“PIPPIN”: Theatre Intime and Princeton University Players have staged “Pippin.” Directed by Solomon Bergquist, the musical was presented May 24-26 at the Hamilton Murray Theater. Above, from left: Pippin (Rowan Johnson) contemplates his future, under the dangerous guidance of the Leading Player (Isabella Rivera). (Photo by Elena Milliken)

By Donald H. Sanborn III

Theatre Intime has collaborated with the Princeton University Players to present Pippin (May 24-26) to Reunions Weekend audiences. The musical is an apt fit for a college campus at graduation time; its title character, the fictional first son of Charlemagne, has just completed his studies. The show is an odyssey that follows the prince’s search for his life’s purpose.

Pippin has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, composer and lyricist of the current Broadway hit (and upcoming film series) Wicked, in addition to several musicals that include Godspell, The Magic Show, Children of Eden, and the upcoming The Queen of Versailles. The book is by Roger O. Hirson, who also co-wrote the musical Walking Happy.

Schwartz himself was a college student at Carnegie Mellon when the show, originally titled Pippin, Pippin, was conceived. Director-choreographer Bob Fosse helmed the 1972 Broadway premiere; a 2013 revival was directed by Diane Paulus.

This production is directed by Solomon Bergquist. Working with a talented and clearly enthusiastic cast and creative team, Bergquist skillfully brings to life the show’s hedonistic world, and effectively illustrates its theme of ambition.

The Leading Player (portrayed by Isabella Rivera), who functions as a narrator but is secretly guiding the action rather than merely retelling it, opens the show by descending a staircase, on top of which is Charlemagne’s throne.

With a pleasing belter voice and silky phrasing, Rivera leads the ensemble in the up-tempo opening number, “Magic To Do.” The Leading Player then introduces the story of Pippin, and explains that the title character is played by an actor who is making his stage debut. Rivera clearly understands the motivations of the Leading Player, who has a cruel fate in mind for Pippin. Throughout the show the Leading Player eyes Pippin with an appraising, calculating gaze.

Rowan Johnson is outstanding in the title role. As he lends his sturdy tenor to the character’s signature number, the sweeping “Corner of the Sky,” he conveys Pippin’s mixture of affability and restless frustration.

The tyrannical Charlemagne is completely disinterested in the problems faced by his subjects, flatly denying all of their requests. He is preoccupied with preparing his army to go to war against the Visgoths. Among the soldiers is the king’s stepson, Lewis (whose macho bravado is entertainingly portrayed by Jasamrit Rahala).

With a thirst to prove himself and impress his father, Pippin begs the king to let him fight with the army. Charlemagne reluctantly consents.

Ari Brown captures Charlemagne’s bloodlust and thirst for power, delivering his lines with a cruel gleam in his eyes. He does an impressive job performing Schwartz’s Gilbert & Sullivan-esque patter in “War is a Science,” a number in which the king attempts to brief the army on his battle plan, while an overenthusiastic Pippin repeatedly interrupts.

In “Glory” the Leading Player leads the ensemble in an eerie, bitterly ironic depiction of the gory reality of war. Kate Stewart’s choreography is an effective imitation of Fosse, with its unique leg motions and the jaggedness of its flow and pacing.

Exhausted and disillusioned by the war, Pippin abandons his military aspirations. Eventually he visits his grandmother, Berthe (Sam Spector), who has been banished from Charlemagne’s court by his conniving wife Fastrada (portrayed with malevolent exuberance by Jack Thompson).

In the chipper “No Time at All” (which is encored after the post-performance bows), Berthe advises Pippin to obsess less about finding a specific purpose, and enjoy everything life has to offer. Berthe invites the audience to sing along with the refrain, the printed lyrics for which are displayed by the ensemble (which includes Teddy Feig and Christina Kim).

Spector delivers the bouncy song with a sweet twinkle in her eyes, exuding Berthe’s free-spirited spunk and harmless lasciviousness. We see why Berthe is an outcast at court, with her laissez-faire attitude sharply contrasting with the cutthroat ambitions and manipulative behavior of Charlemagne and those in his orbit.

