When I was in High School, a musical danced before me that invited singing and dancing along, as I entered a world with colorful costumes, body stretching, leaping and spinning dance numbers and the story of a young man in search of meaning and purpose in his life. Pippin was composed by award winning musical genius, Stephen Schwartz, who introduced us to the wonderous world of Wicked and the soul soaring Godspell. I have seen the Broadway revival of the latter and the movie version of the former.
When I saw that it was coming to the Music Mountain Theatre in Lambertville, NJ, I knew I had to gather some friends and be there. Both Janet and Barb had seen the musical before and wanted to immerse in the magic with me. Janet shared a story about meeting Ben Vereen at the height of his fame, who embodied the original character known as the Leading Player. Janet is a mime and children’s entertainer and she was hired to perform at his daughter’s party. She was busy doing her thing with the kids when he comes down the stairs and she dances along with him. It was quite a moment, that all these years later, still puts a smile on her face.
Those on stage who brought this epic to life were supremely talented and exhibited high energy. Bonus was that they looked like they were having fun and that translated to enjoyment for the audience.
From the opening note of Magic To Do, to the reprise of Corner of the Sky, I was enthralled. Choreographer Bob Fosse’s signature moves and hand motions carried us from scene to scene. Pippin tells the tale of the titular character who is the son of the tyrannical King Charlamagne. He returns home from his university studies with a burning desire to do something purposeful in his life. He decides that being a warrior like his father would be kinda cool. That doesn’t last long when he realizes war is bloody and messy and not particularly fulfilling. He then considers being an artist and then, watching his father’s reign of terror, he decides to murder his father and take his place on the throne and naturally be a kinder, gentler royal. He discovers that it is not as simple as he had thought it would be and he falls into despair. He then engages in orgiastic sex and finds himself feeling empty inside. He is discovered, lying on the side of the road by a young widowed woman named Catherine who has a son named Theo. She takes Pippin in, persuades him to stay and help her work her farm. As life and love would have it, she captures his heart. After a year, she wants to celebrate their time together and expresses appreciation for what he has come to mean to her and to Theo. Feeling trapped, he bolts and is encouraged by the Leading Player and the other actors to self emulate in ‘one perfect flame’ and rise to fame that way. Not wanting to dive into fire, he realizes that what he has been seeking all along has been in front of him for the past 12 months, with Catherine and Theo. He returns to them and the Leading Player sneeringly takes away all the colors, the lights, the dancers and singers, the costumes, leaving the three of them in their underwear with nothing dazzling around them. Pippin makes it clear that he has no need for any of those things. In the original version, the curtain falls at that point. In a newer version, Pippin and Catherine leave the stage and Theo remains, looking trepidatious as the players lurk and loom over him, as if to tempt him into the kind of life they were offering Pippin.
What I found fascinating was that there were a few lines that may have been adapted into the musical as the storyline relates to the current state of the world, said with a wink and a nod. Another connected to some reading I did about the character. Someone online mused about whether Pippin had schizophrenia and all of these characters represented voices in his head. A cool aspect of the show were the times when the actors ‘broke the fourth wall,’ and engaged with the audience. As I am writing this piece, I am listening to the soundtrack and singing along.
Hoping you find your Corner of the Sky.
“Rivers belong where they can ramble
Eagles belong where they can fly
[PIPPIN]
I’m not a river or a giant bird
That soars to the sea
And if I’m never tied to anything
I’ll never be free
I wanted magic shows and miracles
Mirages to touch
I wanted such a little thing from life
I wanted so much
I never came close, my love
We never came near
It never was there
I think it was here
They showed me crimson, gold and lavender
A shining parade
But there’s no color I can have on earth
That won’t finally fade
When I wanted worlds to paint
And costumes to wear
I think it was here
‘Cause it never was there
I wanted magic shows and miracles
Mirages to touch
I wanted such a little thing from life
I wanted so much”
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: Wikimedia
