Cappies Review: Washington Lee High School, Pippin

By Maddie Gereski of South County High School

Washington-Lee High School's theatre department captivated their audience on Friday night in 'No Time At All' with their creative and entertaining performance of Pippin! Originally directed by Bob Fosse and debuting on Broadway in 1972, the story of Pippin follows the life of Pippin, son of King Charlemagne, on his lifelong quest to find his place in the world. After the trials and tribulations of trying to fulfill what his kingdom expects of him as a prince, Pippin discovers that the true value in the world lies not within the eccentric lifestyle you live, but in the people whom you surround yourself with. Through technical artwork, comedic talents and impressive musicianship, Washington-Lee's performance of Pippin met expectations for a high school performance.

The comedic talents of the actors in Pippin provided a significant source of entertainment for the audience. Specifically notable were the characters of Lewis, played by Will LeHardy, and Theo, played by Rowan Meltmar. LeHardy portrayed the clueless but pretentious nature of Prince Lewis hilariously. Whether it was mocking dialogue onstage with hand puppets or his physicality in his over-zealous fighting, LeHardy had the audience in stitches and was extremely well cast. Likewise, Meltmar portrayed angsty young Theo perfectly, delivering his comedic lines hysterically. The talents of both Meltmar and LeHardy engaged the audience in the story line of Pippin.

Many of the technical aspects of Pippin combined to elevate the caliber of the performance. The use of movable set pieces worked to the advantage of the show. Whether it was Grandma Berthe's wheelchair or Charlemagne's throne room, the cast utilized their stage space very efficiently. The movable set pieces also added to the meta-fictional 'show within a show' aspect of the musical. Additionally, a large proportion of the cast was mic'd with individual body mics. Despite occasional hiccups in the sound system, the crew managed the mics fairly well, especially considering the number of mics onstage at a time. The cast and crew of Pippin utilized technical aspects to their advantage.

The highlight of the show was the supreme musical talent by the whole cast. Pippin, played by Zeke Albro, affected the audience with his stunning rendition of 'Corner of the Sky', hitting high notes with ease and clarity. Albro also did his best to project his voice in addition to his mic, making him easily understood by the audience. Julia Elman, portraying Grandma Berthe, also maintained vocal clarity and comedic characterization while performing her number 'No Time At All', engaging and entertaining the audience. In fact, the entire ensemble proved vocally gifted. What they occasionally lacked in energy and facial expressions they made up for with beautiful harmonies and vocal unity. Their strength was especially clear in large ensemble numbers such as 'Morning Glow'. The best part of the impressive musicianship, however, would have to be the pit orchestra. Not only were they clear and precise, but they also reacted to occurrences within the show and were involved beyond the typical participation of a pit orchestra. Between the pit and the vocals, the music in Pippin was superb.

Washington-Lee's take on the musical Pippin proved creative and enjoyable. Through impressive technical undertakings, hilarious acting, and fantastic vocal and instrumental capabilities, the cast and crew of the show entertained audiences in a well-executed high school show.

Photograph of Ellie Berenson by Carolyn Petree, a student at Washington-Lee HS.