“Pippin” is one of my top five favorite shows, so I was very excited when Williamsburg Players announced that it would be closing out their (and coincidentally, the HRACT Award’s) 2024-2025 season.  For some reason, the plotline really hits home for me, with Pippin seeking out the extraordinary, fighting his inner demons (including a lack of clarity as to what and who in the show is “real” versus “imagined”), and ending with ambiguity as to if the show is a comedy or a tragedy.  It is my favorite use of fourth wall-breaking, includes Stephen Schwartz’s typically clever lyrics filled with double entendres, and gives new meaning to “all the world’s a stage” (a quote I’m looking forward to hearing in its original context in next year’s “As You Like It” at LTN).

If you don’t know the show, “Pippin” is set in France in the Middle Ages, but also clearly on a stage as a performance.  Williamsburg Players leans into this by opening the show with just the ghost light onstage (something we talked a little bit about in our review of “Into the Breeches”), and a window open to their live band in the left wing of the stage.  As the house lights go down, in walks Michael Harris, in a role titled only “Leading Player”.  From that very first moment, it is clear that Harris is in charge of this show.  He starts the music.  He gathers his cast.  He snaps, and the stage lights come on.  And suddenly, we are thrust into a fantastic opening number, “Magic to Do”, where the entire cast (sans the eponymous lead) is speaking directly to the audience, promising the show to come, with a glorious (if undefined) finale.  Harris does a wonderful job in this number and throughout the show of commanding the stage, coming off as intimidating at times, facilitating at others, and always in complete control (and he is an excellent dancer, helped by his impressive strength).  

That opening number sets the stage for what is to come, and what is great about this particular production of “Pippin”.  You see the huge cast, with strong choreography and direction from Dana Margulies Cauthen.  You get your first taste of what is an excellent live band (always appreciated), led by the music directors Mazzocca (married couple Kristin and Mike).  You get to see the varied and interesting costuming work by E. Katherine Hargrove, and the interesting and moveable set design from David Garrett.  And Scott Hayes’s lighting design stands out, with many quick cues that rely on tight timing, a risky move that pays off, as it is executed exceptionally.

Not to be outdone by the Leading Player’s “I wish…” song “Magic to Do”, Pippin comes onstage and expresses his own “I wish…” via his number “Corner of the Sky”.  Pippin, being the eldest son of King Charles (aka Charlemagne), and the only cast member who seems to not be in the employ of the Leading Player, has only one hope – finding something in this world that is totally fulfilling, allowing him to live the extraordinary life he knows he is destined for.  Jonathan Aspin morphs into this aspirational (and maybe a little naïve) role beautifully.  Aspin catches sight of the extraordinary and can’t let it go (he’s just not sure, well, exactly what his extraordinary is yet).  Aspin’s vocals really impress throughout, from his bright tenor to his surprising and wonderful falsetto.  He moves around the stage adeptly, with youthful fervor, and has such wonder and hope throughout the first act as he tries many (many) different life paths.  Aspin has a remarkable ability to suddenly and almost out of nowhere find Pippin’s extraordinary back up in the sky, and to seem drawn to it above all else.

Pippin’s journey is pockmarked with interactions with people in his life who all have different thoughts about how to achieve the fulfillment he so desperately seeks.  His father, King Charles (played with gravitas by the excellent singer Keith Bocklet), leads our favorite ensemble number of this particular production of “Pippin”, “War is a Science”, teaching Pippin how battle is conducted in such a way as to maximize the odds of victory.  Kameron Peters brings strong energy (and silly doltishness) to the role of Lewis, Pippin’s battle-tested warrior brother.  Eileen Byrne, in the role of Lewis’s mother Fastrada, skillfully sings and dances her way towards political power.  Christina Westenberger as Pippin’s grandmother Berthe brings down the house as she convinces the audience to sing “No Time at All” with her (of course, without stepping on her verses).  And Chanah Rosenberg is charming in the role of Catherine, captivating the audience with her lovely voice (…and slight deviations from the script laid out by the Leading Player). 

We can’t forget to mention some of our favorite cameos from this very well-directed ensemble.  Notably, John Post is eye-catching as the most eager of the non-leading players (we first saw Post in community theater in LTN’s “Pippin” a few years ago and thus still reference him as “Pippin’s brother” when we see him onstage).  We were surprised to learn that Robert Walters can play guitar even better than he can wait tables (after his turns as a waiter in the first couple of shows we saw him in).  And Kelly Flick has a way of stealing at least one scene in every show we see her in, and in this show, she had the unlucky honor of being sent to be hung not once, but twice.

The show ends with more questions than answers, and yet it is still satisfying.  Is the Leading Player all in Pippin’s head?  What about the rest of the players?  Is the Leading Player a representation of life itself?  Is the comfort of an ordinary life worth giving up the possibility of an extraordinary one?  And how bright is the future for young Dalen Heberlig – who does an incredible job playing Theo, Catherine’s juvenile son?  You’ll think – pretty darn bright – after seeing his performance and hearing his rich and clear voice as the show comes to a close.  He does a nice job providing animation for a fantastic duck puppet too, with the puppet provided by the talented props creator Carole Meyer.  A hidden easter egg for you – read the Playbill entry for Otto the duck – very entertaining.

With that, we have seen our final eligible show of the 2024-2025 season!  We will be posting nominations for the HRACT Awards for this season shortly after the last show of the season closes, so keep your eyes on the website and our social media channels.  We have had a wonderful time seeing all the incredible work being done around the area, so thank you to the cast and crew of each of the 29 eligible shows for this year.  We can’t wait for the new season to begin!