"Something fulfilling, something completely fulfilling." Is there a human being on the planet that doesn't desire this, seek this, search constantly for this? The "something" may be a romantic interest, or it may be a new job, or a tangible item like a car or a house. It could be wealth, fame, or power. The "something" may be sexual in nature, or perhaps religion, or even food; however, like clockwork routine, this fulfillment we search for always, always falls short. And the funny thing is, deep down we know that nothing on this earth will ever be completely fulfilling, but we search for it anyway. This search for ultimate fulfillment and purpose, the quest to find meaning in every day common place things is why I think Pippin has been a show that has remained a cornerstone of musical theatre for over 40 years. Pippin is the story of every person, anyone searching for complete, ultimate fulfillment.
Pippin was the first professional musical I saw. I instantly fell in love with it. The music, the characters, the intimate storytelling (which breaks the "fourth wall" of theatre to include the audience in Pippin's journey), but what drew me to the show most was the ending. I had never seen anything like it before. It's so raw and honest, stripping away audience expectations the same way our life expectations can be ripped away in a moment's notice. The show does not end the way traditional big Broadway musicals end. It doesn't fulfill us. It is like life.
Yet, hope does exist by the time the show concludes. It's faint, almost quiet, but it's there, and just as in life our hope may not be some amazing finale with lights, sound, costumes, make up. It may be simpler than that. It usually is, but it is enough to get us through the tough times in life when we feel like giving up. We can find meaning in our "every day boring lives" each and every sunrise.
Pippin originally opened on Broadway in 1972. It starred Ben Vereen as The Leading Player. He went on to win a Tony Award for his amazing performance, and in 2013 Patina Miller won a Tony for the exact same role in the revival. One of the most significant aspects of the show is the choreography from legendary choreographer Bob Fosse. Fosse's use of sharp angles, contortions of the body, and slinky body movements create so much of the mystic elements in the show. His style was inspired by the sleaziness of the early 20th century vaudeville and burlesque shows, and it is ever present in Pippin.
One of the most fun aspects of the show, especially for a director, is it can be framed to just about any concept. My concept for the show was inspired by our Steam Punk Special FX Showcase put on last spring by Chris Screws, one of the two very talented art teachers here at Pinson. Steam Punk is a genre of science fiction. It's a futuristic world where machines are run by steam and every person in the world reflects Victorian era clothing and philosophy. It's as if electricity never came to civilization. This concept works well because there are so many dark moments in the show, and Steam Punk carries that dark gothic element Mr. Fosse so much enjoyed. Yet the dark moments are carried with humor as well, so I tried to incorporate bright metallic colors every once and a while because the show is also very comedic, and I didn't want to lose the way Pippin confronts many heavy philosophic quagmires with light-heartedness and humor.
Pippin tries to find complete fulfillment in education, war, power, lust, social acceptance, happy-go-lucky attitudes, but nothing seems to work, and so The Leading Player and other players try to convince him that the only true meaning in life is a grand exit, a finale that makes a statement to the world so strong as to be remembered throughout history in the style of a Cesar, a King Arthur, a Napoleon. One of the most enjoyable moments of the show for me is trying to decide if The Leading Player and his/her players are demons or angels to Pippin. Do they exist to torment Pippin or to guide him? Do they truly want him to perform the "big finale", or do they bring him to this pinnacle so that he may truly find a peace from the never ending desire to be completely and wonderfully fulfilled? I don't know the answer, so I leave it to the audience to decide.
Brandon Triola
Pinson Valley Theatre Director
