It is unclear what Bert V. Royal may have had in mind when writing a drama which finds the original cast of Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts entrenched in the throes of adolescence, a theme not uncommon in dramas like Teen Wolf and Dawson’s Creek. One explanation may be that perhaps Royal meant to answer questions that left Peanuts readers wanting.
“Will Pig Pen ever take a shower?”
“Just how many busts of Beethoven’s head hide inside Schroeder’s closet?”
And of course, the eternal burning question:
“When will Charlie Brown finally kick that damn football?”
High school student Charlie Brown (played by Bentz Valio), who is now known simply as CB, remains the same diffident blockhead portrayed in Schulz’s 1950s comic strip. Just as puzzled and insecure as he was as a child, CB now faces all the daunting misfortunes attributed to most male leads in teen dramas. The play opens with CB writing to an anonymous pen pal. He is writing to his pen pal to inform him of, wait for it, his dog Snoopy’s death. The stage is eerily silent but for CB’s verbally describing finding Snoopy rabid and cowering in his doghouse with Woodstock’s mangled body beside him. This is only the first example of issues that catapult CB into his renowned musings on the nature of life. Much of the first half of the play consists of CB asking other characters the same question: “What do you think happens when we die?”
CB is not the only one going through these somewhat contrived and familiar issues. Linus, now known as Van (played by Tyler Suenaga), is a Buddhist stoner who peppers the dialogue with priceless morsels of wisdom that reek of marijuana smoke. Peppermint Patty and Marcy are now Tricia and Marcy (played by Michelle La Chance and Sara Rovai), a charming duo that amuse themselves by gossiping and spiking their milk during lunch. Matt (played by Ben Rampley), formerly known as Pig Pen, suffers from several phobias, including a phobia of germs.
(Tricia: I don’t get it. This is the same kid who used to wallow in filth. A virtual cloud of dirt followed him everywhere he went and now he’s like some germaphobe.)
CB’s younger sister (played by Jennifer Tam), who played a more minor role in the Peanuts strip, is perhaps the character who most closely exemplifies the central theme of the play. She is in a constant state of change, switching from one personality to another in every scene. Each character undergoes an individual struggle with the changes that come with growing up.
(Van: Dude, we all have to let go of things from our childhood.)
These characters have known and loved each other through childhood. The loss of childhood comes paired with the loss of innocence. Grappling with that is difficult for youth all over the world.
“It’s really easy to relate to because we’re playing teenagers. We’re young and people here are young. The people we are playing are real people,” Angelino Simbulan said.
Royal’s “Dog Sees God” may be a tale stitched with grim themes. However, the play is also threaded with hope and the solidarity of friendship, which imparts to the audience a deep sense of empathy and compassion. The play closes with a soft nod toward friendship and what it means to us in dark times.
“I hope the problems of the characters hold onto you long after you leave; I hope they help you value the friendships you have, inspire you to rekindle the ones you’ve lost, and incite you to befriend someone that you might otherwise not,” writes director Sarah Boone in the director’s notes.
The theme of friendship permeates off stage as well.
“When I first got here, I didn’t know any people. And now these are all my best friends. If you really want to make some good friends, this is how you do it,” said Lisa Olson, who plays Lucy.
Although Royal attempts to discuss grand philosophical and social controversies almost as appropriately as Charlie Brown can kick a football, there is an intrinsic integrity to the play that is communicated by the connections displayed by the cast and crew on and off stage.
