LYNN — Arts After Hours kicks off its ninth season on March 15, with “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead.” This dark comedy, written by Bert V. Royal, reimagines characters from Charles M. Schulz’s popular comic strip “Peanuts” as ne’er-do-wells and lost souls.
The summary: “When CB’s (Charlie Brown’s) dog dies from rabies, CB begins to question the existence of an afterlife. His best friend is too burnt out to provide any coherent speculation; his sister has gone goth; his ex-girlfriend has recently been institutionalized; and his other friends are too inebriated to give him any sort of solace. But a chance meeting with an artistic kid, the target of this group’s bullying, offers CB peace of mind and sets in motion a friendship that will push teen angst to the very limits. Drug use, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that’s both haunting and hopeful.”
Good grief!
“It explores the dark side of high school and how choices young adults make growing up come to define them,” said Artistic Director Samantha Gambaccini. “It’s very funny, very clever and very touching. And fans of the ‘Peanuts’ strip will recognize the characters, even though they are named differently.”
For examples: The Pigpen-like character, who would bring a cloud of dust with him everywhere he went, becomes a clean freak who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder. The Lucy character is living in a psych ward, the Linus character is a huge stoner and the Schroeder character was bullied and traumatized as a boy.
“We really would like students to come and see this show,” said Gambaccini. “The reality is, being a teenager isn’t easy and young adults face tough choices every day that stay with them through adulthood.”
A special student matinee will be held on Sunday, March 17, 4 p.m. The code “DRAMAKID” will take $10 off the $20 or $25 ticket price; a student ID must be presented at the door.
The cast: CB: Zack Page, CB’s sister: Courtney Plati, Van: Bruno Barbuto, Matt: Nick Bennett-Zendzian, Beethoven: Chris Reade, Marcy: Ashleigh Reade, Tricia: Samantha Laney, and Van’s sister: Brit Christopher.
Catherine M. Bertrand, who directed 2018’s season opener “Edges,” will direct “Dog Sees God.” Jen Mageary is stage manager and Amanda Allen will handle costume design. Set design is by Kayla Cantrall, lighting design is by Erik Fox, and Dave Simmons is in charge of technical direction/sound engineering. Gambaccini is producer.
The theater’s interior has been rebuilt, with the number of seats increased to 100 and new risers providing unobstructed views.
Arts After Hours presents “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” March 15-24, in the Neal Rantoul Black Box theater, LynnArts building, 25 Exchange St. For tickets, go to www.artsafterhours.tix.com.
