Highland Park High School students have staged a spellbinding production of Pippin, which chronicles the journey of a young prince struggling to build an extraordinary life.
But some of the October musical’s real magic happened behind the scenes for its cast and crew, who did everything from paint sets and steam costumes to sew headpieces, and who built lasting friendships along the way.
“I hope that, through this journey of being in this show, they have learned that the care that they have for each other matters more than how good the show is,” explained director Brittany Murphy. “The relationships that they form with each other are the things that are going to be what they remember from this.”
Students worked “insanely hard” to make the musical exceptional, Murphy said, pitching in whenever help was needed, taking ownership, and showing up for their friends and theater community.
They even played a role in deciding how to stage the high school’s production, which departed from the circus theme that the 2013 Broadway revival of Pippin, and most productions since, have used to tell the young prince’s story.
Instead, Murphy and technical director Joseph Burnam drew on the idea that Pippin was playing the hand he had been dealt in life. They used games such as darts, tug of war, and musical chairs to help their audience experience Pippin’s quest for greatness.
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Senior Jaron Pierce, who played the musical’s title role, said he hoped audiences could relate to Pippin’s journey of self-discovery and fulfillment.
“He’s always wanting to do the next big thing, the next big thing,” Pierce said. “He soon discovers that maybe it’s not the next big thing that’s the best for him.”
Other Pippin cast members included senior Esra Melech as the Leading Player, sophomore Carter York as Pippin’s father, King Charlemagne, and senior Leya Qureshi as Pippin’s stepmother, Fastrada.
