In many ways, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead is exactly what it promises to be, a juvenile parody of Charles Schulz's beloved Peanuts comic strip and characters. Imagine You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown as rewritten by Kevin Smith. It's undeniably hilarious, even as it goes to places no teenager should have to experience. I'm pretty sure it includes every swear word in the English language; surprisingly, however, it's also more insightful than Linus Van Pelt on his best afternoons by that familiar brick wall. Don Welch deserves credit for directing a game cast with sympathy and welcome subtlety. Hannah Tripp is especially terrific - downright SNL-worthy, in fact - as Marcy.

We open on an empty red doghouse. Snoopy must be off having whimsical adventures with his pal Woodstock, right? No, not so much. Years have passed since A Charlie Brown Christmas, and while the kids still have that inexplicable fondness for classical and jazz piano, they've also done what kids in comic strips never do: They grew up. They're in high school now, but not the same school as Archie and Veronica. In this neighborhood, pot use is rampant, kids hook up in all sorts of inventive ways and sometimes they need to be told that it gets better. You know: a neighborhood like ours.

Our unfortunate protagonist now answers to Charles or C.B. Sally went Goth. Linus goes by his "middle" name, Van, and appears to live out of one. Schroeder, though tagged with his Beethoven jones, has actually moved on to Chopin ... and boys. Peppermint Patty (now Tricia) and her sycophantic sidekick never developed that Sapphic relationship we expected, though not from any shortage of libido. And Lucy? Well, let's just say those anger issues finally caught up with her.

It struck me toward the end of Dog Sees God that it covers many of the same issues as Fame at Capital Playhouse - sexual identity, drug use, transformation, adolescent ennui - only more convincingly and persuasively. I don't know what parents will make of it, but it's perfectly chosen for a community college experimental theater. Pace it up and get out of its way.

Dog Sees God

Through May 22, 8 p.m. Thursday–Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $7.50-$12.50
South Puget Sound Community College, 1827 12th Ave. SE, Olympia
360.763.8586