Pippin
at W. T. Woodson High School

Reviewed on November 4, 2017

Molly Metzler
Saint John Paul The Great Catholic HS
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

Plays were played, parts were performed, hearts were warmed, and magic was certainly done at Woodson High School's production of Pippin. The premise of the show is relatively simple: our titular hero desires to find his corner of the sky or, rather, the thing that will give his life meaning. The son of Charlemagne searches for meaning in religion and revolution, women and war, and fine arts and family life. Pippin's quest is relatable for any human being, but the acting from leading man Jack Hopewell makes one feel the desperation of his character and yearn for a remarkable purpose among the common folk. Hopewell had the audience in the palm of his hand after his brilliant number "Corner of the Sky" and continuously impressed the audience with his impeccable singing and emotion.

One critical creative liberty was executed confidently in this rendition of Pippin: the leading player character was split into a man and woman, a dynamic duo that guided Pippin on his journey. The high energy and attitude from Nick Dache and Sydney Cluff kept the audience on the edge of their seats and the other characters on their toes as they comically interrupted dramatic scenes and contributed their own thoughts and quips. While the relationship between the two certainly worked well, Dache, a man of amazing talent and ability, shined in a role that seemed made just for him. No one can forget the powerful opening of the second act in the song "On the Right Track" when Dache flipped into our hearts with such enthusiasm and charisma. It was truly a memorable performance.

A notable feature of Pippin was the use of lighting in the various scenes that paralleled the actions or emotions of the characters on stage, such as the sudden flash of red when Pippen murders his father, the light orange, reminiscent of a sunrise, during the song "Morning Glow," and the deep and mesmerizing blue as women's silhouettes danced against the dark background during "With You."

Hearts soared as many notable and comedic characters left their mark on the production, such as Pippin's grandmother, Berthe (Mavis Manaloto), with her Gregorian chant sing-a-long, King Charles (Calvin Osorio) with his dry wit and lovable personality, and Lewis (Michael Richardson), a dumb jock who tripped every time he exited the stage.

Woodson accomplished something magical in its beautiful interpretation with its phenomenal acting and deep emotion. A show must be measured based on its influence on the viewer and this viewer was heavily influenced by the formation of thoughts about true purpose and satisfaction in this earthly life. While the show ended with Pippin accepting an ordinary life, the school put on an extraordinary performance.

Alexa Schwartzman
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Exciting, mystic, and exotic…there is lots of 1930's movie magic to do in Woodson High School's rendition of Pippin. An empowering orchestra, color-coordinated lights, magnificent voices, and epic performers made the audience want to start livin' as they brought this show to life.

Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson originally wrote Pippin, while Schwartz was a student at Carnegie Mellon University. Bob Fosse directed the first Broadway adaptation, which has been revived many times and won multiple Tony Awards for its excellence. The tale follows a conflicted prince, Pippin, in his search to discover life's purpose. Set in Hollywood, the show bounces between Pippin's internal, familial, and commitment issues, and the pressures of show-biz. From the battle field to a small estate to a cinema set, Pippin is somehow able to spread a little sunshine in his depressing battle between his desire for life's simple joys and glory.

Lead actor Jack Hopewell's smooth vocals and hopeful glow in Corner of the Sky immediately grabbed the audience's attention as he portrayed Pippin. He maintained excellence through shirtless harassment, romantic pressures, and inward battles. The Leading Players, Nick Daché and Sydney Cluff, outlined his story with phenomenal voices and spectacular back flips. Nick's character arc, from a flashy director to a creepy devil-like persona, seamlessly pushed Pippin along his path and emphasized the show's idea that not everything is truly as it seems. Karlee Skaggs brought a quirky, lovable charm to Pippin's love interest, Catherine. Eager eyes and restless arms exemplified her energy while she sang There He Was and Love Song. Lastly, Mavis Manaloto and her cute, high pitched, polished voice fit perfectly into her role as grandmother Berthe. Her bubbly charisma enticed the audience to join in her song, No Time at All. The cast was dedicated to their characters' physical mannerisms and layered emotions, filling every corner of the sky with talent.

