John Maurer, a former West Windsor resident, has been entertaining the public for more than 30 years. He has been an actor, magician, clown, juggler, balloon sculptor, stiltwalker, and mime. Now Maurer is directing a production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” opening at Kelsey Theater this Friday, January 6.##M:[more]##
This is the first time for the 1999 revival to be seen on the Kelsey stage. The original 1967 Broadway production has been given a modern jazzy twist in the orchestrations — with all changes approved by comic strip creator Charles Schulz.
“The Peanut’s comic strip translates well to stage because of the wisdom that comes from the characters, their experiences, and their observations,” Maurer says. “Nothing touches people more than universal truths and I think Schulz used Peanuts to speak to those truths.”
The original show used a uniset (boxes moved around to create different scenes). The 1999 version was a full Broadway musical with larger sets designed to make the actors appear small. Maurer began by building sets in his brother Dan’s garage. New set pieces include a huge sofa several feet above ground, a school bus, and the dog house. The piano piece was the only piece saved from a previous Kelsey production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
The production will also differ because of Maurer’s imagination in bringing fantasy elements to life for the audience. Mechanical effects, choreography, and Kabuki-style puppets bring the Peanuts gang to life. Watch out for dancing blankets and flying kites!
The casting for the ensemble required that each of the six leads be a triple threat with singing, dancing, and acting. “We looked for true stars — people who do, will or may star as the lead in other company’s productions,” Maurer says. “I’m not just selling floor wax when I say we’ve assembled one of the finest casts and crew in the area.”
Maurer was born in Palisades Park and moved to Sherbrook Estates in West Windsor in 1977. He entered Notre Dame High School as a sophomore. “The area was all farmland then,” he recalls.
From high school he attended Mercer County College majoring in radio and television. One day a stage manager from Kelsey (Kitty Peace) stopped him in the hall and asked if he could use a follow spot (a powerful lighting fixture used to feature a specific actor) for the annual English musical. He agreed to do it and that began his long involvement with Kitty Getlik — now artistic director and manager of Kelsey Theater. Soon after he was offered a part in “Cinderella” as a page dressed in tights and carrying a trumpet. He accepted but when one of courtiers bowed out of the show, Maurer stepped in.
Several years later he became involved with a production of “Company” at Kelsey. One of the crew members, Diana, became his wife in 1992. They are parents to Stacy, 9; Hunter, 7; and Amanda, 4. Maurer has lived in Ewing since 1996. During the day Maurer works as the new media coordinator at New Jersey Manufacturing in West Trenton.
Founders of Maurer Productions OnStage and members of interactive theater company R&R Productions, the couple has also written three interactive plays that have been produced in England, New Zealand, and around the United States. They have also co-produced and starred in two original children’s variety shows along with Stacy and Hunter. “Nosing Around with Baked Oranges” and “Nosing Around Circus Style” both premiered at Kelsey.
They also work for Standing Tall Productions, an agency that promotes clowns, jugglers, and stiltwalkers for malls and parades. They led Santa at the Market Street Parade in Philadelphia for many years. A longtime member of Screen Actors Guild, Maurer has been in promotional and training videos.
“I always liked comedy,” he says. “I don’t do serious drama.” He became a magician when he was 10-years-old and a paid performer at children’s shows and birthday parties at age 15.
“My father was a great audience,” he says. “He would tell me what worked — and what didn’t.” His father, who died of cancer a few years ago, worked his way up from a stock boy to executive at Woolworth’s and was still working there when they closed. His mother was a clerk at Woolworth’s. She was a stay-at-home mother and now spends a lot of time visiting the grandchildren.
The company’s first full-length production, “The Foreigner,” opened last January at Kelsey. “Lucky Stiff,” the next production by Maurer Productions, opens in June. The murder mystery comedy features mistaken identities, guns, diamonds, and a corpse. Auditions will be in March.
The newly-revised musical chronicling the life of Charlie Brown captures Valentine’s Day, baseball season, Lucy as a psychiatrist, Schroeder on piano, kite flying, book reports, and Snoopy’s adventures. Reception follows the performance on opening night.
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Kelsey Theater, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, 609-584-9444. www.kelseytheatre.net. Through January 15. $16. 8 p.m.
Composer and lyricist Andrew Lippa and director Michael Mayer revised seven of the original 14 songs and added two new ones. They also added 21 scenes and deleted 17 old ones to make it a whole new show.
