If you've seen the episode of "Gilmore Girls" (2000-07) in which Miss Patty's dance school puts on a corny and somewhat eclectic dance recital, then you're already familiar with "Pippin." The recital kicks off with invasive and enthusiastic children in bright leotards singing "Magic to Do," an upbeat song that maps out the journey the performers hope to guide the audience through. "Magic to Do" also happens to be the opening number for "Pippin," Torn Ticket II's spring major play, and though the piece is just as lively in the Tufts troupe's hands, it's also something more: It's sexy, jarring and even a little sinister.
In their performance, running tonight, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Torn Ticket II evokes the edginess from Stephen Schwartz and Robert Hirson's 1972 black comedy about the son of Charlemagne. Pippin (freshman Bradley Balandis), an earnest and bookish prince, desires to find meaning in his life and decides — probably incorrectly, considering his sensitive temperament — that the best way to go about that is by serving as a soldier in the nation's battle against the Visigoths.
The legendary Bob Fosse choreographed the original "Pippin," making dance an integral part of any production. Because so many important moments in the play are accented with a song and dance, senior Alyza DelPan-Monley's choreography aims to create and unearth physical relationships between characters, developing the plot and propelling the play forward. "Hopefully the audience will see the different characters and transformations that they're making," she said.
Director Joshua Glenn-Kayden, a junior, explained how the cast endeavors to strike the balance between light and dark themes in "Pippin."
"It's a fun and funny show, but there are dark and dramatic undertones," he said.
Nowhere is that dichotomy clearer than in the musical number "Glory," a song that sexualizes and extols the violent art of war. Senior Samantha Kindler, the lead troupe player, belts a solo set to a sultry but energetic tune and leads the troupe in a dance to match.
As the cast members swivel their hips and spin gleaming swords, it's easy to overlook the brutal, almost cannibalistic lyrics: "Blood is warmer than wine," Kindler sings.
Sparkle and seediness collide again in the play's aesthetics. Glenn-Kayden said the costumes were meant to look "punk and gypsyish" in order to capture the aesthetic of a wandering troupe. Rock 'n' roll jeans and vests share the stage with peasant-like dresses and, on one actress, too many ties to count from the back row.
The wardrobe juxtapositions work in tandem with the scenery — large cut-outs and blocks of wood painted in bold colors — to enhance the unrealistic, exaggerated nature of "Pippin." This is, after all, a play within a play.
Glenn-Kayden said he wanted audiences to be enchanted by and appreciative of the dichotomies that Torn Ticket II strives to showcase in this performance.
"I hope that the audience finds the play entertaining and funny, but I also hope there's a moment when they realize that what they're laughing at is a dark concept," he said.
And you will laugh. Maybe it will be sophomore Jacob Passy's hilarious portrayal of Lewis (Pippin's obnoxious younger brother) that gets you, or freshman Cailin MacKenzie as a deliciously hyperbolic king. If they don't get you, the vaudevillian slapstick is bound to. So if you're looking for a laugh this weekend, head to Cohen Auditorium — just be mindful that there's more to this hoot and holler than meets the eye.
