A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS Comes to the Coterie This Month

The Coterie Theatre rings in the holiday season by bringing the beloved animated special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, to life on stage featuring a live jazz trio playing Vince Guaraldi's original arrangements. Written by "Peanuts" creator Charles Schultz and based on the television special, A Charlie Brown Christmas will be directed by William J. Christie with musical direction by Gary Adams. It will be performed on The Coterie's mainstage in Crown Center, November 15-December 31, 2022.

In 1965, the animated holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas, made its network television debut delighting families across the country. Today, it has become a tradition for generations of families in Kansas City to see live when The Coterie lights up the holiday season with A Charlie Brown Christmas on stage. A reviewer for The Kansas City Star wrote The Coterie's original production, "serves up a live action, Christmas-sized helping of... first class... innovative... theatrical magic. ...Young people are deliberately included and collectively charmed."

Capturing all the appeal, wit, and wisdom of the 1965 animated special, the stage adaptation of A Charlie Brown Christmas brings to life the whole Peanuts gang, including Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, and Lucy. The story follows Charlie Brown on a memorable journey as he tries to direct the school Christmas pageant. In their letters to Santa, everyone seems to be acting materialistic - so Charlie Brown tries to restore holiday spirit with a ragged little fir tree. Experience the power of this wonderful story live onstage as Charlie Brown turns to his best friend Linus to learn the season's real meaning.

The production features a live jazz trio playing Vince Guaraldi's original musical arrangements, including the Peanuts theme Linus and Lucy, Christmas Time is Here, and all the favorites from the beloved special. Additionally, every performance ends with a special encore of Snoopy's Christmas, which tells the adventures of Snoopy's Christmas Eve encounter with the Red Baron.

"You can't beat this production for some of the greatest jazz holiday songs ever written," says Coterie artistic director, Jeff Church, "all wrapped in the nostalgia of Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the peanuts gang. We even recreate the ice staking!"

A Charlie Brown Christmas runs approximately 55 minutes with no intermission and will be appreciated by families with all ages.

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