Degrassi Stars Hit the Stage

What if Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and all the gang grew up and had a few, uh, issues? "Dogs Sees God" has all the answers.

What if Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and all the gang grew up and had a few, uh, issues? Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead has all the answers. Or none of them. Degrassi: The Next Generation actors Jake Epstein and Adamo Ruggiero star in the new play that is to Peanuts as Wicked is to The Wizard of Oz.

“It is an unauthorized parody of Charlie Brown,” explains Epstein, who plays Charlie’s teenage doppelganger, CB. “It’s basically a story of what happens to the Peanuts characters in their last years of high school if they grew up. The play starts off--Snoopy has died. That’s what begins this story that is very reflective of how they were as 8-year-olds and what’s happened to all of them.”

Adam Ruggiero, who made national headlines last year when he came out of the closet, plays a teenaged Linus who has swapped his iconic blanket for a different item entirely.

“He’s the best bud that’s in his own world,” says Ruggiero. “He’s the stoner character (who is) politically correct and just hanging out…ironically, he has the most insight into everybody’s problems. But no one’s listening to him so he just chills with his joint.”

Ruggiero dangles a tantalizing bit of foreshadowing.

“What you’ll learn in the play is that the joint and the blanket actually have a lot in common. They meet. You’ll see.”

So why, during these tough economic times, should people see Dog Sees God?

Says Epstein, “It’s interesting, it’s philosophical, there’s action, there’s sex, there’s drugs, there’s swearing. It’s really exciting theatre.”

“It’s a very real, raw, honest show,” continues Ruggiero. “There is colourful language and we do talk about topics that are really out there, but it’s stuff that kids are talking about…the best thing about it is that it’s kids making it for kids.”

“If you come, you’ll see Adamo playing a straight character and me playing a gay character,” laughs Epstein. “That’s the main reason!”

Wait just a minute…what about the Little Red-Haired girl?

“Oh, you’ll see what happens there, as well!” 

Dog Sees God also stars Degrassi actors Mike Lobel and Paula Brancati. Check out dogseesgod.ca for tickets and other information.