Traces of the 1972 original pervade Pippin as presented by the Skylight Music Theater. The most visible of these traces involve original choreographer/director Bob Fosse, who brought a somewhat sinister sexuality to this otherwise innocent tale of a youth who struggles to find his place in the world. Fosse’s sensuous, signature touches dominate the choreography (adapted here by Christal Wagner) which appear in almost every scene.
In essence, Pippin is a medieval fable that tells the story of a sensitive young prince, Pippin (Lucas Pastrana). He’s the son of eighth-century King Charlemagne, and he seeks to find fulfillment and live an extraordinary life. This simple tale is amplified by a unique troupe of circus folk, led by the Leading Player (Krystal Drake). In the role originated by Ben Vereen (though played by a female in the 2013 Broadway revival), Drake and her character are rarely out of the spotlight for long.
Although Charlemagne and Pippin are real-life historical figures, the story that surrounds them is pure fiction. The audience knows instinctively that this is a performance and not a history lesson, judging by Keith Pitts’s minimalist set. The stage floor is painted with a large circle to suggest a one-ring circus. The backdrop is tall grid of theatrical light fixtures. (Unfortunately, the bright lights need to be repositioned, as too many of them temporarily blind the audience during the show).
As mentioned earlier, the Leading Player often swoops in from the wings to interrupt the action or to modify it to her satisfaction. Krystal Drake is dressed for the part in a red and black ringmaster’s outfit (courtesy of Karin Kopischke), which strips down to a dominatrix ensemble of tight black leather.
In contrast to this slinky, domineering figure is poor Pippin, just out of college and very keen to know where his life is going. Pastrana’s innocence is a nice contrast to the show’s older characters, such as the war-addicted King Charlemagne (played by an impressive Todd Denning), Queen Fastrada (a burlesque-inspired performance by Kathryn Hausman) and Pippin’s grandmother (Elaine Parsons Herro). While they are certain of their place in this world, Pippin tries just about everything to discover what will make him “extraordinary:” war, politics, religion, sex, etc.
Exhausted, Pippin ends up in a heap by the side of the road, where he is rescued by a pretty widow (Natalie Ford) who has a son, Theo (played here by another gender-bending actor, Ayana Strutz). After a few strained exchanges at the outset, Catherine (the widow) and Pippin wind up in a cozy, post-coital glow as they sing “Love Song,” one of the few tunes that departs from the requisite razzle-dazzle. It is a nice break from the rest of this high-energy musical, and the couple displays some real chemistry, too. With so much effort and expense put into the show’s eye-popping costumes, as well as Jason Fassl’s brilliant lighting design, the budget obviously didn’t allow for many musicians. Music director David Bonofiglio does a nice job leading the small band.
Music by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked) is a key element of Pippin’s success, with hummable melodies and smart lyrics. The musical’s one show-stopping number, featuring Pippin’s foxy granny (Elaine Parsons Herro), almost brings down the house. Skylight Artistic Director Ray Jivoff, who directs, adds a few nice touches, such as a collection of oversized Louis Vuitton-styled trunks. Opening various latches within the trunks reveals several clever surprises.
Despite the show’s 1970s touches (such as a protest march led by Pippin), it holds up very well as an entertaining and amusing coming-of-age story.
