The award-winning musical, “Pippin,” now running at the Coronado Playhouse, is chock-full of talented artists and passion. You can feel the power and preparation of the cast and crew. Creative costumes and punchy lines keep you on your toes while audience engagement makes the experience immersive. The central question resonates with nearly everyone for a wide variety of reasons: Who am I now and who do I want to become?
Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson’s 1972 musical chronicles issues of identity, love and war. Winning four 2013 Tony Awards, the bold and modernized take continues to evolve in its application to the 21st century.
“I am incredibly excited to be bringing this vision of Pippin to life alongside my cast and crew,” says director Hunter Brown in a press release. “We hope to scare and dazzle you in equal measure.”
Beneath the whimsical and silly surface, “Pippin” reveals a much deeper story. Lured by the deceitful Leading Player – a character who serves as the musical’s narrator – Pippin nearly falls victim to worldly desires and pressures. When Pippin breaks through the disillusionment of society, he is able to uncover where his priorities really lie. Try as he might, they don’t rest in lust, war or the preferential treatment he gets as the prince.
While the theme is finding yourself in a general sense, “Pippin” resonates deeply with the LGBTQ+ community.
“We have been crafting a nightmare comedy of identity and dysphoria,” says Brown in a press release. As the Leading Player’s intentions are revealed, things go south, fast. Jackson Taitano, who performs the role of Leading Player, explains the underlying themes of toxic masculinity and gender normativity.
“In the show I stand not as its enforcer but rather someone who holds a light to the rigid standards men are held to,” says Taitano, “Our show is unquestionable about the trans experience of trying to understand where we fit in this world when we question the labels of men and women. Leading Player is not just a guide, but a manifestation of Pippin’s fears that he’ll never be enough.”
The Coronado Playhouse, an intimate cabaret theater overlooking Glorietta Bay, was established in 1946 and is San Diego’s oldest community theater. “Pippin” will close out the theater’s 80th season.
“Performing in a local community theater means so much to me because it is one of the most accessible forms of performance art available,” says Roberto Castillo Jr., who plays King Charlemagne. “Sometimes there are barriers that prevent different members of our society from participating in any way. I believe that community theater filled with local artists helps bridge those gaps.”
Recent UCSD graduate Emma Parrott, who is a member of the ensemble, says that local theater is an important step for her after branching out of college dramatic arts.
“It’s helped me feel more at home in San Diego as I find my community, and I’m certain it will help me transition into more opportunities to do what I love with more great people in the future,” says Parrott.
“Pippin” will be playing every Thursday to Sunday until Nov. 2 at the Coronado Playhouse. Tickets are $27, however there are military, senior and student discounts. For more information contact the box office at (619) 435-4856 or email boxoffice@coronadoplayhouse.com.
