By Amy Warren
Publicist, IMPHuntsville
Independent Musical Productions
Join us!! Independent Musical Productions is excited to present Tony and Drama Desk Award-winning Pippin as our Summer 2022 production. Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Roger O. Hirson, Pippin debuted on Broadway in 1972. The musical was directed by Bob Fosse, who received many accolades for his distinctive choreography style. Fosse also contributed to the libretto for Pippin. The production closed in 1977, but was revived in 2013 and ran until 2015. Ben Vereen and Patina Miller won Tony Awards for their portrayals of the Leading Player in the original Broadway production and the 2013 revival, respectively, making them the first actors to win Tonys for Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress in a Musical, for the same role.
Pippin is a play within a play: a dramatic convention popular in Elizabethan times. We are introduced to a mysterious performance troupe, guided by the Leading Player (Kari Erickson). As the fourth wall is broken, the Players invite us to witness the magic of their storytelling. We are introduced to Pippin (Sean Kruer), who is a prince and the first son of King Charlemagne (Darin Windham). On a side note, both Pippin and Charlemagne are based on real-life historical characters, although there is absolutely no historical accuracy in the Players’ spectacle. Pippin strives to fulfill his need for satisfaction, and to discover his life’s purpose. Along his quest, he is introduced to his stepmother Fastrada (Erica Hanson) and her brawny but dim-witted son, Lewis (Marcello Mancusi), as he tests his skills in battle and ultimately ends his father’s tyranny. His paternal grandmother, Berthe (Jennifer Post), implores him to explore the joys in life while he is still young and handsome; and to not waste precious time worrying about his ultimate destiny.
As he continues his exploration, he meets and falls into comfortable monotony with widowed farm-owner, Catherine (Jenni Wood), and her son Theo (Grayson Priest). Feeling unfulfilled (yet again), he leaves to attempt discovery of his life’s destiny. The Players (Agnes Abello, Matthew Becher, Briana Caudle, Brendan Desaulniers, Nolen Gunner, Charlie Howard, Charelle Hudgins, Ashley Jinright, Libby Lang, Troy McMillan, Elena Ontiveros, Natika Paschal, Laura Dale Priest, Joey Smith, Jordan Smith and Drayton Walker) try to convince Pippin that in spite of all his searching, the only true fulfillment he can attain is by performing in their scripted Finale……
Directed by Jim Wood and Assisted by Jenny Stricklin Mahan (with choreography by Nolen Gunner and Briana Caudle), Pippin will be presented at the Mainstage Theater at Lee High School, 2500 Meridian St N, Huntsville, Alabama 35811. The venue offers plenty of free parking and is fully accessible. Performance dates are July 22-24 at 7:30pm and July 23-24 at 2:00pm. For tickets and/or more information, please visit www.imphuntsville.org or call 256-415-SHOW (7469).
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