Familiar characters' teen angst is good grief

Have you ever caught yourself wondering what happened to the "Peanuts" gang post-puberty? I know I have, and apparently playwright Bert V. Royal has, as well.

"Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead" is Royal's unauthorized sequel to Charles M. Schulz's forever-larval comic strip. In this 2004 New York International Fringe Festival darling, the endearing bunch has grown into a surly lot of stoned, oversexed teenagers. Jobsite Theatre has produced this subversive twist on childhood innocence, and it's a fantastic finale to the company's 2009-'10 season.

Alas, so much has changed since the kids were in Miss Wah-Wah-Wah-Wah's class.

CB (Shawn Paonessa) - formerly Charles, Charlie Brown, Chuck or Blockhead - has just buried his beagle, which was put down after contracting rabies and killing a little yellow bird. Pondering life after death, CB is still thoughtful and questioning, but he's also sacrificed some sweetness to fit in with the crowd.

Remember Pig Pen? He only answers to Matt (Richard Kennedy) now. He's also a germaphobe who hates homosexuals, including sensitive, delicate Schroeder (Spencer Meyers) - er, Beethoven - who entices CB to "switch teams."

The kids we knew as Linus (Jason Vaughan Evans), Lucy (Summer Bohnenkamp-Jenkins), Sally (Kari Goetz), Peppermint Patty (Katrina Stevenson) and Marcie (Meg Heimstead) are mere shadows of their former selves. They have set aside blankies, cheap psychiatric services, pumpkin worship and milk cartons for pot, pyromania, witchcraft and midday cocktails.

CB shares these details with his pen pal, who responds in a letter that bears all of the tender pathos that made the original "Peanuts" so great.

David M. Jenkins directed the show like a panel strip. Each well-crafted scene told a complete story or message with the same brevity of a daily while leaving you wanting more.

The fine adult cast honored the principles of their characters' younger selves. Clean-shaven Paonessa bowled me over as CB. He was the cool nerd, the one who is overlooked in school but evolves into a really interesting dude. His performance was incredibly touching, especially at the very end.

In her brief role, Bohnenkamp-Jenkins was deliciously perverse. Goetz, too, grabbed my attention with her warped woman-child demeanor.

Dirty and raw, this Jobsite production was still a loving tribute to good men everywhere.

THEATER REVIEW

Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead

WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 4 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 29

WHERE: David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Shimberg Playhouse, 1010 N. MacInnes Place, Tampa

HOW MUCH: $24.50; call (813) 222-1001 or visit www.tbpac.org

RUNNING TIME: Approximately 90 minutes