Menlo School stages 'Pippin' Menlo School stages 'Pippin' (January 25, 2006)

Menlo School's Drama Department brings the musical "Pippin" to the Florence Moore Auditorium on campus Thursday through Sunday, February 2-5.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. daily, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets, at $7 for students and $10 for adults, are available at the bookstore, at the door before performances, and by calling the box office at 330-2001, ext. 2333.

"Pippin" features music by Stephen Schwartz, the composer of the more recent Broadway hit "Wicked." Originally directed by Bob Fosse, "Pippin" played on Broadway for six years to sold-out audiences.

The fictional tale, told by a slightly surreal circus troupe, is about the son of Charlemagne and, more broadly, a young person's search for the meaning of life.

"High school kids are at the age where they're beginning to search for the meaning in their lives, too," said drama teacher and director Beth Orr, who chose the play. "The music is contemporary and upbeat, and the show is one young people seem to immediately relate to."

Sophomore Jack Mossbacher of Woodside plays Pippin. Also in the principal cast are: seniors Calvin Johnson of Portola Valley, Audrey Chait of Menlo Park, Todd Yecies of Woodside and Nicole Curatola of Menlo Park; junior Tavia Hunt of Palo Alto; and sophomore Nicole Kamra of Woodside.

Ensemble players include: seniors Lucy Stark, Michaela Smotrich, Kelly Ashton, Tracy Montgomery, Michelle Nguyen and Emmanuelle Benkoski; juniors Kevin Greene, Chloe Menkes, Lyssa Searcy, Alex Villafuerte and Sarah Will; sophomores Ranee Bhutani, Nate Coggins, Julie Campbell, Stephanie Chow, Allison Lewis, Liz Mooring, Leah Benkoski and Jessie Zhou; and freshmen Alyson Goulden, Jeffrey Langenstein, Corinne Marquardt and Alex Miller.

Menlo School is located at 50 Valparaiso Ave. in Atherton.

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