Pippin

The mischievous and magical musical Pippin is the imaginary coming-of-age story of legendary medieval King Charlemagne’s eldest son. With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, the composer of the  Broadway and Chicago hit musical Wicked, and book by Roger O.  Hirson, Pippin will be performed from January 26 to February 4 at the Josephine Louis Theatre, 20 Arts Circle Drive, on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus.

A surprise waits around every corner as the young Prince begins his search for the meaning of life. Along the way Pippin is challenged and tempted by war, sex, politics and wealth until he finally comes  to the realization that life is really about the love one person can  have for another. Dazzling and imaginative, Pippin won six Tony  Awards in 1972 and features show-stopping ballads and dance numbers and Schwartz’s pop-influenced score. A three-time Oscar Award-winning  composer/lyricist, Schwartz also wrote the music and lyrics for the  stage musicals Godspell and Children of Eden.

Director Dominic Missimi, who is a big fan of  “comedia del’arte” and  the traveling band of “players” who tell the fast-moving story of Pippin, first directed the Schwartz musical 25 years ago, shortly  after he joined Northwestern University’s theatre faculty.

“While the show will reflect my love of that classic art form, I plan  to bring a contemporary edge to the look of the show by giving it a  “Project Runway” sensibility,” said Missimi. “The costumes will have  a cutting-edge, often outrageous funky fashion sense that’s sleek,  stylish and fun, and the set will feature four movable tower units  that can be configured to create all the various locations of the  story.”

Almost a ballet, the movement on stage rarely stops thanks to the  imprint of Bob Fosse, the musical’s original director and  choreographer, and Northwestern seniors Nancy Braun and Rachel Frankenthal, who choreographed the Northwestern University production.