Masquers to Present Musical "Pippin"
The Fairmont State University School of Fine Arts and Masquers theatre group will present "Pippin," a musical about a wandering lad who stumbles by chance into a troupe of players looking for a lead actor.
Performances are planned for 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 19, 20, 21 and Dec. 3, 4 and 5 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 6 in the Wallman Hall Theatre. Tickets are $12 for the general public, $10 for seniors and $8 for students. Some of the themes in the play are not suitable for children. For tickets, call the Box Office at (304) 367-4240.
From the book by Roger O. Hirson, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, "Pippin" was originally produced on the Broadway stage by Stuart Ostrow and directed by Bob Fosse. The current production is directed by Jeffrey Ingman, with choreography by Liz Rossi and musical direction by Jimmy Clegg.
The leading roles are as follows: Pippin, Daniel Crowley of Logan; Charles, Marc Cornes of Morgantown; Lewis, Jonathan Shay of Morgantown; Fastrada, Dani DaVito of Clarksburg; Bertha, Lynette Six of Fairmont; Catherine, Loralee Simpson of Morgantown; Theo, Drake Bolle; Leading Player, Reggie Jose of Fairmont; Young Man, Daniel Crowley. The ensemble cast includes the following: Andrea Loss of Fairmont, Anthony Host of Morgantown, Anthony Kolanko, Daniel Moxley of Gerrardstown, Elizabeth Huff of Shenandoah Junction, Hannah Weakley of Williamsburg, Jonathon Shay, Loralee Simpson, Matt Snyder of Inwood, Morgan Messenger of Bruceton Mills, Nick Osler, Rachel Dineen, Reggie Jose, Samantha Dull of Shenandoah Junction and Shane Belcher of Dunbar.
"Pippin" is usually staged as a romantic musical comedy or Bob Fosse vehicle, but director Jeffrey Ingman is putting his own twist on the production.
Ingman describes his version of "Pippin" as "a black comedy, very dark and gritty, with the high notes skimmed off..."
The setting is in the present, but the present of circa 780 A.D. A wandering lad, a proverbial "lost boy," stumbles by chance into a troupe of players who are looking for the perfect candidate to play Pippen, the disaffected son of the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. They seize upon the "lost boy" who, to their minds, fits the bill perfectly, and so it is that the unsuspecting wanderer is thrust into the performance of a lifetime.
