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A Note from the Student Directors
A Note from the Student Directors
Welcome to the Mendham Players’ second production of the year, Pippin! After a long, rewarding journey of getting this show on its feet, we are enormously proud of the cast, crew, and production’s efforts to bring this flashy, theatrical world to life. At first glance, Pippin may seem like a standard tale about a young man finding his place in the world, traversing through war, royalty, and more. But we hope that as the show goes on, you’ll begin to get a sense that there’s a little something more to our rendition of this classic musical...
Our return to the world of live musical performance coincides with the reopening of Broadway and other venues all around the country. After a long year and a half, theatres are finally opening up again, and the world of acting is in a unique, raw place. Our vision for Pippin, in recognition of that, has become a celebration of the very craft of acting, singing, dancing, and all of the other elements that go into creating a show. Pippin is the perfect show to perform at this moment in history - rather than just featuring art, Pippin is about art and artists themselves.
This production of Pippin is not afraid to pull back the curtain and take a look at what’s going on behind the scenes. Instead of the action taking place backstage, you will enter the world of a devoted group of performers working together to accomplish the ultimate feat of roping the latest in a long line of Pippins into taking part in their ‘Grand Finale.’ (We’ll keep that one to ourselves for now!)
Whether you’re watching this in our auditorium or from the comfort of your own home, we invite you to take a deep breath and settle in for a good time. Even though the original musical is nearly 50 years old, it’s exactly the right fit for this moment in the world of theater. So sit back, relax, and let yourself be transported to the magical world of Pippin, where every performance is just a little bit different. Enjoy the show!
Daniel Hellriegel, Lucas Falick, Elinor Hughes
A Note from the Director
A Note from the Director
Welcome to the Mendham Player’s production of Pippin by Roger O. Hirson and Bob Fosse, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz! After this long year full of twists, turns, highs, and lows, we are so happy to be creating live theater for all of you this evening. Our goal was to create a production as fully as we were allowed to by the State of New Jersey, in a way that ensures the health and safety of everyone involved. Driven by the belief that the art of theater is found not only in the final product but also in the creative process of collaboration, we know that by just creating together, we can achieve growth as both theatrical artists and as people. We are so very proud of the cast, crew, and production team who have worked very hard to build this live musical in the most challenging circumstances. It is our humble honor and privilege to use our theatrical arts education program as a way to celebrate the end of the theater hiatus!
As you wait for the show to begin I ask you to reflect on the image of the lone Ghost Light on stage. It is this image that has become one of hope during the theater's long pause. It exists as a beacon that despite being absent for so long the magic of theater was always bound to return. So please sit back, relax, and enjoy the musical Pippin for we have so much magic to catch up on with each other, and tonight the magic we do is just for you.
We bring to the stage this evening a musical that tells the story of a young man who is selected by a cult-like traveling theater group to be the star of their show “Pippin, his Life and Times.” This group of traveling performers is the embodiment of all the wrong reasons to seek a life in the arts. They are performers not because they want to create change through their art and entertainment, but because they want the fame, the fortune, and the celebrity. A motivation we have seen many internet personalities, celebrities, and politicians share in our own society. These players live by the motto; “what is a good thing for if not for taking it to excess.” The player who portrays Pippin in this show within a show goes through this coming of age tale as his character learns life lessons guided by the captivating and master manipulator, the Leading Player. Our Pippin is convinced the only great meaning in life is to do one single act that makes him famous and his name recognizable by all. He spends our show determined to find out what that act is. Perhaps we may find our own life experiences reflected back at us in this young man’s quest for greatness.
The finale of this piece is always the moment of the show that resonates with me the most. It is in this finale that the musical Pippin argues that even though an “ordinary life” can be a grind of seemingly meaningless routine, it is those seemingly small ordinary acts of kindness committed during that routine that carry the greatest impact. The finale reveals that our corner of the sky is found in the eyes of our loved ones who see us as extraordinary for the everyday ordinary acts we commit. As Pippin makes his choice in the finale, he might hope that we may discover that goodness is far more valuable and rewarding than greatness.
Mr. Barthel, Mrs. Borkowski
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