Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston to Present PIPPIN in August

 

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston announced the cast for Pippin, the 2nd and final production in the company's Summer 2022 season. Running from August 5-13, 2022 at the Robinson Theatre, 617 Lexington St. Waltham, MA, 02452, Pippin tells the tale of a young prince struggling to decide whether to pursue a peaceful life or to "make magic" with the dazzling troupe of performers that help tell his story. Pippin will feature a diverse cast of actors featuring Elliot Norton Award winner Davron Monroe (2019, Breath & Imagination) as the enigmatic "Leading Player".

Reagle will present Pippin from August 5-13, 2022. Directed and Choreographed by award-winning Artistic Director Rachel Bertone (Cabaret, In the Heights, Carousel), with Music Direction by Dan Rodriguez (The Last Five Years, Little Shop of Horrors, Mame). Tickets can be purchased at www.reaglemusictheatre.org, by calling 781-891-5600, or at the theater box office. Recommended for ages 13+.

A mysterious performance troupe--led by the Leading Player--tells the story of Pippin, a young prince on his search for passion, adventure, and meaning. He seeks it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh, and the intrigues of political power. In the end, though, Pippin finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the unextraordinary moments that happen every day. The score (by Wicked and Godspell's Stephen Schwartz) includes "Magic to Do," "Corner of the Sky," "Simple Joys," and "No Time at All." Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz; Book by Roger O. Hirson. Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

Performance Schedule: Friday, August 5 - 7:30pm; Saturday, August 6 - 7:30pm; Sunday, August 7 - 2pm; Wednesday, August 10 - 2pm; Thursday, August 11 - 7:30pm; Friday, August 12 - 2pm; Saturday, August 13 - 7:30pm

Featured Cast Bios: (*Denotes member of Actors Equity Association):

Davron S. Monroe* - Leading Player

Recent credits include Once On This Island (Agwe) with SpeakEasy Stage and PASSING STRANGE (Stew) with Moonbox Productions. Davron is the 2019 Elliot Norton Award- WINNER Breath & Imagination (Roland Hayes). Other Theater credits include: Songs for a New World and The View Upstairs (Speakeasy Stage Co.), Murder on the Orient Express, The Wiz, Camelot, Company, My Fair Lady, City of Angels, Sweeney Todd, One Man, Two Guvnors, The Mikado, Avenue Q, and Ain't Misbehavin' (Lyric Stage), Caroline or Change, Godspell (Moonbox Productions), The Little Mermaid, RAGTIME (Company Theatre), Man of La Mancha (New Rep), Hairspray (Reagle Music Theater), Dreamgirls, Jesus Christ Superstar, Children of Eden and Smokey Joe's Café. Davron has also appeared with Boston Landmarks Orchestra (Lost in the Stars - a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the "I Have a Dream" speech, and The Chariot Jubilee), Coro Allegro, Convergence Ensemble, Brevard Music Center, Finalist in the Orlando Opera's Heinz Rehfuss Singing Actor Awards, Disney Entertainment's Voices of Liberty, South Florida Symphony, Houston Ebony Opera Guild, the New England Spiritual Ensemble and other organizations throughout the greater Boston area. Davron was the first recipient of the Bob Jolly Award for up-and-coming local actors.

Kenny Lee - Pippin

Kenny is thrilled to be a part of his first Reagle Music Theatre production! This fall will mark Kenny's second year as a Musical Theatre major at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Earlier this year, he was Daniel in SpeakEasy Stage Company's production of Once On This Island.

Kathy St. George* - Berthe

A native of Stoneham, MA, St. George has appeared at most local theatres. Broadway: Fiddler On The Roof (Tony Award, directed by Jerome Robbins); Off-Broadway: I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. Kathy has received the Elliot Norton Award and two IRNE Awards. www.KathyStGeorge.com

Damon Singletary* - Charles

Damon is a Boston-based actor/playwright/director. He is a proud member of Actors' Equity Association, and lives in Cambridge with his wife Laurie (also an actor and playwright), whose love and support is invaluable.

Kayla Shimizu - Catherine

Kayla Shimizu makes her debut at Reagle Music Theatre as Catherine. She was last seen as Natasha in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (The Wilbury Theatre Group), and The Old Woman in The Old Man and The Old Moon (The Umbrella Stage). Among other credits, she has also appeared in The Last Wide Open (The Umbrella Stage), The Old Man and The Old Moon (Rogers Center for the Arts), Avenue Q (The Umbrella Stage), Pandora (Blue Spruce Theatre), and Wizard of Oz (C.I.C Theatre). Kayla is a graduate from Emerson College in Boston.

