The Message Is Clear

Fifteen-year-old rock guitarist Rainbow Furstenberg--her parents were hippies in the ‘60s--loves her status as the coolest girl in school until image clashes with self-respect in “Just Too Cool,” a lively but bumpy new musical for ages 11 to 14 at Theatre West.

The show is the kickoff of Theater West’s Youth Theatre, an all-Equity company of adult stage professionals, created to provide age-appropriate theater for a preteen and early teenage audience.

The company may be trying a mite too hard to meet that goal; in this original musical written by Mary Garripoli, with music by Phil Orem, the unsubtle message, the taped rock ‘n’ roll and the genuine humor are an uneasy mix.

Furstenberg (Laura Wolfe), as she prefers to be called, has just broken up with her boyfriend Tox (Ty Stoller). Yes, he’s cool, but he’s also rude, crude and full of attitude, and he makes the nice class nerd, budding geologist Matt (Ernest Logan), look pretty good, especially when Furstenberg discovers that with Matt, she can be herself.

Complicating the issue is a wannabe record producer Lolly (Scott Nady), who thinks she and Matt can make beautiful (or at least marketable) music together, and Furstenberg’s girlfriend Delilah (Rebecca Lane), who has designs on Tox. So, what’s a cool girl to do?

Needless to say, everyone learns that it is what’s inside that counts, a conclusion that’s stated often, lest anyone miss it.

Directed by Susan Morgenstern, the show is at its most effective when not taking itself so seriously, thanks to the winning, observant humor in Garripoli’s script and lyrics about parents, human foibles, narcissism and the conformity of cool.

Unfortunately, Orem’s upbeat music, so central to the show, suffers not in conception but in execution, with only Wolfe and Logan delivering vocally; Stoller, Lane and Nady aren’t able to overcome the too-obviously offstage, prerecorded score.

(The roles of Furstenberg, Delilah and Lolly are double-cast and will be played at some performances by Faith Salie, Arden Teresa Lewis and Brian Fenwick, respectively.)

Theresa Hayes did the energetic choreography; James D. Sanderfur designed the trim set.

* “Just Too Cool,” Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West, Los Angeles, Sundays, 12:30, except dark Oct. 19. Ends Dec. 21. $8. (213) 851-7977.

“‘Happiness is . . . “ an unexpectedly enjoyable revival of an old show.

There’s certainly nothing new about the “Peanuts”-inspired “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” but at the Enchanted Forest in Woodland Hills, this 30-year-old musical comedy by Clark Gesner is surprisingly fresh.

Director David Elzer, musical director and pianist Rena Kleiman and an outstanding adult ensemble really deliver, bringing Charles M. Schulz’s familiar characters to life in all their ironic, neurotic and lovable glory.

The cast is dead-on: Brian Caspe’s sweet, angst-ridden Charlie Brown; Voiza Arnold’s crabby, Schroeder-pursuing Lucy (although unfamiliarly blond); Dean Ricca’s blanket-dependent, life-observant Linus; Jeff Stewart’s Beethoven-obsessed, Lucy-avoiding Schroeder; Chrystina Oliver’s Lucy-follower Patty, and Elzer’s fantasy-dwelling Snoopy.

Elzer’s tight staging, the cast’s strong vocals and Kleiman’s terrific accompaniment wrap up this tasty little package, a treat for “Peanuts”-hungry adults and children about 8 and up.

* “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” Don’t Productions, Enchanted Forest, 20929 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, Saturdays, 4 and 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. through Oct. 28. $10-$12. (818) 716-7202.

Pulling Strings: Bob Baker, Nancy Mitchell, Betsy Brown, Rene and many other veteran puppeteers will be on hand for “Puppet Jamboree,” an all-day festival of puppetry workshops and a big professional show at Valley Cities Jewish Community Center on Sunday. For adults with an interest in puppetry, as well as children.

* “Puppet Jamboree,” Valley Cities Jewish Community Center, 13164 Burbank Blvd., Sherman Oaks, Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; puppet show, 3:30 p.m. (818) 786-6310. All-day pass: children, $5 to $7.50; adults, $10 to $12; show only, $5 to $7.50; single workshop: $2 to $3.