Pippin: How Does Everything Seem to Happen in “No Time At All”?

As we all crowded around the edges of the tables in the Gateway Seminar Room that first day of rehearsal, there certainly was a palpable energy of anxiety and excitement present while we flipped through our scripts. Ready to dive into the read-through without any expectations or notions of what our version of the show would be like, we waited to hear the beginning of the notorious “Magic to Do” introduction through the speakers.

We heard whispers of “What do you think this scene will be like?”or “How do you think this person will embody this character?” As junior Emma Tierno skimmed the script in front of her, she said to me, “This feels like an actual, professional table read.” Little did I realize that this statement would hold true in so many more ways than imagined throughout the entire production process of Pippin.

In preparation for the 2018 Upper School Musical, director Jim Speigel began to sort through different visions of how Pippin has been presented on stage. In the original 1972 production of Pippin on Broadway, the theme was harlequin-based and was quite abstract, set to the pop/rock influenced music of Stephen Schwartz and featuring direction and choreography of the legendary Bob Fosse. In the 2013 Broadway revival, however, Pippin was reinvented with a circus theme that represented the troupe of performers portrayed in the show, under the direction of Diane Paulus, with circus

choreography and acrobatics by Chet Walker and Gypsy Snider (influenced by Bob Fosse’s original work).

Very loosely based on history, the musical follows the life of Pippin, the son of King Charlemagne, in his quest to find the true meaning of his life through different passions and interests. Throughout the show he is guided by the Leading Player, the head of the group of players that enact the show of Pippin, yet he may not be all that he appears to be on the surface. Over the past 40 years, Pippin has been reimagined with varying themes from punk-rock to modern, but Mr. Speigel decided that The Derryfield Players would go for steampunk.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, steampunk is “a style of design and fashion that combines historical elements with anachronistic technological features inspired by science fiction.” In terms of relating this somewhat foreign idea to Pippin, Mr. Speigel says, “I think the message of Pippin is that no matter what time period you’re in, the same kinds of things happen: you’re trying to find yourself, you’re trying to find your way in the world… and I think that’s kind of what steampunk is like. It’s a little confusing, like life, but in the end it works out.”

With Pippin and steampunk both being entities that have a timeless feel and don’t suggest a distinct setting, the style of Derryfield’s production will be executed through an elaborate set of scaffolding, gears, and lights. The vision will also be apparent in the extensive makeup and costuming in order to transport the audience into a steampunk kind of world. When analyzing the execution of this new vision on stage, too, I began to make parallels between this scenario and the professional theatre world outside of high school and Derryfield.

In recent years, Broadway revivals have been presented in very innovative ways. One example is Deaf West’s 2015 Broadway production of Spring Awakening which featured several deaf actors and actresses. In seeing The Derryfield Players reimagine Pippin in a unique way, I thought of how our production process prepares students to pursue professional careers in the arts.

First off, the rehearsal process begins with the classic table read, and then continues to build from there with music, choreography, and blocking rehearsals. Our music rehearsals are run by Mr. Hunton and directly mirror those of regional theatre music rehearsals I have been in. It’s exciting to see how all of the DS students involved in the production come to rehearsal with just as much, if not more, passion and investment than some professionals.

Senior Jakov Schwartzberg, who plays Pippin, says, “Even if you’re not trying to pursue musical theatre, you’ve been able to learn how to use your music to tell stories … Looking at Jim Speigel as a director, he really tries to focus in on allowing students to explore their instincts as performers in a way that some youth theatre directors don’t. He really wants to create something with you and wants you to be a part of that process.”

No matter if you wish to pursue theatre in the future or follow a completely different path, the Derryfield process can be a great foundation for discovering how you wish to present yourself to the world as well as learning how to work cohesively as a group to produce something together.

With all of these ideas in mind, The Derryfield Players invite you to come see the Upper School Musical, Pippin, on March 9th at 7 p.m. and on March 10th at 2 p.m and 7 p.m. As Mr. Speigel says, “The community can learn a lot about life [through the show], and a lot of people who come to see it will sit there and nod their head and realize ‘Yeah, that happened or is happening to me’, and hopefully they can learn how hard we work in the performing arts here.”

This show encompasses so much of what it’s like to try and find your place in the world, and will not only have its relatable moments, but will be very entertaining, as well. In the words of senior Nick Briccetti, who portrays the Leading Player, “It’s all about education, ultimately, and it’s all about finding your place, but I think it’s just going to be a really great time for any high school class to see.”