Pippin
at Freedom High School

Reviewed on May 2, 2015

Alex Poirier
Loudoun Valley High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

"Join us, come and waste an hour or two…" An alluring call began this production of Pippin, the two Leading Players inviting the audience to be fully involved with the performance onstage. The audience at Freedom High School sat transfixed at the sheer spectacle before them, goggling at the Las Vegas-themed, over-the-top show.

Written by Roger O. Hirson, with music by Stephen Schwartz, Pippin was a revolutionary musical when it opened on Broadway in 1972. Unique for its lack of a fourth wall, involving the audience in every aspect of the production, Pippin was also known for the distinctive Bob Fosse choreography, distinctive for small movements and showy production numbers. Showcasing powerhouses such as Ben Vereen as the Leading Player, Pippin won nine out of their twenty one Tony Award nominations between the original cast and the revival, including Best Revival. The inventive premise of the award-winning musical involves the Leading Player and their troupe of players controlling the life and times of Pippin (Blair Smith), as he struggles to find greatness and meaning in his life.

Like a college student that constantly switches majors, Pippin goes from joining his father, Charlemagne (Michael Calvelli), and brother, Lewis (Kalen Baker) at war, to learning to take joy from life with his Grandmother, Berthe (Sydney Calvelli), to ruling the country, to falling in love with Catherine (Maura Aschenbrenner), and yet finds no fulfillment from anything he accomplishes. The whirlwind of the players around the stock still Pippin is representative of the lack of impact these experiences have on his enjoyment of life. Using the themes of Las Vegas, medieval times, and magic shows, the enthusiastic cast of Pippin shows that variety is the spice of life as they use their costumes and glitzy set to draw Pippin further into their trap of glamour.

Supporting a strong cast by being a remarkable foundation for the show, the orchestra shone as an integral part of the piece. Constantly consistent, the orchestra had a lovely mix and was never overwhelming to the actors and actresses that needed to be heard. The audiences' attention was focused on the orchestra more often than most musicals, as the orchestra was referred to and commanded by the actors onstage on many occasions during the production while breaking the fourth wall. Yet, instead of detracting from the enjoyment of the show or taking the audience out of the moment, the entirety of the piece seemed more mystical.

A fantastic, surprise stand out that only appeared in the second act was Catherine, played by Maura Aschenbrenner. The eventual romantic partner of Pippin, Aschenbrenner brought comedy, energy, and vivacity that brightened the stage when she stepped upon it. At the end, Catherine, against the advice of the Leading Players, had fallen in love with Pippin, and Aschenbrenner showed the tenderness and vulnerability of unexpected love, successfully going from a Leading Player, two dimensional stand-in, to a three dimensional character with ease and grace. Another comic genius was Berthe (Sydney Calvelli), an audience favorite that lead a sing along and advised Pippin to "not take life so seriously." To round out the stellar performances, the two Leading Players, Morgan Taylor and Sierra Orr, acted as the devious and excitable puppet masters of the production, a delightful shift from the fairy godmother first act to the conniving, insane, death enthusiasts in the second.

After watching the talented cast at Freedom, the audience left satisfied and contemplative. After all, Pippin expressed a universal, relatable theme of finding and staying true to yourself, despite the myriad of distractions and obstacles that life throws your way.

Sacha Cameron
Annandale High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Loudoun

Freedom High School's production of Pippin could only be described as "Extraordinary". Their unique take on the complex and intriguing show blended together a medieval setting with the style of Las Vegas to achieve an aesthetic all their own.

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Pippin tells the tale of the eldest son of Charlemagne. Small and meek, Pippin is not as favored as his stepbrother, Lewis. Pippin embarks on a journey to find himself amidst a war and the changes it causes, hoping to lead an extraordinary life. A sort of play within a play, the story is told very much by the Leading Player. A troupe of other actors makes up the ensemble and characters who act out the story of Pippin.

Freedom High School's production split the role of the Leading Player into two. Played by Morgan Taylor and Sierra Orr, the Leading Players glued the production together through their visible commitment to their characters and their great chemistry and synchronization. Taylor and Orr harmonized beautifully, especially in songs like "Magic to Do" and "Glory" and they always exuded confidence and style.