A remarkable orchestra captured everyone's attention as it accentuated the mood of each moment and guided the songs. Even at the end, as the Leading Players were shutting it down, the orchestra kept its appeal. The set in the second act gave an adorable, small town feel. Having a brightly painted countryside, and even a wheelbarrow filled with hay, reflected Catherine's sweet personality, while accurately depicting the very different life-style to which Pippin was accustomed. Professional stage management skills were apparent in the finale, when curtains opened to reveal a bare stage, meaning that each set piece and prop had been organized elsewhere. Finally, the creative lighting was one of the simple joys of the show. A red glow during battle, a blue glow during Pippin's guilty moment afterwards, and a yellow glow at the dawn of his new crowned kingship, highlighted the varying tones of the musical.

Although Pippin didn't fulfill his initial intentions, the show lived up to the audience's expectations. This paradoxical summation of the notion of stardom left the crowd full of wonder and hope that Pippin was going on the right track.

Bethanya Yared
Saint John Paul The Great Catholic HS
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

From a shimmering gold shirt to a dying duck, W.T. Woodson's production of Pippin has its own unique style. With a 1930's Golden Age of Hollywood twist on a classic Broadway show, they've managed to change up this well-known musical. The show starts with a kick from the musical number Magic To Do and ends with a twist that leaves the audience in shock.

Pippin, written by Stephen Schwartz in 1972, was originally performed at Carnegie Mellon University. From there it moved on to Broadway and has had numerous revivals with many different endings. Ben Vereen (Leading Player in the original Broadway production) and Patina Miller (Leading Player in the 2013 revival) were the first two actors of different genders to ever win a Tony award for the same role.

The story follows Pippin, the son of King Charles, as he tries to find meaning in his life while experiencing the glitz and glamour of a Hollywood lifestyle. The Leading Players, Nick Daché and Sydney Cluff, act as the directors of Pippin's life story, regulating how people should act and how the story should go. Pippin deals with problems of lust, pride, and despair as he tries to figure out what to do with his life. These emotions and struggles were displayed through music and dance. Pippin consistently goes through ups and downs, but eventually determines what is truly meaningful in life.

Jack Hopewell gave a performance like no other. From his indescribable voice to quirky dance moves, he had it all. Songs like Corner of the Sky and Morning Glow were sung phenomenally. Nick Daché wowed the crowd with an unexpected and unforgettable gymnastics move involving a mixture of a cartwheel and flip. The lust and desire Pippin struggled with was portrayed by Hannah Black and other members of the Ensemble, using smooth and fluent dance moves. Other characters like Charles (Calvin Osorio), Lewis (Michael Richardson), and Berthe (Mavis Manaloto) provided comic relief to otherwise serious scenes. With stellar and crystal clear vocals, Karlee Skaggs made Act 2 memorable. She perfectly portrayed a more honest persona of Pippin's love interest, Catherine, in the song I Guess I'll Miss the Man, and her personality steadily grew stronger throughout the show.

With the use of lighting, the crew managed to display different emotions for characters throughout the musical. For example, in the song With You, Pippin's different love interests' faces were not shown to portray the theme that they did not truly matter to him. The choreography had influences from Bob Fosse, who choreographed the original Broadway production of Pippin. This included having one hand on the torso and one in the air; a chorus line; and small foot movements. The orchestra played excellently, with symphonic music and perfect timing with the actors. Throughout the show, there were a few microphone issues and cases where the orchestra overpowered the actors, but the actors managed to stay in character and project their voices the entire time. The technical elements added extra layers of meaning behind each scene.

W.T. Woodson's production of Pippin was enthralling from start to finish. From funny adult humor to different visual aspects, this show gave the audience a new look on a well-known musical. Overall, W.T. Woodson created a new version of Pippin with an exciting experience for fans and non-fans alike.

