For anyone who fondly remembers the Broadway musical Pippin as they were growing up in the 1970s, it is tough to imagine a bad version of that classic. Filled with memorable songs, a relatively simple plot, and lyrics that seemed universal, Pippin was, and is, the kind of theater production that any would succeed anywhere if given the opportunity.
And one such opportunity comes to Chestertown fast and furious this week. As a project of the music department at Washington College, a very limited production of the such will be performed next Thursday and Friday in the Gibson Center for the Arts on campus.
This bit of news made the Spy curious about a few things about this “pop up” production and we tracked down the director and Washington College faculty member Ernie Green about this short-lived student effort.
While Ernie, a Peabody-trained conductor, lecturer in music, and director of Live Arts Maryland, is comfortable in the academic canon of classical music and other diverse, and sometimes very challenging, forms of music, he admits in the Spy interview of his lifelong love for Pippin. The project also connects him back to a former career when he often was a frequent collaborator with the late Marvin Hamlisch, the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, and Broadway talent.
As his cast of students prepares for their free performance on Thursday and Friday night at the Daniel Z. Gibson Center for the Arts we talked to Ernie about the role of student productions, the magic of musical theater, and the endearing and enduring impression it can make on all ages.
This video is approximately two minutes in length. For more information about Pippin please go here
Carol Schroeder says
I saw Pippin in the 70’s on Broadway with Ben Vereen. Then I saw a national touring version in DC. Then I saw a local theatre rendition. And then I saw a high school version. I loved every performance of this play. My favorite quote said by Pippin is “If you’re not tied to anything, you’ll never be free.” Wonderful music, humor, pathos, magic with a little serious message thrown in there too. I am devastated that I will have to miss WC’s performance. Wish it were running for longer! Pippin deserves more than pop up!