.g., his book report on Peter Rabbit, while textually the same as in the original version, is delivered in overdramatic tones completely at odds with the way in which the character is seriously but calmly reflecting on the book), and Kristin Chenowith' Sally tries, unsuccessfully, to steal the show with a new number, "My New Philosophy." There is also a misguided attempt to deepen Schultz' already sufficient characterizations -- witness the mangling of the titular opening number by the addition of a morose interior monologue from Charlie Brown, trying to figure out, in existential terms, what being a "good man" is all about.On the plus side, some of the classic numbers have been left (largely) alone, notably "Schroeder," "The Kite," and "The Doctor Is In." Also, the other wholly new number, "Beethoven Day," is a rollicking, fun piece that gives Schroeder another much-welcomed spotlight (although the new music does not fit organically into the old score -- it sounds 30 years removed). The 1999 revival of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" retains much of the joy of the original, 1967 production; unfortunately, the contagious, simple fun and happiness of the original has been buried beneath several would-be layers of "modern" Broadway "polish," most notably new, up-tempo arrangements that contort several of the original songs' meters into ugly new patterns (e.g., compare the two versions of "T-E-A-M" -- even the new version reverts, jarringly, to the old meter by the final chorus, a tacit admission that it shouldn't have been tinkered with in the first place) and an emphasis on "star power" that simply wasn't present in the off-Brodway recording. B.D.
A light-hearted show, I would recommend this musical to anyone who loves Peanuts, Broadway, or hilarious and entertaining songs. I can be rather picky when it comes to Broadway musicals, but You're a Good Man Charlie Brown is at the top of my list along with Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. Mix great vocalists and performers with funny lyrics and catchy tunes, you've got You're a Good Man Charlie Brown.
Ilana Levine is a little TOO over-the-top and comes across as inauthentic, and B.D. Broadway revival cast albums are a tricky thing -- how do you make something fresh, while not copying the original, and not making a mess of it, either.This 1999 revival cast of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN is fairly decent. But if you're a fan of the musical (or of any of these performers), this is a good addition to your collection. Wong just has too much vibrato to be playing a young boy.If you're looking for only one recording of this terrific musical, I'd suggest you go with the original Broadway cast. The arrangements have life, the performances are enthusiastic, and the humor is simple and clear.Anthony Rapp, Roger Bart, and the fabulous Kristin Chenoweth do a great job. A little silly, a little cartoonish, and perfectly suited for the material.Unfortunately, a few of the other performers aren't well-suited for this music.
I was a little suprised to get a CD not in original case.but it played
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