[My Favorite Park Slope…] Christmas Activity

My favorite neighborhood Christmas Activity/Event/Post-ironic retro-nerd performance piece in an architecturally significant former bathhouse is Pig Brooch Theater’s live-action staging of “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

If you grew up in the United States in the 60s, 70s, hell, even the 80s, anyplace except under a rock, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” which first aired on TV in 1965, is part of your personal pop-culture canon, and a childhood holiday touchstone. And it is about to go 3-dimensional on your gen-x, gen-y, millennial Peanuts-loving ass.

For the 5th or 6th or so year, Pig Brooch Theater stages its obsessively accurate live action production of the beloved 2-dimensional TV show in a cold and drafty and probably packed room at the Brooklyn Lyceum (aka Public Bath #7) Dec 12 -22, evening and matinee performances.

I recommend ordering tickets in advance and showing up early, because this shit has a well-deserved following.

The actors, without using masks or elaborate costuming, replicate the entirety of the show, reciting every line with the exact delivery of their flat counterparts, and executing every movement as though they themselves are two-dimensional cartoons. Ok, like the kids dancing at the pageant rehearsal? You know, the twins? And Pig Pen, boogalooing in a cloud of dust? Or Lucy lounging on Schroeder’s piano as he sarcastically plucks out a 1-note “Jingle Bells?" I’m telling you, every word, every gesture. The ensemble counted every fucking blink, and they blink each one. Oh, and plus, there’s a live trio playing the classic Vince Guaraldi score to really slay you.

What’s unique about this show, unlike a lot of holiday entertainments, is that it appeals to breeders and ballers alike. In fact, Breeders, consider leaving the kids at home, because unless your kids have seen the original special about 40 times, like you have, they’ll never appreciate it as much as you do. If you don’t have kids, no need to rent ‘em (like when you went to see Despicable Me), because watching this show in not like lurking around a playground childless. It’s all East Gowanus and sort of ironic-but-genuine. It’s a great way for parents and the child-free alike to wallow in nostalgia for your long-lost hazily-remembered childhood AND get out of the house. And isn’t that what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown? Not really, I guess, but it should be.