Look, it’s 2010 years after the first Christmas. Today’s Christmas memories do not so much include horse drawn sleigh rides to visit friends, wassail and Yule logs. More like sitting home in your footies with Nestlé’s cocoa in while basking in a cathode glow. Those under the age of Social Security eligibility may not know if “nine” is “lords aleaping” or “ladies dancing” but can surely sing you the Whoville Christmas carol.
We know all the characters from the all the television holiday shows and know all the good lines and we can sing ALL the music. And this is the power fueling Road Less Traveled Production’s current offering A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Music of Vince Guaraldi. However, don’t let the first half of the title allow you to think you are seeing mere recreation of the script of that wonderful half-hour cartoon. In this case, what we are treated to is better described by its subtitle.
Bonnie Jean Taylor is the showcased performer and a creator of the show. Taylor takes us on a child’s journey through Christmas and how young people see and understand all the fuss and the flurry. The Guaraldi soundtrack is Taylor’s vehicle for this holiday trip and a handful of co-starring children are along for the ride.
They give us a show that is impressionistic and lighthearted as Guarldi’s cool, cool jazz score. Taylor, following protocol of the genre, riffs on the most famous scenes of the cartoon. Yes, we see friendless moments waiting by the mailbox for cards that never come, the miracle of catching snowflakes on one’s tongue, the groovy dance-off and even the salvation of the runt Christmas tree.
Bonnie Jean Taylor is a performer of many talents. In theaters around town she has adeptly performed comic, dramatic and musical roles. She is a clever choreographer and one of the most free-spirited dancers in the area. In this show, Bonnie Jean Taylor displays talents reinforced by a charming imagination.
Bonnie Jean Taylor has created a Charles-Schultzy-style character who, even without speaking, contains the pensiveness of Charlie Brown, the willpower of Lucy, the giddiness of Snoopy and serenity of Linus. At rest she is stiffed back and wide-eyed. In motion she is bobbles recalling the drawings and the animation. Maura Simmonds-Price has effectively costumed Taylor in a simple wintry outfit in primary colors which allows you to believe Taylor has walked of the pages of the Sunday comic.
Taylor is an equal match to those who created the holiday animation almost fifty year ago. Throughout his career, Schultz depicted children as intelligent, independent souls, living in a society of their own and capable of reasoning through problems with philosophic aplomb. Especially with actual children on the RLTP stage with her, Taylor does not condescend to them or to viewing adults. She is a child but of adult proportions.
Some might find it easy to dismiss this show or even Charles Schultz. Doing so ignores enormous artistic integrity that results in seemingly simple product. In creating the original cartoon, Schultz and his collaborators found themselves in conflict with studio executives producing A Charlie Brown Christmas. The suits suggested the cartoon needed a laugh track. believed even the youngest audience find humor in the show without being prompted to imitate laughter. Canned laughter would undermine the sincerity of the effort.
In the same vein, but a larger issue, studio executives questioned the pivotal moment when Linus would recite, from the Gospel of Luke, the story of angels visiting humble shepherds to announce the birth . On this occasion, Schulz insisted that the scene remain in the final cut. “If,” he asked, “we don’t tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?”
This scene is not in RLTP’s production. It is missed, although similar impact is made by the chorus of children singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!”, as is done in the cartoon original. It raises the same questions if in production one changed an essential aspect of a character based on race, sexuality or faith… from atheist to pious and back again. You could debate that the exclusion of the reading of Luke would break the wordless cosmos that Bonnie Jean Taylor has created. You could argue with equal success that the New Testament text breaking the silence would have all the more impact. However, the show has an admirable integrity and deserves to be enjoyed for that and more.
Scott Behrend and Ms. Taylor are billed as co-creators of this show. In rough, last year Behrend suggested the show to Taylor and she created the performance. The final developmental phase was for Behrend to tailor Taylor’s work. This year Doug Weyand stepped in as director and, wisely, stepped outside the ring to allow Taylor to work her magic. His valued contribution has been to prepare the show’s young co-stars and to keep show moving on an even keel.
Julie Arlotta has served as musical director for this show and, at keyboard, heads the instrumental ensemble comprised of Nick Corallo on percussion and John Neidrauer on bass. They are as cool as the original Guaraldi. But you’ll have to hear that for yourself.
Who might like A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Music Of Vince Guaraldi: Boomers who first loved this music likely cherish this show most of all. This would also seem to be a prime choice for boomers, who are now parents or grandparents or uncles or aunts, to entertainment for the young ones in their life.
A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Music Of Vince Guaraldi (through December 19); starring Bonnie Jean Taylor and a rotating ensemble of children. Directed by Doug Weyand with music direction by Julie Armello for Road Less Traveled Productions, performed at Market Arcade Film & Arts Centre, 639 Main Street, Buffalo. roadlesstraveledproductions.org or 716-629-3069
Image: Child’s Christmas : Bonnie Jean Taylor in A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Music Of Vince Guaraldi, Photographer : Lindsay Zasada.
Conjoint Analysis
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