“Parts to Perform, Hearts to Warm”

Emily Borden
Greenwood’s full-school musical, which ran May 2, 3 and 4, featured a cast of students from Grades 7 to 12, a live pit band, and a sizable crew. Combining students and staff, Pippin had more than 75 community members involved, and between the dress rehearsal and the four performances, the show reached about 650 audience members. 

Pippin tells the tale of a travelling troupe of performers who aim to dazzle the audience with their production called Pippin: His Life and Times, in which the protagonist searches for the meaning of life. Pippin wants his life to be extraordinary and seeks glory and fulfillment in a variety of pursuits: love, war, revolution, art, and more. He discovers, however, that life’s meaning is not rooted in grandeur, but found in the simple joys of the everyday. He leaves the stage without a grand finale, but rather with his choice for love and freedom.

Theatre’s beauty lies in its transience, its unique ability to capture and reflect the essence of life in real time. This is why so many theatre enthusiasts believe that the role of theatre in our society is to reflect reality, illuminating truths about society and human nature. In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the central character explains to a group of actors that they are “to hold, as ‘twere, the mirror up to nature”. And so, it was no surprise that this is exactly what our full-school musical did. Pippin boasts a myriad of themes, including the cyclical nature of theatre and of life itself. Seeing our grads take one final bow on the stage and be recognized by the younger students after closing night mirrored the end of Pippin in which the title character and Catherine (played by Finley Burke ‘24 and Evie Ohlsen ‘24) exit the theatre for the last time, while young Theo (Elliot Veneziano ‘29) takes their place as the next protagonist for the troupe.

And so besides the high-energy songs, the expert pit band, the whimsical story, and the exceptional performances, what made this performance special was the cross-grade friendships that were fostered and the memories made. Older students mentored and led by example, demonstrating theatre etiquette and expertise, and finally passing the torch to our younger students. Pippin’s success was not only in the show itself, but in the beautiful example of community. Congratulations to all involved!

Creative Team:
Director & Choreographer: Emily Borden
Music Director: Richard Piasetski

Vocal Captain: Mel Edgell ‘25
Graphic Design: Danielle Tylman ‘25
Student Choreographers: Charlotte Hounsome ‘25, Charlotte Polley ‘26 and Elle Robinson ‘26
Head of Wardrobe: Sarah Ewen & Hailey Scott
Costume Crew: Irmak Aydeniz ‘28, Paige Emery ‘26, Jessica Li ‘25 and Ezmay Ireland ‘25
Set Painting Crew: Sloane Basch ‘26, Elle Macrae ‘26, Astrid Kim ‘26, Charlotte Logan ‘26 and Rachel Scobie ‘26
Head of Props: Zoe Sedlak
Props Crew: Delphine Bryce ‘29, Nisha Malhotra ‘27, Grace Rivard ‘29 and Simona Sera ‘29
Head of Hair & Makeup: Kate Konstantinova 
Hair & Makeup Artists: Maia Connell ‘24, Daisy Capombassis ‘26, Chloe Di Girolamo ‘26, Jo Thomson ‘26 and Mackenzie Reid ‘27
AV Technician: Albert Bui
Booth Operators: Jasmine Chen ‘28, Gabby Hawkings ‘28, Kalina Mehta ‘25 and Danielle Tylman ‘25
Sound Design & Operator: Andrew Wilkins ‘25
Photography: Marcio Sargento
Backstage Manager: Allie Gottlieb
Stage Managers: Sam Jaskolka ‘27, Sienna Loh ‘24, Georgia Robinson ‘24 and Sophia Stieber ‘25
Stage Crew: Hayes Anderson-Shore ‘26, Claire Avery ‘25, Kobi Cheng ‘25, Max Follett ‘27, Annie Kay ‘25, Owen Polley ‘24 and Giorgia Rocco ‘26

THE PLAYERS

Pippin - Finley Burke ‘24
Leading Player - Evan Edgell ‘24
Charlemagne - Carter Murphy’26
Berthe - Abby Weston ’26
Catherine - Evie Ohlson ‘24
Fastrada - Molly Marshall ‘25
Lewis - Jonathan Preston ‘24
Theo - Elliot Veneziano ‘29

Mel Edgell ‘25 - Featured Player, Vocal Captain
Carter Goldblatt ‘26 - Featured Player, The Head
Charlotte Hounsome ‘25 - Featured Dancer, Player
Charlotte Polley ‘26 - Featured Dancer, Player
Elle Robinson ‘26 - Featured Dancer, Player

Sloane Basch ‘26 - Player
Kate Claydon ‘29 - Player
Sam Claydon ‘27 - Player
Elora Colbert ‘27 - Player
Sabrina Farah ‘24 - Player
Phoebe Gregson ‘25 - Player
Allegra Mariani ‘25 - Player
Charles Martin ‘29 - Player
Katie Romanelli ‘24 - Player
Claire Sparling ‘26 - Player
Jack Turgeon ‘28 - Player
Liv Waghmare ‘29 - Player

The Band:
Flute, Clarinet - Lilly Vescio ‘24
Trumpet - Henry Farr ‘25
Baritone, Percussion - Kevin Xu ‘24
Bass - Austin Perkell ‘24
Drums - Tavish Wilkin ‘24
Piano & Conductor - Richard Piasetski
Back
No comments have been posted

Greenwood College School

443 Mount Pleasant Road
Toronto, ON M4S 2L8
Tel: 416 482 9811
We acknowledge with gratitude the Ancestral lands upon which our main campus is situated. These lands are the Ancestral territories of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Anishinabek and the Wendake. The shared responsibility of this land is honoured in the Dish with One Spoon Treaty and we strive to care for the land, the waters, and all creatures in the spirit of peace. We are responsible for respecting and supporting the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. When away from this campus we vow to be respectful to the land by protecting and honouring it. We will create relationships with the people and the land we may visit by understanding the territories we enter and the nations who inhabit them.
Copyright © 2022 Greenwood College School