Knott’s Show Becomes a Tribute to a Good Man

About 1 1/2 years ago, Knott’s Berry Farm’s entertainment division began making plans for a summer 2000 ice show commemorating the “Peanuts” comic strip’s 50th anniversary, part of a park-wide celebration of the characters Knott’s has licensed since 1983.

But “Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz was diagnosed with colon cancer in November 1999 and died three months later.

The ice show that was conceived, “Snoopy’s Fabulous 50th on Ice”--which premiered June 24 and runs through Sept. 4--has thus become a tribute as well as a celebration.

And the Good Time Theatre, the home of Knott’s ice shows, has been re-christened the Charles M. Schulz Theatre, with photos of the cartoonist and skating-themed comic-strip panels on display in the lobby.

Though Knott’s ice shows have long featured Snoopy, this edition marks the first time five “Peanuts” characters have skated simultaneously: Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Sally share the ice with the intrepid beagle.

The non-character stars are soloists Jennifer Itoh and Patrick Brault, who trained in Burbank during their amateur competitive years, and the pairs team of Valeria and Viktor Mytnik.

Karen Kresge, the show’s director/choreographer/co-producer, has been the resident show director-choreographer at Schulz’s Redwood Ice Arena in Santa Rosa for 21 years.

Despite her nearly three-decade association with the characters--she played Snoopy’s girlfriend in Ice Follies in 1971--she had to compete with proposals of other ice show producers to earn the Knott’s job.

“We felt very comfortable with Karen’s ideas,” said Charles Bradshaw, Knott’s director of entertainment. “We didn’t want to do ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown’ or an ice show with just Snoopy in it. We wanted to marry those two themes, to be true to the legacy of the strip but at the same time give something to the parents. Karen’s ideas were very similar to ours.”

The result: A fast-paced, half-hour show with 10 vignettes capturing classic “Peanuts” moments set to nearly 30 songs. Many of the musical selections come from the “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” Broadway show or animated “Peanuts” television specials.

Charlie Brown fumbles his way through baseball games and kite flying; Lucy dispenses 5-cent psychiatric advice; Snoopy descends from over the audience’s heads to curse the Red Baron and later performs a dazzling ode to supper time; Linus awaits the Great Pumpkin at Halloween; and all the kids send valentines to classmates.

“The obvious scenes really rose to the top very quickly,” Kresge said from her Sausalito home. “Many had been numbers in the half-hour animated shows.”

Kresge, who had told Schulz about the Knott’s script treatment, felt the cartoonist’s presence throughout the process of putting the show together.

“It’s impossible to deal with his characters and costumes and not think of him,” she said. “Sparky [Schulz’s nickname] was always very involved with the script. He used to say, ‘You’ve got to give the audience their moments. You’ve got to give them laughs, poignancy, romance.’ And he’d say, ‘Make it clever.’ ”

Cleverness in this show translates to moments that Kresge said “stretch the imagination a bit.”

In one number, for instance, Charlie Brown tries to fly a kite, only to be caught up in a “wind ballet” of ensemble skaters.

To stay true to the comic strip, Kresge and Knott’s worked closely with Creative Associates, the Schulz company that retains creative control over the “Peanuts” characters.

Through computerized archives, they accessed every strip showing Lucy’s psychiatric booth to design the on-ice version and sent tapes of vocal talent for casting approval.

As for the famous characters, “It takes great arm strength and skating skill to be in those outfits,” Kresge said. (Snoopy’s costume weighs 20 pounds, the others, 30 to 35.) “You have to have a sense of humor, and understand the character. The audience wants to see them glide and spin, but they mainly want to see the faces and gestures.”

Kelli Aylmer, 24, plays Snoopy. “You have to have extreme energy,” said Aylmer, who previously played the beagle for 18 months in “Snoopy’s Magic on Ice” in Myrtle Beach, S.C. “You just try to never stand still. If there’s any dead spot, you try to make it come alive.”

Snoopy is traditionally played by a woman because of height requirements, but Aylmer has adjusted.

“I have to be butch!” the 4-foot-11 Pennsylvania native said with a laugh. “If I extend my arms, I may do a fist. I can’t put my hand out in a feminine way. I have to do what the men do.”

Kresge and Bradshaw said Schulz would be pleased with their efforts.

“To me, this is a show about ‘Peanuts,’ with skating mixed in,” Bradshaw said. “I think what we created here is exactly what we wanted to do.”

BE THERE

“Snoopy’s Fabulous 50th on Ice” plays several times daily (except Wednesdays) through Sept. 4 in the Charles M. Schulz Theatre, Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park. Show times are 2, 4 and 6 p.m., with an additional show at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays. Show is included in park admission. All-day general admission: adults, $38; children 3-11 and seniors 60 and older, $28. After 4 p.m. admission is $16.95 for all ages. Southern California resident admission (ZIP codes 90000-93599): adults, $29; children 3-11, $14. Call (714) 220-5200.