CHS Theatre Guild presents Pippin

Chelmsford H.S. Theatre Guild Presents ‘Pippin’ as Live, Full-Attended Performances Return

CHS Theatre Guild presents Pippin

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Pippin scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 18-20 at Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center

CHELMSFORD, MA (Nov. 9, 2021) – The Chelmsford High School Theatre Guild will perform the 2013 Tony Award winning production of Pippin Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 18-20, at the Carl J. Rondina Performing Arts Center.

The performance of Pippin will be the second live performance production at CHS since the Covid-19 outbreak in March of 2020, and first live production without attendance limits. Last May 20, 21 and 22, members of the CHS Theatre Guild performed two short original works, The King is Dead and The Last Person on Earth, with attendance limited to 100.

“Students and staff are thrilled to be back having a live performance of a musical,” said CHS Theater Director Lauren Cochran. “Song and dance have not been on the CHS stage since Chicago in the fall of 2019, and students have missed this immensely. The energy during tech week is incredible as the theatre once again comes alive.”

Tickets for Pippin cost $20 for adults and $15 for students and can be purchased online here; or by calling (978) 251-5111, ext. 5593. Attendees will be required to wear masks inside PAC at all times.

Senior Emily Magnant, whose last role was in the student-led feature-length film The Mystery at Pendleton manor, was particularly anxious to return to the stage.

“I am so excited to be back to live theatre,” said Ms. Magnant, who will play the role of Fastrada, the conniving stepmother to Pippin. “Working on a movie was really fun, but I couldn’t wait to get back onstage. It feels so good to be back with all my friends and working on this amazing show.”

There were specific reasons Ms. Cochran chose Pippin, the 1972 musical written by Bob Fosse and Roger Hirson, which tells the story of a young prince, Pippin, driven to find passion and purpose in his life. Desperate to win the approval of his distracted father, King Charles, Pippin goes to war but returns a changed young man.

“Because we didn’t know the limitations due to the covid pandemic, we wanted a show that could be a cast to scale, meaning smaller or larger,” Ms. Cochran said. “We also wanted a comedy to uplift people. Even though Pippin is not as well-known to the general audience, it was made famous by the choreography of Bob Fosse. The 2013 revival, which started in Cambridge, won several Tony awards.”

Pippin features an ensemble of 36 cast members, 29 crew members and 27 musicians.

 

About Chelmsford Public Schools

The Chelmsford Public School District provides all students with multiple pathways to optimize their own potential for academic excellence, leadership, and social and emotional wellness. The mission of the Chelmsford Public Schools is to educate, engage, prepare, and empower well-rounded and knowledgeable learners to PERSEVERE through challenges, demonstrate RESPECT and INTEGRITY in their words and actions, are DEDICATED to their community, and display EMPATHY as global citizens while discovering and pursuing their full potential.  This PRIDE-driven culture enables all members of the school community to support the growth and development of students.  For more information, please visit www.chelmsfordschools.org.