By Carol Davis
SAN DIEGO—So far it’s two for two at Diversionary Theatre. This summer Harmony Kansas brought cheers from the community with its excellent staging of the Bill Nelson, Anna K. Jacobs musical about conflicts in the farming community of Kansas when two gay young men join a join a gay men’s chorus. Now through Oct 14th Pippin, the Stephen Schwartz of Wicked fame, (music and lyrics) and Roger O. Hirson (book) is being given a fine showing, given that the narrative is almost as meandering as a shaggy dog story.
For the record, Pippin was the 31st longest running Broadway show. It opened on Broadway in 1972, ran through 1977 and was performed over nineteen hundred times. The story is simple enough; it just takes a while for Pippin to get where he needs to be in his quest to find significance in his life.
In the play, prince Pippin (Louis Pardo) is a big disappointment to his father, the great warrior Charlemagne (yup, that one). Historically, Charlemagne did have a son Pippin who tried to kill him. This is where fiction and fact go their separate ways and the story of our Pippin’s plight is directed by a troupe of players led by the wonderfully engaging and talented Courtney Corey as the Leading Player, who promises (at the start) magic, intrigue, humor, romance and excitement.
Roger O. Hirson’s book is long on a series of failed wanna do’s and left wanting of a meaty story. What it does have is a modicum of humor and lots of ‘roads not taken’. What Pippin wants is his “Corner Of The Sky” sung beautifully by Prado. And he sets out on a course to get him there with the help of The Leading Player who has no trouble misleading him.
The story goes thusly: After Pippin leaves school at the University of Padua, he yearns to make his life more meaningful and ultimately, extraordinary. “I want my life to be something more than long.” “I’m afraid what I’m looking for can’t be found in books.” His father, (Andy Collins is skillfully aloof) with whom he has had a strained relationship at best doesn’t know how to treat the boy. He is set on handing over the reins to his stepson Lewis, smartly played by Tony Houck who plays up the simple son against the scholarly one.
Pippin heads out and tries several paths on his way to finding his greatness like war and politics, sex and lust, art and religion, charity and compassion but to no avail. For Pippin, the meaning of life is just beyond his grasp and he always seems in utter despair and depression over it.
Pardo does a fine job of translating this misery into his person. He’s such a kvetch and on a perpetual downer that when happiness hits him over the head in the person of the young, rich widow Catherine (the lovely Megan Carmitchel) he walks away from it until he realizes that this is just what the doctor ordered. Bada boom!
Wandering or meandering as the case may be made against Pippin, the production at the Diversionary Theatre is quite charming as directed and choreographed by James Vasquez who takes on the task of someone with a vision and puts before us a cutting-edge production. It features a bang-up cast. A superb technical crew along with the musicians deserve the credit for its success (notwithstanding the story) that allows its engaging feeling.
Pippins scheming stepmother Frastrada is played in drag by Luke Jacobs who looked, on opening night, as if he/she was having the time of his/her life. She puts the idea of Pippin killing his own father, her husband so her son Lewis can then become king. After all, Charlemagne is prepping him to follow in his footsteps. Wendy Maples plays the down-to-earth and equally perceptive grandmother Berthe with authority and Hunter Schwartz plays Catherine’s son Theo with a youthful look (he looks about 13) that fits in as the sensitive also depressed yet aimless boy.
Sean Fanning’s set is so full of ‘stuff’ that it would take all day to describe it. I like to think of a comment my painter made to me when he was painting my family room some years ago: “Take a picture of your organized junk so you can put it back in the same place.” High tech monitors and video games, hubcaps, armor and spears and enough junk spread around the stage to fill a dump is what meets the eye as the play opens. At times it was somewhat distracting.
Shirley Pierson’s costumes range from Carmitchel’s black leather knee-high boots over black leather tights to cutoff jeans to frilly dresses and simple street clothes. Luke Olson designed the lighting and Kevin Anthenill is responsible for the sound and video design.
Between Vasquez’ (with Annette Ye) choreography, Charlie Reuters lively musical direction, an exceptionally talented and musically inclined cast of fine actors, what might have been a ho-hum production is worthy of consideration for any audience.
See you at the theatre.
Dates: Through Oct. 14th
Organization: Diversionary Theatre
Phone: 619-220-0097
Production Type: Musical
Where: 4545 Park Blvd. University Heights
Ticket Prices: start @ $27.00
Web: diversionary.org
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Davis is a San Diego-based theatre critic. She may be contacted at carol.davis@sdjewishworld.com