A young boy is sleeping in the middle of the stage as voices begin to echo, “Pippin, everything you have been looking for” and “you are not very smart, Pippin.” I was curious if this was a dream or real life as the narrators appeared on stage to set the scene of this year’s musical.

As medieval characters begin to dance, Pippin, directed and choreographed by dance teacher Christien Polos, introduces Pippin’s conflicting quest for happiness and living up to society’s expectations.

The story begins with the arrival of an ensemble of circus-like characters on stage. Pippin (junior Diego Echeverria De Cordova), a young man, craves adventure and meaning in his life. His father, the distracted king Charles (sophomore Tristan Conaway), does not respect Pippin as much as he respects Pippin’s stepbrother (senior Hunter Amory). Pippin is eventually convinced by these performers that killing his father will fully satisfy him in life. Along the way, Pippin falls for a beautiful, young woman named Catherine (senior Felicia Rosen), which results in a tough choice for Pippin in the end: Should he settle down with Catherine in a peaceful village, or should he continue to be controlled by this magical group of performers and let society win?

A memorable moment from the second scene starts off with a dark blue background and only a spotlight on Pippin. As the lights get brighter, the stage becomes lined with the medieval ensemble and the two Lead Players (juniors Ranna Shabazi and Zach Lowenstein). Pippin exclaims, “Why do I feel I don’t fit in anywhere I go?” The spotlight follows Pippin as he struts across stage, pausing by different people and using his hands to point to the sky. When the music fades, we are able to see a softer side of Pippin. His simple, white costume stands out among the other extravagant, brightly colored costumes, exemplifying the difference between reality and fantasy.

A powerful moment arrives later in the first act, when Pippin goes to war. The stage turns from a blue to a deep, dark red tone. Soldiers fight with shiny, sharp swords while dancers run across. The music turns from soft beats to fast and loud ones. All of sudden, the music gets softer and Pippin is on his knees among the dead bodies with his two hands in the air; they are drenched in blood.

Pippin kills his father after he realizes that he does not have what it takes to be a soldier in the war. It is clear from the shock and fear in his face that he does not have the heart to fight. Pippin was unsure if killing his father would help satisfy him. He is always searching for better things in life, and in this incident, he loses sight of his own values.

Overall, it is evident that Pippin faces many challenges over the course of the musical. However, the main message is that if you continue searching for happiness, you will never be fully satisfied and you will continue to suppress your morals and go against what you truly believe in. It takes Pippin multiple times for him to finally realize that he loves Catherine and it is not worth losing her for something else.

Catch the musical Pippin on Friday, Feb. 9 and Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7:30. Admission $5.