As a kid, I used to spend rainy afternoons sitting by the TV devouring video after video of live-recorded Broadway shows. When Pippin eventually popped up in the line-up (somewhere between ages seven and ten, if I remember correctly), I was haunted for days afterwards by its harrowing tale of a young man struggling to find meaning and purpose, amidst dark forces that attempt to undo him. The final, lasting image of the show moved me in ways that my child heart couldn’t yet understand. Those classic images of the show’s finale: the striked set, the bare stage, bodies left vulnerable, unable to retreat behind a curtain. I was in awe. It was the first time in my young life I’d witnessed both audience and actors entirely humbled by the removal of magic and illusion, ironically so, from an artform that we consider to be defined by it.
As an eager but ignorant seven year-old, Pippin’s fierce resolve towards personal meaning was entertaining to me at most. But with the advent of 15 years, I’ve come to understand the levels of depth that this charming main character, and his namesake show occupies. What I understood before to be dissatisfaction with his life, I now understand to be persistence towards healthy change. His hunger for meaning, a form of resilience. And his eventual rejection of magic, the ultimate act of bravery. It takes the most amount of courage to reject what we’d like our world to be, full of spectacle and magic, and to see it for what it really is: just us imperfect and vulnerable people; flawed, but flawed together. Us, who for whatever reason, make the crazy decision to choose each other, as messy and beautiful, and mysterious as we all are.
One year ago, a student-run musical theater program at Bard College did not exist. In September 2017, I revived the previously established, then abandoned musical theater club on a whim. I was embarrassed to sit outside in public and ask for sign-ups, I didn’t think anyone would join. I am shocked and inspired by how far we have come. I would like to thank all those who have participated in the success of the Bard College Musical Theatre Company and in this year’s production of Pippin. Bringing together the individual departments of music, dance and theater into one production is no small feat, but it is worth it, if only to prove once again that we are stronger when we work together. Thank you for choosing community, thank you for choosing each other.
Pippin reminds us that it is in our relationships with each other where the magic resides. We hope that you go into the world remembering this. I know from the relationships that I have built in this production -- messy, mysterious, beautiful as they are -- that I most certainly will.
With much love,
Thai Singer
