Pippin—An Extraordinary Musical Adventure Comes to Tibbits
COLDWATER—Enjoy a spectacle-driven theatre extravaganza as Tibbits Summer Theatre presents the Broadway musical “Pippin,” the tale of a young man in search of fulfillment, opening July 23.
A troupe of dancers tells the story in this stylized musical of young prince Pippin’s quest for true happiness. Pippin, played by Davis Wayne, explores the glories of war, the temptations of love, and the intrigues of political power before discovering happiness lies not in the extraordinary but in the ordinary moments of every day.
The troupe, led by Nick Raynor as the Leading Player, has “Magic To Do” as they introduce Pippin and his father Charles, played by Derek Mellor. The story explores the struggles of young Prince Pippin against his father a tyrannical king. The responsibility of leading the Holy Roman Empire leaves Pippin lost and confused, so he leaves his post in search of something more fulfilling. Soon a young widow named Catherine, played by Jaclyn Collins, comes into Pippin’s life with her child Theo played by Coldwater local Lexi Galliers, and Pippin explores life as a part of a family. The show is recommended for PG-13 for its adult themes and suggestive dance style.
“Pippin” will dance across the stage with choreography and direction by Kevin Halpin. The cast also includes Gail Betts-Trader, Lizzy Palmer, and Stuart Kofron, as well as the troupe of players made up of Allison Canning, Holly Fuller, Nikki Ferrara, Maureen Duke, Ashley Elizabeth Smith, Benjamin Shimkus, Stuart Kofron, Vince Orabona, Isaac Jankowski, Dougie Robbins, Drew Porrett, Joey Gugliemelli and William Patrick Rivera.
“Pippin” opened in 1972 and ran on Broadway for 1,944 performances with amazing choreography by Bob Fosse and a score by Broadway giant Stephen Schwartz. After writing “Godspell,” Schwartz jumped from Off-Broadway to On- with the extravagant score of “Pippin.” Still to come from him were other Broadway hits “Wicked,” “Working,” “Children of Eden” and the Disney films “Pocahontas” and “The Hunchback of Norte Dame” and many more.
“It was a record that never left my turntable,” raves artistic director Charles Burr. “The story of a young man searching to find where he fits into the grand scheme of the world proved to be the perfect show for a young man struggling to do the same. This show is sure to captivate a wide range of audiences with its unforgettable music, dazzling choreography, and universal storytelling.”
“Pippin” is produced with the support of the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (CBPU). The CBPU has provided safe, reliable, competitive and efficient utility products and services for the same community in which it is owned and operated since 1981. Performances of “Pippin” will be held at 8 p.m. on July 23 through 25 and July 30 through August 1, and at 2 p.m. on July 23 and 29.
Tickets with fees for “Peter Pan” are $33 for reserved seating with discounts for members, groups and students. General seating in the upper balcony is available for $12. For the best value passbooks offer the option of six tickets to be used throughout the summer and offer nearly a 10 percent discount. Passbooks must be purchased in advance and are designed for seeing multiple shows.
Tickets are available online at Tibbits.org, through the Tibbits box office at the theatre from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays or by calling 517-278-6029. All performances are held at the beautiful historic Tibbits Opera House, 14 S. Hanchett Street, Coldwater. For more information, call or visit Tibbits.org.
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