Rachel Dratch (The Rocky Horror Show) and Emmy winner Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere) have completed the cast of the New York City Center Encores! upcoming production of Clark Gesner’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, set to perform February 3-14, 2027, at the Manhattan venue. Tony winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!, The Rocky Horror Show) is directing.
Dratch will play the role of Patty with Hiller as Schroeder. As previously announced, the production will also feature Tony winner David Hyde Pierce (Pirates!) in the title role, Danielle Brooks (The Piano Lesson, Orange is the New Black) as Lucy, Ayo Edebiri (Proof) as Snoopy, and Jin Ha (Here We Are, Proof) as Linus.
The 1967 musical brings Charles M. Schulz’ beloved Peanuts comic strip to the stage, unfolding as a series of mostly unconnected vignettes paired with Gesner’s songs, which include “Happiness,” “Little Known Facts,” the title song, and more. The Encores! production will present the original 1967 version of the musical rather than the 1999 Broadway revival revision that has become more frequently performed since its premiere. That revision famously swapped the original musical’s Patty (a character from Charles M. Schulz’ comic strip that became more of a background character by the 1970s, not to be confused with Peppermint Patty) for Sally, and added the songs “My New Philosophy” and “Beethoven Day,” both written by Andrew Lippa.
The production will feature choreography by Sunny Min-Sook Hitt and music direction by Meghann Zervoulis Bate.
Additionally, the company has replaced its previously announced run of Hallelujah, Baby! with Let ‘Em Eat Cake, the Gershwins’ follow-up to their Pulitzer-winning Of Thee I Sing. The swap is being made to allow for more creative development on Hallelujah, Baby!, which Encores! is still hoping to present in a future season. Let ‘Em Eat Cake will be presented in association with Opera Philadelphia.
Featuring a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind and a score by George and Ira Gershwin, Let ‘Em Eat Cake is an absurdist romp that follows what happens when President Wintergreen loses his reelection bid and refuses to accept the results. Zack Winokur will direct the new production, which will feature music direction by Rob Berman. Performances will run March 17–28, 2028, followed by the previously announced staging of Kander and Ebb’s Kiss of the Spider Woman April 28–May 9.
Encores! subscriptions are available at NYCityCenter.org. Single ticket sales will begin October 7 for members, and October 14 for general sales.