Summer at the State Theatre begins with the musical ‘Pippin’
Daniel Nuttall (right) as Pippin and Rebecca Kaufman Taylor (left) as Leading Player rehearse for the upcoming musical "Pippin" at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown.
The cast of the upcoming show "Pippin" rehearses a dance number on stage at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown.
The State Theatre Center for the Arts’ annual Summer at the State is in full swing with their first show “Pippin,” scheduled for July 8-10.
“We have a talented and dedicated group of performers, designers, and technicians who are working tirelessly to get ‘Pippin’ ready for an audience,” said John Wagner, the artistic director for Summer at the State as well as the choreographer and director of “Pippin.” “Currently, we are adding the final elements to the show, the technical elements, which includes lighting, scenery, props, costumes and musicians. This is the final layer that brings the characters and story to life.”
Wagner said “Pippin” is a show that has not been produced a lot in the area, and the idea of having the theater’s annual summer camp to put on the show at the State Theatre is exciting to him.
“In a nutshell, ‘Pippin’ is a spectacular song and dance experience,” he said. “The show can be interpreted in many different ways, and I wanted to do something that speaks to our audiences today.”
The story follows the character of Pippin as he searches for fulfillment and what it means to live an extraordinary life, said Wagner. He said he thinks everyone can see a little bit of themselves in Pippin, and the pressures we put on ourselves to live an exceptional life.
He said the show is full of wonderful music written by Stephen Schwartz, who also wrote the music for “Godspell” and “Wicked.” The original production of “Pippin” on Broadway was directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse.
“So that style of dance is very much present in this production,” Wagner said. “If you enjoyed musicals like ‘Chicago’ and ‘Cabaret,’ you will enjoy ‘Pippin’.”
He added they have 22 cast members in “Pippin,” 10 musicians and about 20 additional people working behind the scenes to create the magic onstage including designers, stage managers, carpenters, scenic artists and others.
“And, of course, I know people will enjoy seeing some familiar and talented faces on the stage, such as Rebecca Kaufman Taylor as the Leading Player, Daniel Nuttall as Pippin, Toby Maykuth as Charles, Lauren Gross as Fastrada, and Brennen Malia as Lewis,” Wagner said
Auditions for the theater’s summer season were held in early April and rehearsals for “Pippin” began on May 23.
“This year we were fortunate to have a dedicated rehearsal space at the Uniontown Mall,” Wagner said, adding they often need to find rehearsal space in the early stages of the process because of other rentals or bookings at the State Theatre. “To keep things consistent for our cast, all of our rehearsals through the end of June took place at the mall. This also gave our scenic crew uninterrupted time to build things on the stage once they were able to begin building.”
Wagner said not being able to rehearse in the performance space is always a challenge as some adjustments needed to be made and a few things needed reworked once they returned to the stage.
However, he the cast and crew have learned how to anticipate challenges over the years and create things outside of the box that work for the space they’re in.
“Audiences can expect to see a production of ‘Pippin’ that is unique and was created to specifically work at the State Theatre,” Wagner said.
“Pippin” will be at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 8 and 9 and at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 10. Ticket are $15 for adults and $10 for children and can be purchased through the theater’s website at www.statetheatre.info