Time Conquers ‘Pippin’ With No Defense From Prism

“Pippin” is one of those musicals that hasn’t aged well: Its simplistic form is passe, and the score, by the usually melodic and clever Stephen Schwartz, sounds pretty dull and long in the tooth today.

Of course, when the show opened on Broadway in the early 1970s, it had as its two leads Ben Vereen and John Rubinstein, powerhouse performers who could save any show. No such luck with this revival by Prism Productions at the Curtis Theatre in Brea.

The musical, about the second son of the ruler known as Charlemagne, tries to make many sociopolitical points but does it in a paint-by-the-numbers manner. It started out as a college show and fit neatly into the youthful manner prevalent at the time. It just hasn’t ripened as well as its contemporaries, “Godspell” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.”

“Pippin” needs style, pizazz and high-flying invention to work. But under director Gary Krinke here, the staging is colorless and the timing abysmally slow. Even the musical numbers, overseen by musical director Antonio Mojica, have no animation.

Most of the cast is just as listless. Neither Ryan Holihan as Pippin nor Aristotle Rector as the Leading Player has a voice commanding enough for his role. The actors are frequently swallowed up by the small combo’s unbalanced sound. Rector seems to be doing an intimate nightclub turn; Holihan seems confused by everything.

On the plus side, Christopher Spencer makes a strong Charles, Pippin’s father, with a voice powerful enough to give some life to Schwartz’s tunes.

*

Molly Prather as Fastrada, Pippin’s stepmother, and Kate Cooper as Catherine (who saves Pippin from despair and aimlessness) give energetic and vocally appealing performances. In the usually thankless role of Lewis, Pippin’s self-obsessed stepbrother, Tom Proprofsky delivers a funny, mocking portrayal of his character’s pseudo-macho posturing.

* “Pippin,” Curtis Theatre, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea. Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Ends March 14. $10-$20. (714) 990-7722. Running time: 2 hours.

Aristotle Rector: Leading Player

Ryan Holihan: Pippin

Christopher Spencer: Charles

Tom Proprofsky: Lewis

Molly Prather: Fastrada

Evelyn Canedy: Bertha

Kate Cooper: Catherine

A Prism Productions revival of the Roger O. Hirson-Stephen Schwartz musical. Producer: Mary Engwall. Director: Gary Krinke. Musical direction: Antonio Mojica. Choreography: John Vaughan. Lighting design: Joel Howden. Sound design: Tim Engwall. Costume design: Mary Engwall. Stage manager: Darline Sacquety.