For her directorial debut at South Portland High School, Steph Ross has chosen the circus-inspired musical, “Pippin,” the story of King Charlemagne’s angst-ridden, questioning son whose goal of leading an extraordinary life gets him into all kinds of trouble.
The show, with well-known numbers like “Magic to Do” and “Corner of the Sky,” won 11 Tony Awards when it first opened on Broadway in 1972, and more Tonys for its 2013 revival. The local production opens Friday, April 1.
Ross replaces longtime South Portland High musical directors Steve and Jane Filieo, who retired last year after 26 years of producing the annual spring musical.
In speaking of the Filieos, Ross said, “To have given nearly three decades to first creating and then growing this program year after year is not just a testament to their love of, and commitment to, musical theater, but more importantly recognizing the necessity of teaching theater arts in our schools.”
Ross added, “Countless numbers of South Portland High School students have had the opportunity to train with them and develop an understanding and respect for the art of musical theater.”
She also credited the duo with having created “professional quality” theater, “a feat rarely seen at the high school level.”
Overall, Ross said, “this program is what it is today because of Steve and Jane. Their dedication to SPHS musical theater is nothing short of extraordinary and I know I speak for decades of students when I say this community is eternally indebted to them for all they’ve done.”
In addition to Ross, the other “Pippin” staff includes Victoria Stubbs as music director, Vanessa Powell Beyland as the choreographer, John York, the high school auditorium manager, as the technical director, and Heather Crocker as the lighting designer. Beverly Hosic, the choral program director at South Portland High, is again acting as the musical pit director. Eric Greer is the stage manager and Grace Whited, a student, is the assistant stage manager.
Ross also said the show could not go on without the many volunteer parents that have built props, made costumes and more. Along with the professional musicians, nine students will perform in the pit orchestra.
Ross, who was hired to direct the musical following an extensive interview process, has a bachelor’s degree from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She also trained with David Mamet, William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman at the Atlantic Theatre Company and has acted on stage and film in New York and throughout New England.
Locally, Ross has taught adult and children’s acting classes for Acorn Productions and directed many of their children’s theater offerings. Until 2014, Ross was the drama director for the Massabesic schools in Regional School Unit 57.
The music and lyrics of “Pippin” are by Stephen Schwartz, with a book by Roger O. Hirson.
Forty-seven students are in the school’s “Pippin” cast, including a number who were brought on board specifically to perform high-skill juggling and tumbling tricks, just like in the 2013 Broadway revival of the show.
The Leading Player is played by senior Phoebe Little and Pippin is played by Griffin Gingrich. Charlemagne is played by Owen Doane and Pippin’s younger half-brother is played by Ben Donnangelo. Pippin’s love interest, Catherine, is played by senior Abby Rioux, and another senior, Katie Solomon, plays his scheming stepmother, Fastrada, who spends her time plotting to get her own son on the throne.
“These kids are amazingly talented, conscientious young adults,” Ross said of the cast. “This is a very different kind of musical (and) they have worked hard to understand what lies beneath” the actions of their various characters.
The Leading Player is essentially the ringmaster and she plots against Pippin at every turn. Little said it’s been a lot of fun playing a villain.
“My character has so many layers. She’s very evil and very clever and at the end of the day her goal is to ruin Pippin’s life,” Little said.
She and other members of the cast said they appreciate how much attention to detail Ross brings to her direction, including, Doane said, allowing the cast to “take liberties in our acting choices and to develop our own characters.”
Little spent one four-hour rehearsal one-on-one with Ross, and said it was “really cool” to spend that amount of time focused on her character’s motivations and actions.
Senior Jasmine McKenzie, who plays Pippin’s grandmother, Bertha, said Ross is “really high energy. She’s more creative and doesn’t always stick to the book,” which the students said they’ve enjoyed.
Senior Hannah Brier, who’s taken part in the spring musical all four years of high school, said there’s been “a lot of change” with Ross in charge.
“It’s a lot different than how the Filieos would do it, but it’s a good kind of change,” she said.
Brier said what she’s most enjoyed about the show is all the ensemble work. The ensemble is on stage for much of the show.
“There’s a lot of ensemble work, which we’re not used to, but it’s a lot of fun,” she said.
Gingrich called Pippin “a typically angsty teenager who doesn’t know what he wants out of life. He eventually learns that being spectacular is not what matters, it’s being content with what you have.”
Ross said “Pippin” has now become one of her favorite musicals because “it’s all about choosing your own path and being unique. That’s a great message for young adults.”
Rioux said the show is also “really exciting. There’s never a dull moment and this show is very visual.” She said she hopes audiences get to see the “good chemistry” that exists between the cast members.
As for their own favorite numbers in the show, the cast said the opening number, “Magic to Do,” is special, and both Rioux and Gingrich also said their duet, “Love Song,” is also a beloved part of the production.
Ross said it’s her hope that audiences will “walk away feeling inspired. To realize one can fall down over and over as long as they stand up and try again.”
And, she said, “I want young people to know that no matter how bad things may seem, they can (always) move forward. That failure is necessary, that failure is normal (and shouldn’t) be thought of as bad. (Failure) is significant to our growth as human beings. It means we’re trying.”
As for her first time directing the South Portland High musical, Ross said, “The entire cast and crew have come through a challenging first year together. Change is difficult. The support I have received has been incredible, just unstoppable. I am very lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful human beings.”
A closer look
“Pippin” opens at South Portland High School on Friday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m. The show runs through April 10 and show times are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets are available online at www.myticketportal.com
or by calling the box office at 767-7711, ext. 3837. Box office hours are 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Friday and noon-2 p.m. on Saturday.
The cast of “Pippin” at South Portland High School includes, back row from left, Ben Donnangelo, Owen Doane, Griffin Gingrich as the title character, Allie Souza and Jasmine McKenzie. In front, from left, are eighth grader Connor Dobson, Hannah Brier, Abby Rioux, Katie Solomon and Phoebe Little.
Steph Ross
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