Deirdre Price
Rock Ridge High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

What's going to happen in the end? In the world of Pippin, there's only one thing to be sure of: there's nothing to be sure of. Delightfully strange and uncommonly engaging, Pippin is a story of one young man wanting nothing more than an extraordinary life. With music and lyrics by the incomparable Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger Hirson, the show was originally directed by Bob Fosse on Broadway, where it ran from 1972 to 1977. In 2013, Pippin had its long-awaited Broadway revival. Today, Pippin is being shown at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Virginia, with a cast and crew dedicated to telling a beautiful story and, of course, living extraordinary lives.

This extraordinariness was displayed in the technical pieces of W.T. Woodson's show through the use of lighting and stage properties. By placing Pippin in the Golden Age of Hollywood, the story was altered slightly, and W.T. Woodson succeeded marvelously in altering their designs along with it. Executed by Nathan Cain, Kelly Ward, Jacob O'Brien, and Sarah Hasson, the production's lighting included a cyclorama with glowing colors used to enhance setting and character. Tricks such as silhouetting of dancers in order to highlight Pippin's presence onstage and association of certain colors with specific characters showed off the students' skill for their craft, as well as an understanding and appreciation of the text. W.T. Woodson's stage properties, designed by Anush Abddurazakova, Haley Cole, and Annie Vonasek, were equally impressive. In order to keep with the theme of the Golden Age of Hollywood, handmade cameras flanked the proscenium, adding another element to the multilayered world of Pippin. Standout stage properties also included the weapons, such as spears and clubs, used by the soliders in their multiple scenes; having these props unified the ensemble and was incredibly important to the plot. Overall, the technical aspects of W.T. Woodson's Pippin were uniquely executed, and they aided the show as a whole by aiding the actors onstage.

In the same way the technical pieces of a show are necessary to support the performers, actors must treat each performance like it is the most important show of their lives in order to allow the tech to succeed. The lead actors in W.T. Woodson's production superseded these expectations - namely, Jack Hopewell as Pippin and Karlee Skaggs as Catherine. Despite malfunctions with his microphone in the first act, Hopewell was unfazed onstage and truly lived within the reality of the show, providing the audience with genuine reactions, energetic physicality, and impressive vocal control. Karlee Skaggs' character, Catherine, was only present in Act Two, but from the moment she entered to the moment the cast finished bowing, she filled the space with energy, authenticity, and incomprehensible dedication. Though her character was only present for a short period of time, Skaggs provided an impressive arc through the back-to-back scenes and songs she performed. She swiftly and charmingly won the hearts of not only Pippin, but the entire audience as well.

Pippin is, to say the least, a strange show, full of unexpected twists and turns that can easily overpower technical design and performers alike. W.T. Woodson took this bull by the horns and, through aspects such as lighting, stage properties, and exemplary lead performers, smiled in the face of slight adversities to put on a strange yet entertaining show. Even after the cast had bowed and the audience stood to leave, each spectator was undoubtedly still wondering one thing: what's going to happen in the end?

Helen Ganley
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Student Voice

Everything has its season, everything has its time, and everything about W. T. Woodson High School's production of Pippin was extraordinary. Newly revamped to be on a 1930s film set, the energetic cast and intricate tech are simple joys that deserve their glory.

Since opening on Broadway in the early 1970s, Pippin has been spreading its magic as a revolutionary "show within a show." Pippin follows an acting troupe, or in this case a movie crew, performing a show about Pippin, the namesake of the show and the son of Charlemagne, led by a conniving Leading Player. Although originally only a student piece that originated at Carnegie Mellon University, Ron Strauss and Stephen Schwartz evolved the piece into its final form. Pippin has been received well across the decades, causing it to reopen in 2013 and earning a Tony award.

