“Pippin” Lights Up the Stage In a Dazzling Mainstage Production
Cue the bright lights, Bob Fosse choreography and catchy pop-rock tunes.
This past weekend, the upper school Mainstage cast and crew of "Pippin” transformed Strayer Theater into a Broadway-worthy stage with a magical, show-stopping production.
The Tony Award-winning musical, which opened on Broadway in 1972, follows Pippin, a young prince on a quest to discover meaning and fulfillment.
Jack Sobolewski ’27, appearing in his third Mainstage musical, embodied the character of Pippin with depth and heart. “Pippin spends the entire show convinced that he is, somehow, extraordinarily special, and commits himself to war, romance, ruling and eventually just ordinary life to try and find fulfillment. I think he represents all of us really, at some point in our lives,” Sobolewski said.
In the circus-themed spectacle, Annette Choi '26 commanded the stage as the Leading Player, captivating the audience with charisma and flair. Choi, who plans to pursue theater in college, reflected on her final bow: “It felt so emotional to be on the stage with people that I've been doing this with since freshman year." During that moment, Choi "looked back on everything that I've ever experienced here in theater, and acknowledged how much Masters Mainstage has helped me grow as an artist.”
A student-led backstage team supported the production, along with Beth Manspeizer as director, Katie Meadows as music director, Melissa Edwards as choreographer, Peter Wylie as technical director, and Gilles Pugatch as sound director. The program was designed by Curt Ebersole, performing arts teacher.
“There was something in this show for everyone,” Manspeizer said. “The older people in the audience remember the music fondly from our childhood, while the younger people will learn it for the first time. I find the message of a person searching for their ‘corner of the sky’ to be timeless, meaningful and universal.”
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