‘Pippin’ – Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; Book by Roger O. Hirson; Directed and Choreographed by Artistic Director Rachel Bertone; Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez; Cameron McEachern (Scenic Designer), Frank Meissner Jr (Lighting Design), Robby Davis (Sound Design), Costumes by Emerald City Theatrical. Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI) at the Reagle Music Theatre, Waltham through August 13
by Mike Hoban
The themes from 1972’s Pippin, now being staged at the Reagle Theatre in Waltham through next weekend, are as relevant as ever – maybe even more so for Gen Z and the tail end of the millennial generation. Much like that demographic, protagonist Pippin, son of medieval emperor Charlemagne, wants more out of life than an ordinary existence, because well, “when you’re extraordinary, you gotta do extraordinary things!”). In Pippin’s case, though, those “extraordinary things” are a lot more than just inventing an app or accumulating TikTok followers. He is, after all, the son of the ruler of much of Western Europe in the late 8th and early 9th centuries. The Reagle production, directed by artistic director (and millennial) Rachel Bertone delivers a richly comic version of the classic on the heels of Reagle’s brilliant production of West Side Story in July.
Fresh out of university, Pippin (Kenny Lee) returns to the castle of his father (a regally entertaining Damon Singletary) and decides he’ll make his mark as a soldier in a battle against the Visigoths. But like many of the Viet Nam-era youths (when the musical was first developed) who shared the romantic vision of fighting for one’s country as depicted in movies like John Wayne’s The Green Berets, Pippin is horrified by the brutality of actual war after he slays a soldier in hand to hand combat, in the skillfully choreographed number “Glory”. His plan to become a soldier derailed, he hits the road to seek the counsel of his estranged grandmother, Berthe, who has been banished by Fastrada, Pippin’s scheming and sexually manipulative stepmother Fastrada (Katie Anne Clark). Berthe exhorts him to enjoy life to the fullest (“it’s time to start livin’”), in the evening’s comic highlight, “No Time at All”, wonderfully delivered by local musical comedy treasure Kathy St. George as Berthe.
For Pippin, that translates into an overly active exploration of the pleasures of the flesh in the evening’s raciest number “With You”, but he soon realizes that sex without any real connection leaves him feeling just as empty as before he began his Clooney-esque journey. The Leading Player (Boston favorite Davron Monroe) re-enters the scene and encourages him to do something REALLY big – kill his tyrannical father and assume the throne himself to liberate the masses. Act I concludes on that note, setting the stage for what the Leading Player assures us will be a “thoroughly thrilling finale.”
Reagle’s Pippin makes for a fun evening, and this production really accentuates the many comic aspects of the play. Singleton, St. George and Katie Anne Clark bring their comic talents to their respective roles, and the material still seems as fresh as when Pippin debuted on Broadway in 1972. Boston Conservatory sophomore Kenny Lee captures the youthful innocence of the rudderless Pippin well, and his scenes with love interest Catherine (an assured Kayla Shimzu) are genuine. Monroe brings a sly sexuality to the role of Leading Player, and nails the jazzy “Simple Joys” as well as “On the Right Track” with his usual aplomb. Ensemble players rarely get ink, but dance captain Joy Clark is a marvel to watch in multiple roles, giving a master class in focus and movement for ensemble players, epitomizing improv guru Keith Johnstone’s mantra, “be very interested in everything” by making every gesture count – without stealing focus from the principal performers.
Bertone’s choreography is outstanding (per usual) and the big production numbers are executed with precision by the (mostly) youthful cast and Dan Rodriguez leads the terrific 12 piece orchestra. On opening night however, the sound system seemed to be a bit off, an issue that hopefully will be remedied. The return of live theater to the Reagle Music Theater is good news for lovers of classic musicals, and the new artistic director, Bertone appears to be a worthy successor to continue the vision of Bob Eagle, the theater company’s founder. For tickets and information, go to: https://www.reaglemusictheatre.org/
