CM Stage Photography: Pippin and Catherine (Left to Right) Tommy O’Brien and Meghan Kessel
While I’ve never been a young man searching for meaning or a son navigating a complicated relationship with his father, I share a home with several of those very individuals. So the messages at the heart of Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin—currently running at BrightSide Theatre in Naperville—resonated closely with me. And beyond its themes, Pippin features some of my all time favorite show tunes, especially the exuberant “No Time at All,” which has long been a kind of personal anthem.
Premiering in 1972, Pippin tells the story of Charlemagne’s (Stan Austin) son, Pippin (Tommy O’Brien). Pippin has recently graduated from university and has returned home to embark on a journey to find his “corner of the sky.” Told as a show within a show, the story is presented by a performance troupe that evokes a traveling minstrel group of the Middle Ages. Pippin seeks guidance from various figures and tries out a number of paths to find meaning in his life—from war to pleasure to domesticity—while being led (and manipulated) by the troupe’s enigmatic Leading Player (Asia Posey). Even when he seems to have found happiness in the home of Catherine (Meghan Kessel) a kind widow and her son, Theo (an adorable Evelyn Dorough), the allure of something “more” continues to tempt him until the Leading Player presents him with the ultimate dramatic choice.
I love the show Pippin and the BrightSide Theatre in Naperville added a layer of quaint suburban charm to this classic piece. I continue to be amazed by the caliber of talent found across the Chicagoland theater scene, and both O’Brien and Posey were particularly strong standouts. Posey—remarkably making her musical theatre debut—commanded the stage with her powerful vocals and an expressiveness that shifts effortlessly between cheerfully engaging and subtly sinister. Her Leading Player radiated charisma and danger in equal measure. O’Brien, meanwhile, brought both mesmerizing vocal finesse and emotional range to the role of Pippin, embodying the character’s innocence, idealism, and growing frustration with the life around him.
The ensemble—as members of the theatrical troupe—moved seamlessly among multiple characters, providing energy and cohesion throughout. Two standouts were the oldest characters of the show, Austin’s Charles (dad) and Cheryl Newman as Berthe (granny). Austin delivered a suitably commanding Charles, and the father-son dynamic with Pippin felt genuine and grounded. Cheryl Newman, who not only played Berthe but also designed the production’s costumes, brought great vitality and humor to her scene-stealing number, offering Pippin (and the audience) sage advice about savoring life’s fleeting joys. Finally, Meghan Kessel brought warmth and heart to Catherine, the widow who helps Pippin glimpse a different kind of fulfillment in Act II. Her sincerity made their relationship arc feel grounded and touching.
Director Jeffrey Cass and his creative team successfully brought this life-lesson-laden musical to the western suburbs, delivering both entertainment and thoughtfulness. The hard working ensemble sang and danced their hearts out to the catchy songs of Stepehn Schwartz, giving the audience an entertaining night out.
If you find yourself in the direction of Naperville in the next few weeks and are looking for an entertaining and thoughtful diversion, make a stop at the BrightSide Theatre to see Pippin.
Pippin is now playing at the BrightSide Theatre, at Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth, Naperville, through June 29th. Performance times vary; check the website at BrightSide Theatre. Find more information about current plays on our Current Shows page and at theatreinchicago.com.