The frames that contain their stories have become iconic images – Lucy pulling the football out from underneath Charlie Brown’s trusting kick, Sally following Linus (and his blanket) around and Snoopy sleeping on top of his doghouse. The Peanuts are some of the most recognizable cartoon characters in American culture.
In MU’s production of Dog Sees God, the Peanuts are “all grown up” and tackling high school. Now, the annoying, monotone voices of teachers are the least of their worries. The characters deal with issues involving bullying, sexuality and even death. Her Campus Mizzou talked to Elizabeth Trovall, who plays a teenage Sally, about her part in the show and the new perspective on the Peanuts cartoons.
Her Campus Mizzou: What is your major?
Elizabeth Trovall: I’m a double major in Journalism (Radio Broadcast) and Theater Performance.
HCM: How long have you been involved with theater?
ET: I remember being an angel in the Christmas Story that my dad did at his church when I was three or four. I did some theater in high school and a little theater in middle school, but I mainly got involved in college.
HCM: Have you been involved in any other MU productions?
ET: I was in Picnic and Twelfth Night my freshman year, and Eurydice and The American Dream sophomore year. This year, my junior year, I was in a show called Sam and Laura, which the library paid for us to perform at the Mark Twain festival in California. Right now I’m in Dog Sees God and will be in Pride and Prejudice.
HCM: How is this production different from others you’ve been in?
ET: The text of this show is a lot different from most of the texts I’ve worked on. The language is no different than how you and I talk. It’s very modern and contemporary.
HCM: What do you think made Dog Sees God so popular?
ET: It’s about something that’s very accessible to people in mid-Missouri and to college students because it’s about the Peanuts and being in high school, which everyone can relate to. The direction was phenomenal. Bryan (Vandevender) has been so fun to work with and made sure that the cast had a lot of time to bond. We love the script and are there for each other in rehearsals. We find the message very important, and it’s funny. I mean, there’s sex and violence, and who doesn’t love that, right?
HCM: This show explores a lot of complex, deep themes. Do you think they’re relevant to today’s society? How can audience members benefit from seeing this production?
ET: This play is one of the reasons I do theater. Theater is a way to tackle issues because it’s something that’s not censored like our textbooks are censored. Audiences get right there in front of them something that they can’t escape. It helps the audience see things they wouldn’t otherwise see, but they’re forced to address them. If it doesn’t change peoples’ minds, it puts these issues at the forefront — bullying, suicide, sexuality, God and also mortality.
HCM: What have you learned from playing a “grown-up” Sally?
ET: The Peanuts grown up are a lot sadder. It’s been really fun to bridge the gap between the cartoon and the characters written for us in the script. I’ve had to write the backstory, so I had to figure out how she went from the lovesick puppy calling Linus her “sweet babboo” to this eccentric person who feels like she doesn’t fit in. I think she’s a really interesting character. It’s been a challenge to make her based in reality because the characters do kind of have some qualities that are larger than life. But I think from basing her in reality, I could think of some times in my life where I don’t necessarily fit in, which I could use when playing the role.
HCM: Who is your favorite Peanuts character?
ET: That’s not fair! I don’t know! I’ll be diplomatic and say Snoopy.
HCM: Do you look at the Peanuts differently after this show?
ET: Yes, I’ll never see anything Peanuts and not think of the show. I’ll see the strips and think of the people I know now, and I’ll call one of the actors by their character name from the show. There’s a much stronger, emotional connection to the Peanuts.
HCM: What (if anything) do you hope to do with theater in the future?
ET: I’ve thought about it, and I’m not sure at this point. I know that I do enjoy storytelling, which is why I enjoy journalism. I think that’s also what you can do with theater. In my future, if there’s anything I can do with storytelling and get paid for it, that’d be living the dream.
HCM: Any closing remarks?
ET: Everyone should come out and see the show! The experience has been very rare, and I’ve never gotten to know a cast or bonded with a cast like the cast of Dog Sees God. I’m going to be a little devastated when the show ends.