Pippin Makes Theater Magic on the Mainstage
The 窪蹋勛圖 Performing Arts Department wowed audiences with whimsical performances ofPippinon February 24 and 25. Directed by theater teacher Megan Schy Gleeson, students used music, movement, and even magic to tell a spectacular coming-of-age story.
The medieval tale follows the young prince Pippin (Liam OBrien 23) on his quest to find his Corner of the Sky. He enlists the aid of his powerful father, King Charles (Liam Salerno 23), his alluring stepmother Fastrada (Marisa Beard 24), and his battle-ready brother Lewis (Brennan Biemann 24) on his quest to lead a meaningful life through pursuits of war, glory, and passion.
Pippin is a big Broadaway musical with lots of gorgeous singing and amazing dancing, Schy Gleeson says, but ever since it debuted in 1972 the structure of the piece has not been that of a traditional musical.
The performance format lets audiences see behind the curtain and inside the minds of the characters. Actors change costumes on stage, assume multiple roles, and address the audience directlybreaking the fourth wall. Throughout the story a performance troupe, the Players, narrates Pippins inner doubts. Schy Gleeson reflects: We all have those internalized voices that tell us were not good enough. By confronting the thoughts within ones mind, we are surrendering the need to be perfect.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Pippin, and the musical is as relevant today as when it debuted. CAs production used anachronistic props such as cell phones to blur the line between 780 A.D. and the fast-paced and social media-saturated world we live in today.
Magic designer Evan Northrup staged mystical illusions, including spinning plates and disappearing objects. Gleeson notes, Evan and I worked with the students in planning choreography for what needed to happen to set up each illusion. What I think was really fun for the students was when Evan came in to do a magic workshop with the actors and tech crew folks, as an introduction to magic for the theater.
The energetic performance was perfectly punctuated with choreography by dance program co-directors Rika Okamoto and Alexander Brady, which included jazz footwork, acrobatics, and ribbon twirling. Soaring pop-rock melodies, music directed by Performing Arts Department Head Michael Bennett, underscored the action.
In a stand-out musical number, No Time at All, Pippins grandmother Berthe (Aisha Aina Tasso 23) encourages him to seize the day and embrace his life with all its imperfections. After a series of trials and tribulations, Pippin is ultimately enlightened and transformed by this advice. He rejects his powerful station to embrace a simple, joyful, and family-focused path.
The piece asks us to consider are we truly taking time for being with the ones we love, Schy Gleeson says. Are we using the time we have on this planet well?
