Review: Enjoyable ‘Pippin’ Features Music That Will Stick In Your Head
March 8, 2017 at 8:12 p.m.
By Michael [email protected]
The production is part of the Wabash Valley Music Association Series and a national tour.
The musical tells the story a young man’s quest to make something extraordinary out of his life, a production that first premiered on Broadway in 1972.
The show uses a play-within-a-play concept to explore themes about finding meaning in one’s life.
The touring company of the 2013 Tony Award-winning revival of the play recasts the performance troupe presenting the story of Pippin as a circus troupe.
The play was written by Roger Hirson with a score written by Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” “Godspell”).
Schwartz’s score contains catchy, memorable hits such as “Corner in the Sky” and “Simple Joys.”
Days later, I still have “No Time At All” stuck in my head.
The Leading Player (Housso Semon) opens the show and explains to the audience that they have “magic to do.”
Semon had tremendous stage presence and took control of every scene she was in with charisma, great singing and dancing ability.
The circus elements fit prefectly with the show’s themes.
Pippin (Naysh Fox) is the son of King Charlemagne, aka Charles (Brendon Schaefer). Pippin wishes to be “extraordinary,” and first attempts to find meaning by joining the battlefield against the Visigoths.
Schaefer turns in a hilarious effort as King Charles and hits all the right comic notes as the bumbling caricature of the king.
After the battle, Pippin decides he will not find meaning through war, and is persuaded by his mother, Fastrada (Erica Lee Cianciulli), to kill his father.
Act One ends as Pippin ascends to the throne with the memorable number “Morning Glow.”
Pippin soon realizes politics isn’t for him, and asks the Leading Player to bring back his father, which she does.
After leaving the court, Pippin is taken in by a widow named Catherine (Savannah Sprinkle), and begins to live an ordinary life on a farm. He soon bonds with her son, Theo (Harrison Leahy).
The Leading Player constantly appears to remind the actors to play their part – hence the theme of finding one’s place in the universe.
In the end, Pippin faces a final decision: Whether to make one final extraordinary act or find meaning in his ordinary life with Catherine.
Fox did a wonderful job of highlighting Pippin’s insecurities’ and his angst in not being able to find fulfilment.
The battle sequences, as well as other parts of the play, were filled with intentional anachronism and dazzling choreography.
Choreography by Chet?Walker is something Bob Fosse would be proud of, and the orignal Broadway direction by Diane Paulus steals the show.
The company – made up of gymnasts and acrobats – jump through hoops and flip around the stage with ease. The costumes stand out as the kinetic energy permeates the entire show.
The extraordinary stunts and magic tricks provide a contrast of the simple life on the farm.
If you get a chance, definitely check out the musical. The national tour continues until November.
The production is part of the Wabash Valley Music Association Series and a national tour.
The musical tells the story a young man’s quest to make something extraordinary out of his life, a production that first premiered on Broadway in 1972.
The show uses a play-within-a-play concept to explore themes about finding meaning in one’s life.
The touring company of the 2013 Tony Award-winning revival of the play recasts the performance troupe presenting the story of Pippin as a circus troupe.
The play was written by Roger Hirson with a score written by Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” “Godspell”).
Schwartz’s score contains catchy, memorable hits such as “Corner in the Sky” and “Simple Joys.”
Days later, I still have “No Time At All” stuck in my head.
The Leading Player (Housso Semon) opens the show and explains to the audience that they have “magic to do.”
Semon had tremendous stage presence and took control of every scene she was in with charisma, great singing and dancing ability.
The circus elements fit prefectly with the show’s themes.
Pippin (Naysh Fox) is the son of King Charlemagne, aka Charles (Brendon Schaefer). Pippin wishes to be “extraordinary,” and first attempts to find meaning by joining the battlefield against the Visigoths.
Schaefer turns in a hilarious effort as King Charles and hits all the right comic notes as the bumbling caricature of the king.
After the battle, Pippin decides he will not find meaning through war, and is persuaded by his mother, Fastrada (Erica Lee Cianciulli), to kill his father.
Act One ends as Pippin ascends to the throne with the memorable number “Morning Glow.”
Pippin soon realizes politics isn’t for him, and asks the Leading Player to bring back his father, which she does.
After leaving the court, Pippin is taken in by a widow named Catherine (Savannah Sprinkle), and begins to live an ordinary life on a farm. He soon bonds with her son, Theo (Harrison Leahy).
The Leading Player constantly appears to remind the actors to play their part – hence the theme of finding one’s place in the universe.
In the end, Pippin faces a final decision: Whether to make one final extraordinary act or find meaning in his ordinary life with Catherine.
Fox did a wonderful job of highlighting Pippin’s insecurities’ and his angst in not being able to find fulfilment.
The battle sequences, as well as other parts of the play, were filled with intentional anachronism and dazzling choreography.
Choreography by Chet?Walker is something Bob Fosse would be proud of, and the orignal Broadway direction by Diane Paulus steals the show.
The company – made up of gymnasts and acrobats – jump through hoops and flip around the stage with ease. The costumes stand out as the kinetic energy permeates the entire show.
The extraordinary stunts and magic tricks provide a contrast of the simple life on the farm.
If you get a chance, definitely check out the musical. The national tour continues until November.
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