Previews: PIPPIN at Westhill High School

Westhill High School’s Northstar Playmakers have magic to do in the upcoming production of Pippin, the 1972 Tony Award winning musical.

Originally conceived as a student musical at Carnegie Mellon University, Pippin developed into a show filled with magic and meaning, as well as a nod to the Middle Ages figures of the tyrannical Charlemagne and one of his sons. The plot is otherwise entirely fictional and completely inaccurate in its history, but it delivers an afternoon or evening of great entertainment and things to think about as they relate to today. This is also one of your last chances to see some of the area’s most promising performers before they become famous because they are graduating in June.

Isla Cruz plays the masterfully charming and manipulative Leading Player who helps guide Pippin (Niko Rinaldi) through the angst in his life and his wish for fulfillment and purpose in life. Sunia Gadtaula plays Fastrada, the third wife of Charlemagne (Paul Ferris) and Pippin’s conniving stepmother who wants her son Lewis (Eli Donahue) to inherit the throne. Lilah Gordon plays Berthe, Pippin’s brassy, sassy grandmother who encourages him to live life to the fullest. Grace Gerard plays Catherine, the widow with whom Pippin finds love and happiness, and Linus Bartels plays her son, Theo.

The Players include Izzy Anderson, Sophie Barwinski, Quentin Boyd, Madison Cabanas, Sophia Calorossi, Blake Chakrin, Sophia Chu, Danny Degytur, Peter Donahue, Christie Etienne, Colin Faranda, Della Gilbert, Miranda Gomes, Emilie Jacinto, Holly Jean, Ariel Jimenez, Isabelle Jimenez, James Kolman, Tristan Kozlowski, Charlotte Lupinacci, Kaitlyn Miranda, Reese Moe, Ari Moore, Krisha Parmar, Leia Potenza, Kyle Rogers, Ava Sanchez, Riley Sargent, Jeremy Sliss, Olivia Sosa, Lee, Vazquez, and Sean Wells.

The crew members include Sophia Almodiel, Brian Brown, Raffaele Iorfino, Andre Nardi, William Ruffinott, and Rylee Walters. Zachary Kampler is the music director. Izzy Nastasi is the show’s stage manager. The show is directed and choreographed by Linda Duci, who has brought a lot of magic to the Stamford All-Schools Musical year after year.

Pippin was Broadway’s’ 37th longest running show, as of January 2024. The music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Roger O. Hirson still delight audiences. Although the show presents challenges in directing, choreography, and performing, this production is sure to be another success for the Northstar Playmakers.