Mimicking the eagle of which he sings so fondly, Jack Hopewell's voice soared as Pippin, allowing him to demonstrate his extensive range and control over his vocals. Hopewell maintained strong presence and immaculate diction, navigating Pippin's many relationships with ease. Hopewell's dazzling falsetto during "Corner of the Sky" and "Morning Glow" incited raucous applause, but none so genuine as during "Love Song," his duet with Karlee Skaggs, portraying Catherine. Hopewell and Skaggs's delicate harmonies created a powerful and authentic moment, a rarity in a show full of deception. Enchanting the audience with her flawless delivery of both "Kind of Woman" and "I Guess I'll Miss The Man," Skaggs's masterful tone shift from quirky to sincere marked the turning point in Catherine and Pippin's relationship.

Pulling the strings as the puppet masters in this charade were not one, but two Leading Players. Sydney Cluff, the female Leading Player, worked as the mastermind, sauntering across the stage with character and energy, delicately manipulating Pippin during "On the Right Track," where Cluff got the chance to showcase her talents. Nick Daché, the male Leading Player, was jazzy and exciting in the first act, but absolutely shocked the crowd with his surprising gymnastic feats, springing and flipping across the stage. Together the duo rocked the traditionally individual role and executed the directorial aspect of the movie studio excellently. Calvin Osorio and Michael Richardson, Charles and Lewis respectively, were the comic relief of the production. Spouting sexual innuendos and chock full of dry humor, the flamboyant father/stepson pairing was memorably hysterical. Mavis Manaloto's cute and controlled vibrato made her performance as Berthe all that more genuine, encouraging all to sing along during her delightful rendition of "No Time at All."

The real magic happens behind the scenes with the tech crews. Movable sets navigated between the many settings within Pippin, clearly marking the changes in location and time. Makeup cleverly adapted Berthe into a bit of an oxymoron, turning her into a youthful grandmother. The movie set would not have been complete without the plethora of cameras and film equipment that the props crew generated for the stage. Severed limbs and heads were strewn across the stage, giving some reality to the battle scene depicted. The pit orchestra delivered a flawless performance, adapting to on-stage timing and keeping the show running without a hitch. Hunter Browning, the exceptional pianist, not only played his instrument impeccably, but played a part in the show, an aspect that prompted plentiful laughter and applause.

The enthusiastic cast of W. T. Woodson High School's production had "magic to do," and certainly delivered. Delivering a show packed with impressive vocals, a talented cast, and proficient tech, their stage production is certainly ready to be shown on Hollywood's big screen.

Miranda Huffer
Woodgrove High School
Submitted for publication to Connection

"Lights, Camera, Action!" The blinding lights of a movie studio flood the stage as the sleazy, jazzy Leading Players saunter on, joined by an ensemble of 1930's movie stars, all telling the tale of the son of Charlemagne, Prince Pippin. With a unique spin on the world-famous musical, W. T. Woodson's movie studio-themed Pippin has quite a lot of "Magic to Do."

Written by Stephen Schwartz, Pippin is one of the most unique and groundbreaking Broadway shows. Opening with mystery and intrigue, the Leading Players (typically one player, but in W. T. Woodson's Pippin the role is played by both Nick Dache and Sydney Cluff) draw the audience in, introducing the story of Pippin (Jack Hopewell), son of King Charles (Calvin Osorio). The show follows both the story of Prince Pippin and his unfulfilled life as well as the underlying plot of the players and actors themselves.

Typically performed in a circus theme, W. T. Woodson is breaking the mold with an unusual concept: movies. Centered around the 1930's and the golden age of film, this choice of theme transformed the leading players into movie directors, constantly observing and intervening. It also allowed for fascinating technical elements, such as movie cameras on stage, the usage of work lights to convey a stoppage in filming, and a studio box for the ensemble to sing in.

