School Musical : Pippin – A Teacher, An Artist, A Dad

The Musical That Did Not Happen

Originally published 2022/06/14, edited for content 2025/08/22

Spring 2020—this phrase should be enough of an explanation as to why this was “the musical that did not happen”.

This was my second high school production, and I thought I would test how well I could plan, manage, and teach along with ramp up production skills. The previous middle school production, Peter Pan, Jr. was a test of set design production on a very small scale though bigger than Seussical. Our design and production crew started in January. Our school did not have the appropriate wood shop with a safe workbench, a dust collector, or a workroom with an outlet. So like my home renovations, we set up the shop outside on the grounds. Students prepared cut lists based on prop plans. Due to the cold weather and each having a chance to experience the chop saw, students cut in shifts while others assembled the pieces. We constructed a large number of heavy duty props for a minimal production set. The concept was to create scenes using the same props in orchestrated constructions for stairs, thrones, platforms for dancing and hiding places. The heavy-duty props were six large custom-constructed trunks designed to accommodate the weight and force of dancing performers and large enough for the performers to hide. We also constructed two large stackable towers assembled by the performers choreographed to move along with the song.

Props for the Set

The Trunks

The trunks were heavy, but their purpose was to support stacking them at least three high, dancers performing on them, or actors hiding within them. As an initial design, they worked; however, could have they been produced lighter and still hold an actor’s weight and dancing force?

The prototype built by me. This trunk helped to verify the design plans, provide a course of instruction, and the production’s cost estimate to make five more.

This student’s maiden cut. She enjoyed using this tool to the extent that she controlled the chop saw for a large portion of the cut list.

Student working on the ribs—one of 15—for the five remaining trunks. He set pilot holes before driving fasteners into the butt joints.

Recycling rope from Peter Pan, Jr., the students designed and installed handles and lid restraints. These were elements I forgot to include in my design (cheers to the students for their concept and retrofitting!)

The Towers for Backdrops

Two tall towers had a purpose to create the backdrops the actors would install for their storytelling. The transitions would be song and dance choreographed to assemble the towers and hang the painted canvases. The director wanted them tall and strong enough for actors to potentially perform/climb them—why they were constructed with 2×4 lumber.

Two posts were considered. The first design was basic with the consideration of simple assembly for the performers so they could concentrate delivering their lines and steps. Sandbags and trunks would hold the structure’s base to the floor allowing a good tension for the rope to support the canvas.

The second design’s bulk had the intention to have more presence on stage and to support any action on them. Additionally, their large footprint and weight could be enough to hold the rope taught.

The prototype and finesse work to make Tower Design 2. A tension clamp holds the two halves of the top platform for the purpose of reducing the weight and storage during and after the performance.

A prototype for one section of a 12-foot tower to be constructed by performers while singing.

Students worked and planned from the prototype to make the two towers. The stage crew rehearsed several times as a test to work out kinks and refine the pieces. The towers would then be wired together to support backdrop curtains—12 total—for scene changes the performers would also stage.

The sketches for two of the backdrops.

Armor, swords and banners.

Foam, paper, hot glue, hole punchers, shoe string, spray paint—thirteen times.

We made 13 breast plates in two sizes to accommodate large and small performers.

Two of the final pieces before color application. Several details were added for texture for the illusion of rivets and emblems.

Testing a fit and rehearsing live changes for the performers.

Eight rivets for each of the 13 breast plates. We threaded a small gauge rope knotted to not fall out during the performance.

The Unfortunate Happened

It was March 2020, and COVID shut the world down. The virus took away this vast amount of rehearsal and set production effort from being seen. The trunks sat stacked in the storage room. The towers stood erected on stage waiting for somebody to hang a canvas. The foam armors in floppy piles collected dust and later tossed in garbage cans to make room for storage space. The protest signage became materials for other shows. It was the musical that never happened.