The Butler Little Theatre is working on some family fare for the holidays as BLT members come out of their shells and fine tune their Peanuts!

BLT's upcoming production of “You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown” is the revised version of the musical show based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schultz. The book, music and lyrics are by Clark Gesner.

The show is under the direction of Stefan Lingenfelter with Karen O'Donnell as producer.

The musical is focused on “an average day in the life of Charlie Brown.”

It really is just that — a day made up of a bright uncertain morning to hopeful starlit evening with little moments picked from all the days of Charlie Brown, from Valentine's Day to the baseball season, from wild optimism to utter despair, all mixed in with the lives of his friends.

The original musical debuted in 1967. The authors and producers decided to revive and revise the work in 1998. The differences are timely yet slight. It features a cast of six characters, Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Schroeder, Snoopy and Sally Brown (she replaces Patty), the original 12 songs all remain in this version, with only two new songs added.

The role of Charlie Brown will be portrayed by Matt Leslie of Butler. “In my opinion Charlie is the eternal optimist.

“Despite being clumsy and not very skilled at almost everything, he can find the hope in any situation and is always dreaming of what the future holds,” said Leslie, a recent graduate of Seton Hill University where he majored in performance theater.

He sees many similarities between himself and the character that he is playing.

“We both are very trusting people and always see the good in others first and foremost,” he said.

The show reminds Leslie of the little things in life and what it is to be childlike. “Savoring each moment like a child learning and experiencing things for the first time,” he said.

But the childlike stuff can also be tough to portray. “The biggest challenge thus far is getting into the mind of these famous cartoon characters. They are elementary school children but at the same time they are very smart, sometimes beyond their years, and they wear their emotions right on their sleeves,” Leslie said.

Playing the adorable and incorrigible pooch, Snoopy, is Samantha Roth of Butler Township.

Roth is in the 10th-grade at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School and brings her boundless energy to the role.

“I can come out of my comfort zone by being really funny and big and dramatic,” said Roth of what she is learning from this experience.

She tried out for the show and is keeping Snoopy in the family so to speak. “I love the show and music. My Uncle Bob (Dandoy) played in the show when he was younger as Snoopy, so I thought it would be fun to be in it too,” she said.

Roth said she enjoys bringing a cartoon to life and makes it personal. “It's fun because it's not a real person so I can have my own take on it,” she said.

Megan Flannery of Butler tackles the role of Lucy.

“She is a know-it-all, bossy type of kid, doesn't sway easily in her opinions or ideas and is very willing to share those opinions with others,” Flannery said of her character.

Flannery said she is enjoying making the cartoon come to life for more than one reason.

“I remember watching 'Peanuts' as a kid and I just always really related to Lucy. Other kids would say she was mean, but I didn't really see her that way. I guess my main strength in bringing Lucy to life is that I have always sided with her and she's always been my favorite Peanut,” Flannery said.

Flannery, who is 26, said she's learning how much energy it takes to play a kid. “It's constant, non-stop excitement. But it also can't be over the top all the time. I'm learning the balance of that,” she said.

Lucy's little brother, Linus Van Pelt, will be played by Daniel Terwilliger. One of the other gals in the show is Sally Brown, Charlie's little sister, being played by Molly Miller, 16, who attends Lincoln Park.

“The biggest trait I bring to Sally is her desire to be like the big kids around her. The friends I've made have usually been older, and my tactics to try and relate to them are similar to Sally's,” said Miller.

A fan of Peanuts, Miller said she just had to try out for the show. “Getting to live inside one of my favorite worlds, if only for a short time, is an opportunity I couldn't let slip by,” she said.

The intellectual pianist, Schroeder, will be played by Justin Anderson of Butler. One of the most interesting aspects of the process for Anderson is the cast. “I'm not used to working with younger actors, I'm used to being the youngest. But at 25 it was bound to start happening again,” he said.

The challenge for him is the singing. He said he is definitely being stretched in this role.

“I'm much more suited to work in straight plays where there is more focus on characterization and becoming someone completely unlike yourself. Singing isn't my strong point but it's still fun,” Anderson said.

WHO: Butler Little TheatreWHAT: “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”WHEN: Nov. 27 to 29 and Dec. 1 to 5, at 8:15 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2:30 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and ThursdayWHERE: One Howard St.TICKETS: $12, to reserve call 724-287-6781 from 7 to 9 p.m. Mondays through FridaysINFO: www.bltgroup.org