Blair Smith (Pippin) clearly portrayed the lost young man only just starting his journey of growth. Despite Pippin's quiet nature, Smith's comedic timing added to his witty lines. The energy that existed between him and Maura Aschenbrenner (Catherine) was palpable and infectious. Aschenbrenner had a beautiful voice and her comedic timing hit the spot as well.

Many other supporting characters created depth and color in the show. Sydney Calvelli shined as Berthe, Pippin's grandmother. Though only seen occasionally, her confidence and stage presence left a huge impression, not to mention her stellar vocals. Though the stakes were sometimes low in scenes and the ensemble occasionally lacked energy, the large cast numbers had very strong choreography and a powerful vocal presence.

The creatively executed lighting design served to engage the audience with the emotions present in each scene. Powerful reds permeated the entire stage during "Glory" while softer pinks dominated during "Morning Glow". Projector screens on either side of the stage were also used to interact with the audience, even displaying the lyrics to "No Time at All" so that the audience could sing along. Costume work added to the Las Vegas and medieval themes that existed throughout the show. Characters appeared alternately in sparkling cabaret-style outfits and plainer medieval dress. The differences integrated the two themes together clearly.

Despite the skillfully-designed technical aspects of the show, Pippin ended his journey on an empty stage devoid of all set, lighting, and even without an orchestra. Even though he had spent his life looking for something extraordinary, he found happiness in his "simple joys". This ending showed not only a change in Pippin, but the strength of the cast that performed entirely vulnerably. Behind the lights, glitter, and glamour of the theatre, the audience could find the "simple joys" of the show, just as Pippin did.

Maryann Hayden
Woodgrove High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - Loudoun

Pippin, a musical with book written by Rodger O. Hirson and music/lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, was one of the knockouts of its time. The show premiered at the Imperial Theatre in 1972, though it is more closely associated with '73. The show follows Pippin, son of Charlemagne, as he tries to be extraordinary. He is led, or more accurately, pushed by the Lead Player. The Player serves as the narrator and puppet master of the show, leading us towards the biggest climax ever.

Freedom High School's production of Pippin took full advantage of this show's unique versatility. Freedom chose to set their show in Las Vegas, though at times this Vegas theme was lost. When it was present in was fun and flashy and visually interesting. Freedom also split the character of the Lead Player between two people. Leading Player "Jazz" and Leading Player "Pitch" played by Morgan Taylor and Sierra Orr did a wonderful job of portraying Lead Player. They were completely in sync with their mannerisms, and their ability to seamlessly split this character was very impressive.

Pippin, a very meek, quiet, and cynical character was played by Blair Smith. While he portrayed this aspect quite well, Smith committed to his blank and pessimistic character which ultimately worked in the show. Catherine, played by Maura Aschenbrenner who appeared in the second act, brought a new energy to the show. Her character dedication and amazing energy gave the other characters something to work off. This improved the overall energy of the show.

One stand out supporting character of the night was Berthe. Pippin's Grandmother, played by Sydney Calvelli, tells Pippin to live life while he still can. She delivered a comical performance with some powerful vocals.

Two small characters that can't go without mention are Lewis and Visigoth Head. Lewis, Pippin's younger brother played by Kalen Baker, had great comedic timing and a fun, entertaining, high energy character. Visigoth Head was only on stage for a short amount of time but Spencer Pfundstien made every moment count becoming a definite crowd favorite with his comedic performance.

Technically, the lighting design was very well done in regards to the use of back lighting and spots. The use of projections throughout the show added a great visual element and was quite fun for the audience.

Sound was quite good overall, the quality of sound was impressive. Regardless, often mic wires and packs were blatantly visible and a bit distracting.

The pit orchestra was very good. They did an amazing job with the difficult music in Pippin and were a great part of the show rather than just the background noise.

Freedom High School's production of Pippin told a whimsical story of self-discovery and left the audience with an interesting finale. This cast brought Pippin to life in a new and creative way, just as this show was meant to be performed.