“With You” is a depiction of Pippin’s romantic dalliances (with many different partners). Stewart’s choreography, which is both graceful and hedonistic, matches the florid, stepwise melody. One of Pippin’s paramours swings on a hoop high above the stage, (perhaps unintentionally) recalling Glinda’s entrance in her bubble in Wicked.  Reflecting the sexual revolution, the scene — in tandem with the battle sequence — dates the musical to its Vietnam War era.

Eventually, Pippin confronts Charlemagne about his tyrannical rule, the king dismissively challenges Pippin to do what he feels he must. After he reluctantly assassinates his father, Pippin ascends to the throne, singing the optimistic anthem “Morning Glow.”

This sequence is an example of how Bergquist’s direction and set (and props) design succeed in illustrating the show’s themes. In “Corner of the Sky,” Pippin sings about his ambitions while standing on a tall platform. Once he ascends to the throne, he looks down at the audience from a similar height — he has achieved his ambition.

But Pippin’s reign is short-lived. As he unsuccessfully juggles multiple problems, his altruistic intentions give way to pragmatism and jaded cynicism. Eventually he not only sounds like his father, but he abandons his ambition; at his request the Leading Player brings the king back to life. This event, which restores an unsavory status quo, is never referenced again. Unfortunately, this places Pippin in an unadmirable moral position, rendering the show’s overall message slightly less commendable than the writers seem to intend it to be.

Still at loose ends, Pippin eventually finds himself at the home of a widow, Catherine (Shannon Filer), and her son Theo (Lucy Shea). Catherine introduces herself to Pippin in the breezy “Kind of Woman.” With its melodic leaps, the song has a quintessential early 1970s melody that would not be out of place on a Carpenters album. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics — which convey a duality of self-awareness and lack thereof — prefigure “Popular” from Wicked.

Filer’s performance succeeds in setting the sweetly wholesome Catherine apart from most of the other female characters (excluding Berthe) that Pippin encounters. There is a nice bit of punctuation when, as Catherine sings about her lack of affectation, she does a handstand — reminding us that she still is supposed to be performing a role in the machinations of the Leading Player.

Shea is amusing in her depiction of Theo’s wary attitude toward Pippin. Like his efforts to find his purpose, Pippin’s initial efforts to connect with Theo fail, but now he is thinking of someone other than himself, which is noticed by Catherine. The voices of Johnson and Filer blend nicely in the gently syncopated “Love Song,” which Filer accompanies on guitar.

Pippin expresses horror at the mundanity of the repetitive household tasks he would be expected to fulfill if he stays with Catherine and Theo, so the Leading Player offers him an alternative: perform a Finale in which he lights himself on fire and “become one with the flame.”

Panicked, Pippin chooses a simple life with Catherine. The furious Leading Player removes all stage elements, and snaps at the orchestra to stop playing, leaving Pippin to a life unaccompanied by theatrical glitz. In a coda (conceived in 1998), Theo reprises “Corner of the Sky,” and an excited Leading Player restores everything. A new cycle begins.

With a clear beat, Music Director Giao Vu Dinh (assisted by keyboardist Alyssa Batcheler) gets a crisp, well-blended sound out of the nine-player orchestra. The one audio issue that merits greater care in future productions is in ensuring that neither the orchestra nor the sound effects ever overpower the singers. (Johnson has the vocal power to project over the orchestra, but not all of the actors do.)

In tandem with Rhim’s often eerie lighting, the costumes by Bergquist and Kristen Tan create some impressive stage pictures. Appropriately, Charlemagne’s multi-textured tunic is particularly opulent. Stage Manager Kat McLaughlin assists in both set and lighting design.

In general, Theatre Intime and Princeton University Players do their “magic” well with Pippin, ending their seasons on a memorable note.

For information about Theatre Intime’s upcoming productions call (609) 258-5155 or visit theatreintime.org.