Pippin made its debut this past Friday, February 23rd. The Ellis Theater Guild put on the performance as a tribute to Director of the CFTA Burt Merriam. The cast certainly did justice to the production and the retiring instructor of theater.

As you entered the CFTA, you were greeted with beads. When the musical began, the audience was instantly captivated by the bright lights and colorful scenery.

The strong cast told the enchanting story well. Celeste Owusu ’18 and Carly Lange ’18 shared the role of leading player and dazzled the audience with their vocals. Gus Kellerman ’19 and Lexi Chroscinski ’19 had palpable chemistry and made a very believable couple.

The audience didn’t need to understand the full plot to laugh and sing along with the cast. Sine Polcharoen ’19 and Max Pollak ’19 stood out for their hilarious performances. Anneliese Schlick ‘18 wonderfully played the Queen and Zach Daub ’18 brilliantly played the king (and self-proclaimed “beast in the bedroom”) who brought much laughter to the audience as well.

I personally hope to see Celeste continue to show off her beautiful voice throughout the rest of her time at Hill. She deserves much praise for her impressive performance.

Pippin is a story of a search for fulfillment. A story that is not unfamiliar to the audience and what allows the audience to resonate with the characters. 

My amateur analysis of the leading player and troupe is that they represent the voices inside the main characters’ head. Pippin believes that there must be a greater meaning and is never completely satisfied with his life.

Overall, Pippin was an enjoyable production and the cast and crew should be proud of the performance.