6 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical,' first Peanuts musical in 37 years, hits the right notes
The Peanuts gang heads to summer camp in 'Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical,' a pleasant and even moving Apple TV+ show that has the retro feel of the old TV specials of the 1960s and '70s.
What's more, the 40-minute special is spiced up with about a half dozen new songs.
Yes, Charlie Brown and company sing, in what is billed as the first Peanuts musical in 37 years (after the 1998 CBS special 'Snoopy! The Musical'). The songs, by Emmy Award nominees Jeff Morrow and Ben Folds as well as Broadway veterans Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, augment emotions and fit seamlessly into the story about children trying to save their beloved Cloverhill Ranch.
While Charlie Brown (voice of Etienne Kellici) and Snoopy (Terry McGurrin) take center stage, the heart and soul of the 'Summer Musical' is Charlie's younger sister Sally (Hattie Kragten), a camp newbie who has difficulty settling in during her first real trip away from home.
Like the older kids did before her, Sally grows to love the camp, despite the fact there's no TV (actual modern kids would be pining for WiFi and a tablet, but no matter). But when it's announced that the camp will close because of declining enrollment, she joins her brother and the usual crew — Linus (Wyatt White), Peppermint Patty (Lexi Perri), Franklin (Caleb Bellavance) and even cantankerous Lucy (Isabella Leo), among others — to put on a show to draw attention and presumably more kids.
Meanwhile, Snoopy and Woodstock (Rob Tinkler) go hunting for treasure when they discover a map behind an old photograph, a strained plot thread that eventually becomes relevant to the story.
'Summer Musical' is co-written and produced by Santa Rosa resident Craig Schulz, son of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz and able caretaker of his father's legacy. Directed by Erik Wiese, the animation is colorful and meditative, with several nice touches, such as the sun dappling on Charlie Brown's head as he walks under trees.
Some of its target audience might have been subject to virtual classrooms during the pandemic, with some challenges to overcome in their social development. In a sense, this special is made for them, with its messages of the pleasures of unplugging, appreciating nature and social interaction landing gently.
