Pippin

About the show

A traveling performance troupe of Players led by a Leading Player invites the audience to witness their show, promising a spectacular experience ("Magic to Do"). They begin telling the story of Pippin (his actor is described as a new Player making his stage debut), the first son of Frankish King Charlemagne. After a brief overview of his life from birth to young adulthood, Pippin, a recent university graduate, sings of his search for his purpose in life ("Corner of the Sky"). Pippin returns home to his father's castle and estate, where Charlemagne and Pippin's reunion is constantly interrupted by nobles, soldiers, and courtiers vying for Charlemagne's attention ("Welcome Home"). Pippin also meets with his ambitious stepmother Fastrada, and her strong but dim-witted son Lewis. Charlemagne and Lewis are going to battle against the Visigoths soon, and Pippin begs his father to take him along as a soldier to prove himself. Charlemagne reluctantly agrees and explains the battle plan to his men ("War is a Science"), interrupted repeatedly by an over-enthusiastic Pippin. The Players express the battle through song and dance, with the Leading Player and two lead dancers in the middle (performing Bob Fosse's famous "Manson Trio") and the actual violence in the background ("Glory"). Charlemagne declares victory and leads his army off to the next battle. A disillusioned Pippin has a cynical discussion with an enemy soldier's severed head, recognizing the futility of war. He flees to the countryside as the Leading Player sings of the pleasures of a free and easy life ("Simple Joys"), then meets with Berthe, his paternal grandmother, exiled by Fastrada. She tells Pippin to stop worrying about his future and enjoy the pleasures and comforts of the present ("No Time at All"). Pippin takes this advice to heart and searches for more lighthearted pastimes. He enjoys many sexual encounters but soon becomes overwhelmed by their meaninglessness and forces all the women away ("With You"). The Leading Player suggests to Pippin that fulfillment can be found in fighting against Charlemagne's tyrannical ways, and Pippin plots a revolution against his father. Fastrada learns of Pippin's plan and devises one of her own: if Pippin either successfully kills Charlemagne, or fails and is arrested for treason, Lewis will be next in line for the throne either way. She manipulates Charlemagne into going to his annual prayer early, and she tells Pippin that he will be at the chapel unarmed ("Spread a Little Sunshine"). At the royal chapel at Arles, Pippin confronts his father, who justifies his cruelty and tyranny as necessary to achieve peace and prosperity for the realm. He then resigns to his fate, and after Pippin assassinates him, the people rejoice and bow to their new king ("Morning Glow"). The Leading Player informs the audience that the actors will break for now, but assures them they will enjoy the finale. As king, Pippin brings peace to the land by giving to the poor, eradicating taxes, ending the military, and peacefully settling foreign disputes. However, this soon falls apart, as Pippin is forced to go back on many of his promises, reverting to Charlemagne's ways. At Pippin's request, the Leading Player revives Charlemagne, who takes the throne back, and Pippin is left discouraged, as his life is still unfulfilled. The Leading Player counsels him to keep going down his life's path ("On the Right Track"), but after experimenting with art and religion, Pippin falls into monumental despair and collapses on the floor. Widowed farm-owner Catherine finds him on the street, and is genuinely attracted to him ("And There He Was"), to the Leading Player's concern. Introducing herself ("Kind of Woman"), she has Pippin help as a farmhand on her estate. Pippin thinks himself above such things ("Extraordinary"), but after comforting her son, Theo, on the sickness and eventual death of his pet duck ("Prayer for a Duck"), he falls in love with Catherine ("Love Song"). As time goes by, Pippin grows too comfortable in monotony and leaves the estate to continue searching for his true purpose. Catherine is heartbroken and reflects on him, spontaneously beginning a song that was not initially in the script, to the Leading Player's anger and surprise ("I Guess I'll Miss the Man"). The Leading Player and the troupe find Pippin alone and tell him that the only fulfilling thing is their planned finale, in which Pippin will commit suicide by lighting himself on fire for one burst of glory. At the last moment, he realizes that there must be something more to life and chooses not to follow through. Catherine and Theo enter, defying the script, and stand beside Pippin. He realizes that his purpose was never to achieve greatness or glory, but rather to live an ordinary life ("Finale"/"Magic Shows and Miracles"). The furious Leading Player calls off the show and tells the rest of the Players and the orchestra to pack up, abandoning Pippin, Catherine, and Theo on a truly empty stage. Pippin is left devoid of anything extraordinary but finally feels fulfilled. The "Theo ending" was originally conceived in 1998 by Mitch Sebastian, and is included in all newer productions of Pippin, including the 2013 Broadway revival. After the Players shun Pippin for not performing the grand finale, and he avers his contentment with a simple life with Catherine, Theo remains alone on stage and sings a verse of "Corner of the Sky", after which the Leading Player and the Players return, backed by the "Magic to Do" melody, implying that the existential crisis at the heart of the play is part of a cycle and will now continue, but with Theo as the Players' replacement for Pippin. Current productions vary between the two possible endings, though Schwartz himself has expressed his preference for the newer ending. This is also the ending used in most licensed versions of the musical. Notes