A Different Side to Charlie Brown

It was a Friday night, the crowd was sold out, a single spotlight was shining, and an older version of Charlie Brown stepped onto the stage. An evolved version of "Peanuts" characters were displayed to show the true colors behind the comic strip.

In case you think comic strip characters aren't deep, then you obviously haven't seen "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead." The Casandra Canales directed TAMIU Theatre Troupe (TTT) presented the play, written by Bert V. Royal, this past weekend. It is an understatement to say that the play shocked everyone in the audience. The content warning was not a joke, and it was truly a play that presented strong issues.

To make a long story short, Snoopy passes away, eats Woodstock, and Charlie Brown is left with the idea of death. He tries to find answers about the meaning of life and what comes after it, but is unable to get them from any of his best friends. He is left with a long journey of self-discovery and ends up with the idea that it is OK to be different. The characters in the play are completely different than the young colorful ones that we know, and love, from the comic strip.

Issues such as drinking, death, homosexuality, drugs, and suicide took center stage, and the audience could not have been more pleased. The actors of the play received a well deserved standing ovation. Students, professors, and even Laredo locals gathered at the Sam Johnson Experimental Theatre, or the Blackbox, to enjoy this great play and to see a different side to Charlie Brown and the gang.

"I wanted to go and see the play because I was really intrigued by the posters, and from what I had heard about it, but I never thought that I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. It was hands down one of the best plays I have ever seen," said TAMIU junior Nahyeli Plasencia.

The buzz surrounding the play was enormous, and many people were intrigued by the rumored storyline. The TTT was not afraid to go there and was brave enough to bring a play that was as controversial as it was scandalous. "Dog Sees God" raised the bar for future plays that will be shown at TAMIU. The show did well, as it nearly sold out all weekend.

"I was very pleased with the response of the TAMIU community with this play. All the actors had been rehearsing very intensively for weeks, and their outstanding performance proved their quality," TTT Faculty Advisor, Dr. Maria Flores said.

TTT President Stephanie Ibarra continued to rave about the successful showing of the play. "The success of the show came out as a surprise for us. The first night it sold out we were so grateful; the second night we were counting all of our blessings, and the third show left us completely astounded," she said.

Before Charlie Brown hit center stage, an opening play, that was just as scandalous, was shown. "Choices," which was written by fellow TAMIU professor Warren Graffeo, was the opening act to "Dog Sees God." The play was directed by TAMIU senior, and TTT president, Stephanie Ibarra.

The play was not as long as "Dog Sees God," but it touched a lot of ground in its few short minutes. "Choices" discussed a woman's internal struggle to make a decision. The two different choices were to do missionary work in Guatemala, or to stay at home and marry her fiance. At the end, the decision was simple and the woman was able to live a new way of life, a life she had been hiding from everyone.

The night was filled with emotion, strong issues, laughter, and applause. I could not have pictured a better way to spend my Friday night.

"I'm so proud of both casts and crews. They worked countless hours, and their success proved that there is a market for theatre here at TAMIU," Ibarra said.

Sure, it shattered some distant memories but sometimes you have to look at the true reality. "Dog Sees God" was not afraid to think of the "what if" scenario and it went beyond what anyone expected.

Thank you TTT, for not being afraid to expose it all. Be sure to check out any of their other plays, you will not be disappointed.