Palindrama

That new Charles M. Schulz biography lets us know, at long last, how Charlie Brown would fare in the adult world. He'd be a wistful, depressive, billionaire genius, an artist adept at alchemizing personal neuroses into universal jokes. But how would he handle the 21st century? And puberty? Answers (sort of) lie in Dog Sees God, Bert V. Royal's award-winning 2004 comedy, which imagines Peanuts unshelled: Linus and Lucy, grown-up and fucked-up, coming of age with the rest of their gang in the present day. Dark as it is, Royal's show isn't just a sendup. "This is not typical parody at play," says Steven Eubank, who directs tonight's Kansas City premiere of Dog Sees God at XS Lighting, Sound & Visualization (1632 Broadway, 816-224-3004). "It's one of the most clever and dynamic shows I saw while I was living in New York."This mounting might top that one. Eubank jokes that he lured Royal to KC by promising him a bottle of vodka and a floor to sleep on. The writer threw in with Eubank's cast and tailored the script for them, Eubank says. "There are several extra scenes and lots of new variations in the dialogue. It's infused with his personal interest in the success of Eubank Productions and the Kansas City production as a unique, definitive premiere of his work." That premiere costs $15 ($10 for students) and starts at 8 p.m. Eubank Productions
Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 11, 7 p.m.; Mon., Nov. 12, 8 p.m. Starts: Nov. 2. Continues through Nov. 17, 2007