Pippin

Pippin opens at The Kleberg at Zach Theater on Thursday, Sept. 24, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 27. It's a production of Stephen Schwartz's musical, put on by the students of Zach Academy.

If you're not familiar with the show, Pippin follows a young man who's convinced he's destined for greatness. He spends the story trying to find his place in the world, jumping from one grand ambition to the next, only to find that the 'extraordinary' life he's chasing is a lot harder to pin down than he thought. It's a musical about the gap between who we think we're supposed to be and who we actually are, and it's got a score by Stephen Schwartz that's as catchy as it is thoughtful.

Since this is a Zach Academy production, the cast is made up of students. That's the thing about these shows: you're watching young performers take on a full-scale musical, and there's a particular energy to it when the people on stage are learning the craft in real time. It's a student production through and through, from the acting to the music.

The show runs from Thursday, Sept. 24, through Sunday, Sept. 27, with times varying across the four days, so you'll want to check the schedule before you pick your night. Tickets are $20 to $35, and the venue is The Kleberg at Zach Theater here in Austin.