At first glance, Columbia Entertainment Company’s bright, cartoon-like sets and costumes should in turn make their performance of “You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown” a glorious evening filled with Charles Schultz’s humor and wit. However, through this production not only is the humor lost, but composer Clark Gesner’s lyrics are not pleasing to hear. It’s not the actual material from the show that is lacking, but the way it is performed.

Throughout the book, music and lyrics each of Schultz’ s characters seem to jump fro the pages of the cartoon. With these actors, the characters are hardly recognizable. Without his traditional mustard colored shirt with black stripes, Tony Killian as Charlie Brown would look like a middle-aged man striving to rediscover his youth and failing miserably. His awkward behavior is right on course with the character, but it is hardly noticeable when you pair it with his almost inaudible singing voice and his inability to carry a tune. As the title character, he doesn’t seem to quite fit the bill.

The same rang true for Casey Palmisano as Snoopy. Although his short stint on the horn proved impressive, his voice did just the opposite for both “Suppertime” and “Snoopy.” “Snoopy” placed at the start of the show, was rough throughout. For a number written to slide off the tongue, this number did not come across that way. In fact, it sounded more like it was being sung for the first time. “Suppertime,” which is supposed to be a raging ecstatic tap dance number instead turned out to be similar to a children’s first tap dance recital. He struggled through the whole number trying to both find the tune of the show and find his feet.

Most of the actors seemed to be on the same page as Killian’s and Palmisano’s performances. Mary Shaw as Sally Brown made “My New Philosophy” painful to listen to. It is only Lucy played by Stephanie Flakne who shone throughout the show. Perhaps it was her luck. Lucy the character herself doesn’t require much of a singing voice, but rather shouting voice and Flakne did just that. Her shouting captured the essence of Lucy right to a T and her traditional blue dress and bob haircut added to the whole persona.

Speaking of costumes, something can be said for Pat Gerke’s work for the costumes. Each character looked almost exactly like the cartoon strip, from Linus’s bright blue blanket to Snoopy’s Red Baron pilot’s hat and goggles. Amidst all of the problems you could always find beauty in one of the costumes.

The same was true for the set. Constructed solely of wood panels painted in bright colors and outlined in black, the set truly gave off a cartoon like appeal that captured more of my attention than any of the characters performances.

Overall, the performance by the actors was nothing but mediocre. Each new solo either left me surprised or holding my ears in angst waiting for it to be over. While some characters shone through most remained worse than a middle school production with minimal acting skills and even less singing skills.