Large cast of Saint Viator students debut 'Pippin' Feb. 4
A cast of 26 students is preparing a two-weekend run of the Stephen Schwartz musical "Pippin," which opens Friday, Feb. 4, at Saint Viator High School, 1213 E. Oakton St., Arlington Heights.
This is the first time in the school's 60-year history that students will stage this production.
"The nature of the story is really relatable for high schoolers," said Megan Gray, director and member of the Saint Viator fine arts faculty. "The main character is unsure of the path he should take in life, and realizes along the way to value the simple things that make life worth living."
Gray is excited to bring the show to the Saint Viator community and expects her cast to deliver a memorable show.
"As always, we have tremendous talent at Saint Viator, so we are continuing our tradition of double-casting many of the roles. With six performances, plus our tech rehearsals, there is a lot of demand placed on the students, so the double-casting can be beneficial."
Declan Newell will play the titular character at all performances. Vincent Cedrik Alcedo, Chris Rapala and Grayson Kelly will also appear in every show, along with the ensemble.
Claire Capra, Sidney Jones, Claire McDermott, Megan Hornberger, Margaret Fecko, Rory Whetstone, Grace Kelly and Julia Domagala all share other featured roles across the two casts.
Tickets are available at one.bidpal.net/pippin2022/welcome for the performances, which take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 4, 5, 11 and 12 and 1:30 p.m. Feb. 6 and 13. Gray advises that "Pippin" is best for ages 12 and older.
"We are taking every precaution to create a safe environment for our students and patrons," Gray said, noting that masks will be required for audience members and tickets will be limited for each show to allow for additional spacing between seats.
Gray expects many in the audience will recognize some of the great Schwartz compositions, including "Corner of the Sky" and "Magic to Do," while finding new favorites in the production.
"The students have worked so hard and been through so much this year. I think that this show is going to create a lot of memories for them and anyone who comes to see the performance. We can't wait to take the stage."
"Pippin" is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI (www.mtishows.com).