"Pippin" pops up periodically in local productions. If you havent seen it, or want to view it again, there is no better place than the current run at the Pennsylvania Playhouse.
"Pippin," with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Roger O. Hirson, is something of an oddity for something that has remained popular since it premiered on Broadway in 1972.
There is a lot of humor and it has elements of a fairy tale, but it also has an experimental flavor, with the cast often addressing the audience. The play within the play conceit and the breaking of the fourth wall is used to the limit.
After an introduction by the Leading Player (CaSandra Danubio) and the nine-person ensemble, the story finds Pippin (Crede Cooper) returning home to his father Charlemagne (Mark Boyer).
Historically Charlemagne was a medieval emperor who founded the Holy Roman Empire around the year 800. Here he is easygoing with his family, who include his warlike and stupid son Lewis (Alex Kleinschmidt) and his spoiled wife Fastrada (Beth Sucro). He is a tyrant when dealing with his subjects, however.
Pippin is first in line for the throne, so he would seem to be well set in life. But he faces a crisis because he is not able to find meaning in his life, a problem that carries throughout the musical.
Having a sensitive nature, he discovers that ruling a kingdom would be difficult for him. In Act II another way of life opens up for him, but that one also appears to be unsatisfactory.
The singing is uniformly excellent, with each player shining in their solos. Nearly all the acting is also great. Danubio, whose character seems to control the action, is outstanding with her aggressive show biz authority. Cooper mixes young angst with a Broadway strength voice.
Alexandra Austin plays Catherine, a widow Pippin becomes involved with in the second act, with a winning vulnerability. Trish Steel as Pippins grandmother Berthe projects a lot of fun with her advice to her grandson. Boyer deftly balances affability and regal indifference as Charlemagne. And the young Cashton Zisa Morrow was quite funny as the young Theo.
There are some minor things that are distracting, none of which are the fault of the cast or director Clair M. Freeman.
"Pippin" tends to be a bit long at nearly an two and a half hours with intermission. The lengthy dance sequences, although performed well and with a lot of spirit by the young ensemble players, slow down the pace of the story. The plot gets a little murky a times. And there are a few times when it is difficult to understand the dialog.
The charm and spirit of the production overcomes all of this, and makes "Pippin" a wonderful and unusual experience.
Performances of "Pippin" are 7:30 p.m. August 5 and 6, and 6 p.m. August 7 at Pennsylvania Playhouse, 390 Illicks Mill Road, Bethlehem.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $15 for students.