Central to both the plot and the strength of the performance was the title character himself, Pippin. Capturing the essence of Pippin's boyish nature, Hopewell dazzled with both his clear-cut characterization and his enchanting vocals, to transport the audience to another world with his hopeful take on the number, "Corner of the Sky." Lurking in the background, the Leading Players brought a hint of foreshadowing to every scene, manipulating and leading Pippin around with ease. The pair's dynamic made the choice to cast the part in two actors an excellent one. The intention of the Leading Players in the plot became clear in the Finale, when Pippin denied their offer to perform in a trick that would cause his demise. Nick Dache, the male Leading Player, allowed his character's composure to crack, erupting at Pippin and the ensemble with a fury that caught all off-guard.

Perfectly capturing the duality of the show's nature, Karlee Skaggs, playing Catherine, displayed two well-rounded characters: the actual character Catherine, a widow who takes Pippin in, and the actress playing her, who has genuine feelings for him. Her diverse range of emotions and skillful vocals were shown off in her "unplanned" number, "I Guess I'll Miss the Man," in which the Leading Players attempt to stop her from expressing her true feelings.

Setting the scene was a humongous castle, well-crafted and tall, which moved around the stage with relative ease. While underutilized, the set piece was nonetheless impressive, and it added incredible impact in the finale, when it was removed to symbolize Pippin's loss of acting and illusions of grandeur. The lighting was also notable, with diverse colors to represent individual characters and emotions.

Full of magic, wonder, and adventure, W. T. Woodson's Pippin is a joy from start to finish. There is "No Time at All" to waste, so catch Pippin before it's gone!

Shannon Flack
Hayfield Secondary School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

How far is one willing to go to be extraordinary and find the simple joys in life?

W.T. Woodson Drama's production of Pippin spread a little sunshine through the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Pippin follows the story of Pippin, the son of Charlemagne, through his pursuit of finding his purpose in life. This classic story has been done many times with many different takes on the tale. W.T. Woodson chose to set their production on a movie set during the golden age of movies rather than setting the show in a circuis. The leading players, played by Nick Daché and Sydney Cluff, took on the role of the directors on set and guided Pippin, played by Jack Hopewell, through the story. After returning from school Pippin decided to head off to war with his half-brother Lewis, played by Michael Richardson, and under the guidance of his father, played by Calvin Osorio. The bloodshed Pippin saw led to him murdering his father to become king. When he realized he had no knowledge of how to lead a kingdom he ran away to his grandmother, Berthe, played by Mavis Manaloto. He continued to run away from himself and found Catherine, played by Karlee Skaggs, a widow who took him in and brought happiness to his life. This story, with the original book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz has won many Awards including the Tony for best revival of a musical.

Jack Hopewell, who played the titular role, led the company with crystal clear vocals, exact physical movements and conceivable emotions that brought Pippin to life. The audience witnesses Pippin's journey from helplessness to happiness and Hopewell portrayed this character arc with ease and believability.

Pippin's love interest Catherine, played by Karlee Skaggs, played off Hopewell extremely well. Their playful chemistry onstage created a brand new dynamic onstage throughout the second act. Although Skaggs was only in the second act of the show, she used all the time she had onstage to the fullest. Her comedic timing, physicality, and impressive vocals made the audience fall in love with the quirky widow Catherine.

During the dance numbers in the show, such as Magic to Do, and With You, a notable standout was featured dancer, Hannah Black. The audience was constantly drawn to look at her. Black's stage presence was undeniable. It was very obvious to all watching the show that she had trained as a dancer and it stood out in the best way possible. The choreography was suited for everyone onstage, from the most trained dancer to those who had never danced before. The choreography done by Mackenna Gordon, was full of Bob Fosse influence and Black captured the vision of Fosse and Gordon with every move onstage.

W.T. Woodson Drama's production embodied the extraordinary story of Pippin from the opening number Magic to Do until the Finale. Everyone from the fantastic pit orchestra to the well choreographed tech crew to all the actors on stage made the show very enjoyable for all in the audience and left them wanting for more.