Katie Anne Clark - Fastrada

Past RMT shows include Ruth in Wonderful Town, Nellie Forbush in South Pacific, Cassie in A Chorus Line, Liz in Chicago, and Prudy/Gym Teacher in Hairspray. www.katieanneclark.org

The entire cast includes: Kenny Lee as Pippin; Davron Monroe* as Leading Player; Damon Singletary* as Charles; Katie Anne Clark as Fastrada; Kathy St. George* as Berthe; Ian Prime as Theo; Kayla Shimizu as Catherine and Joel Douglas* as Lewis (Dance Captain). Lauryn Withnell, Dierdre Roberts, Brian Pereira, Joy Clark* (Fight Captain), Annaliese Wilbur, Micheline Wu, Ezra Noel, Aimée Coleman, Brendan Sheehan, Andy Edelman and Michael Di Leo round out the ensemble. Swings: Ella Amarante and Rachel Madson. Pippin standby Max Selig.

Production Bios:

Rachel Bertone, Artistic Director; Director & Choreographer

Bertone brings nearly 20 years of experience as a theater and dance professional to her position. Over the past decade, she has staged more than 50 musicals, including Cabaret (IRNE Award: Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Musical), Carousel (IRNE: Best Choreography), In the Heights (IRNE: Best Musical, Elliot Norton: Best Ensemble), The Wild Party (IRNE: Best Musical), Gypsy, Little Shop of Horrors, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Billy Elliot, Barnum, Show Boat, HAIR, Les Misérables, Joseph...Dreamcoat, among others. She has also directed and/or choreographed a number of prominent Broadway artists including Lisa Yuen, Michel Bell, Ciarán Sheehan, Brent Barrett, Rick Hilsabeck, Sarah Pfisterer, and De'Lon Grant. An established theater and dance educator in both Greater Boston and New York, Bertone has taught at esteemed institutions including Boston Conservatory at Berklee, American Repertory Theater Institute at Harvard University, Emerson College, and Long Island University. www.rachelbertone.com

Emma Calabrese, Managing Director

Calabrese joined Reagle Music Theatre in May, 2022. Most recently she served as the Associate Director of Community Engagement at Florida State University, leading the School of Theatre's outreach and engagement efforts. She created alternative outreach opportunities and events during the COVID-19 pandemic and implemented a new patron renewal approach that increased donor retention and maintained annual memberships and revenue. She also established new partnerships with Best Buddies and Southern Shakespeare to create sensory-friendly performances as well as creating more opportunities for younger and non-neurotypical community members to access the arts. Prior to her time at Florida State University, she served as Director of Development for five years at Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta. While there Calabrese also co-founded and ran a new Arts Incubator Project at Synchronicity called Stripped Bare, which supports diverse young professionals in putting on new and innovative work.

Dan Rodriguez, Music Director

Dan has been the resident music director at Reagle for the past 11 years, with recent favorites including La Cage Aux Folles, Mame, and The Most Happy Fella. Dan's other area credits include work with the Lyric Stage Company (The Last Five Years, Little Shop of Horrors), the Front Porch Arts Collective (Ain't Misbehavin'), Huntington Theatre Company (Sunday in the Park with George, A Little Night Music), Wheelock Family Theatre (Make Way for Ducklings, In the Heights), American Repertory Theatre (The Lily's Revenge, The Blue Flower), New Repertory Theater (Hair), Moonbox Productions (Caroline or Change, Cabaret) and many other theaters as well as work at the Boston Conservatory, Emerson, Brandeis, and other schools. His work has earned him five IRNE Awards for Best Music Direction.

The rest of the production team includes:

Cameron McEachern (Scenic Designer), Frank Meissner Jr (Lighting Design), Chelsea Kerl (Costume Designer), Robby Davis (Sound Design), Lauren Corcuera (Props Supervisor), Emily White (Dramaturg), JT Turner (Fight Choreographer), Sophie Pratt (Assistant Director), Alyssa Weathersby (Assistant Choreographer), Mindy Cimini (Associate Music Director), and Brian Robillard (Production Stage Manager).

Tickets For Pippin:

Single adult tickets are $38-$68; discounts apply for seniors and youth. To purchase, visit www.reaglemusictheatre.org, call 781-891-5600, or visit the theater box office at 617 Lexington St, Waltham, MA, 02452. Hours of operation are Wednesdays 2 PM-5 PM; Fridays 11 AM-2 PM; Saturdays 11:00 AM-2:00 PM. Parties of 20+ should contact the box office or email groups@reaglemusictheatre.org.