Between February 8 and 10, Shorewood Drama showcased its production of the 1972 musical Pippin. The show tells the story of Pippin, son of the historical king Charlemagne, as he embarks on a quest for meaning in his life.
According to Andrew Sibilia, junior, who played the role of Pippin, preparation for the role took many hours of dedication and hard work.
“It took me about a couple months to memorize my lines and about a couple hours a week to practice my lines,” Sibila said. “I had to learn how to be comfortable climbing on the shaky scaffolding, and I had to learn to walk on my hands without falling off the stage.”
Sibila felt as though he was able to make a personal connection to the story of Pippin.
“Being a high schooler, there is definitely a push to find who you are early on and find what you’re passionate about,” Sibila said. “I think Pippin shows that you can do this at your own pace. Even though he struggled with a lot of things, he found out what makes him happy in the end, which is human connection.”
Rose Callahan, senior, took on the role of Leading Player, the musical’s narrator. Though Callahan has played many significant roles in Shorewood productions, this is her debut as a lead in a musical.
“I like when a role challenges me, which Leading Player definitely [did],” Callahan said. “I just felt good that I was able to be a role model, because there were so many seniors in years past that were leads that I looked up to, and it just felt good to be that person to [the underclassmen].”
According to Callahan, the audience’s reactions throughout the show added to the atmosphere and the cast’s commitment.
“There were definitely a lot of lines [the audience was] laughing at that I didn’t expect,” Callahan said. “It was really good to see the reaction [to] the aerial silks because [the aerialists] worked so hard on that … It was really good to see them getting the recognition that they deserved.”
Similarly, Sibila felt as though he and his fellow cast members were able to feed off of the energy of the audience.
“Closing night was a really good audience — everyone was laughing at the jokes,” Sibila said. “I think it really affected our performance [and] made it better. The more hype a crowd is, the more energy we have, and the greater our show is.”
This was also Shorewood Drama’s first time collaborating with the choreographer Amanda Rosmann.
“I really, really enjoyed working with her,” Callahan said. “Especially because dance is probably the thing I’m least good at when it comes to musical theater, and I really enjoyed learning from her.”
Kennedy Merkel, sophomore, enjoyed the sense of freedom offered in role in the ensemble.
“I got to embody this different character, but without constantly having a spotlight on me,” Merkel said.
Merkel values the sense of community fostered by the production, and cherishes the unexpected connections she has made along the way.
“I really liked the feeling that comes with being a part of something,” Merkel said. “In the end, I gained a bunch of friends that I wouldn’t really have interacted with since I don’t have any classes with them.”
Looking ahead, Callahan expresses enthusiasm for what she believes is a promising future in the younger cast members.
“I was very surprised with the talent of some of the underclassmen that we have, especially the new freshmen that I never worked with before,” Callahan said. “They are all really, really talented and I’m excited for the future of the department.”