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Posted on Wed, Nov 24, 2010 : 5:18 a.m.

'Pippi Longstocking' will sing and dance on stage at EMU

By Jenn McKee

Pippi3.jpg

Krissi Hardy stars in EMU's "Pippi Longstocking."

Many of the college students involved in staging Eastern Michigan University’s production of “Pippi Longstocking” had little to no familiarity with Astrid Lindgren’s iconic children's lit character before working on the show; and director Pam Cardell suspects that the same will be true of young people in the audience.

“I don’t think a lot of kids now are (aware of Pippi),” said Cardell. “I polled the cast last night, just to find out how many of them had heard of Pippi. And a few of them had, … but a lot of them had not. They’d maybe heard of the character, but they’d never read the book or seen the films.”

To refresh all of our memories, here’s a Pippi primer: Pippi — a young girl with two red braids so stiff that they defy gravity — lives alone in a house with her pet monkey and her horse. Her father, a pirate, has been lost at sea, yet Pippi hopes for his return while seeking out new adventures with the boy and girl who live next door.

“She has super strength, she’s not afraid of anything,” said Cardell of Pippi. “She’s a really vivacious character, and as a kid, you just think about how cool her life is. She's got her own house, she can pick her horse up over her head, … and there’s a chest of pirate gold in the house.”

Swedish author Lindgren initially wrote Pippi’s story when her then-9-year-old daughter, Karin, requested a get-well story while home sick from school. The first three Pippi books were published between 1945 and 1948, with additional books, as well as numerous television and film adaptations, following.

Thomas W. Olson’s stage adaptation, meanwhile, features music by Roberta Carlson.

PREVIEW

“Pippi Longstocking”

  • Who: Eastern Michigan University theater department.
  • What: Stage musical adaptation of Astrid Lindgren’s precocious, pigtailed, and plucky young heroine. Living life on her own terms, Pippi charges headlong into excitement and adventure as she awaits the return of her long-lost pirate father. Adapted by Thomas W. Olson, music by Roberta Carlson, recommended for age 6 and older.
  • Where: Quirk Theatre, at the intersection of Best Hall and East Circle Drive in Ypsilanti.
  • When: Friday, December 3 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, December 4 at 3 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, December 5 at 3 p.m.; Thursday-Friday, December 9-10 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, December 11 at 3 p.m. (School matinees Wednesday-Thursday, December 8-9, at 10 a.m.)
  • How much: $15 for adults, $7 for children 12 and under. ($12 for students.) Information: 734-487-2282 or online via EMU.

“The plot is one structured story, but it pulls together different elements,” Cardell explained. “It’s an adaptation of the original book. … Pippi meets the people in this town, and meets the boy and girl who live next door, and she goes to school for first time, but she’s waiting for her father to return. So there’s a lot in it, but there’s one basic storyline.”

Cardell had been a fan of Lindgren’s original book as a young girl, and she thinks the stage adaptation’s musical elements will help draw kids in to Pippi’s world.

“We’re having lots of fun with the songs and dance in show,” Cardell said. “It’s very high energy, so I think 6-year-olds, 16-year-olds, and 70-year-olds will all enjoy it.”

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.

Comments

LauraVan Zomeren

Sun, Dec 5, 2010 : 9:48 p.m.

wow...what a fantastic musical! the lead in the play was outstanding, and had a ton of energy. the entire cast was strong, and kids were belly laughing all around me. my niece loved the cops and the slow motion scene. well done, emu!

RhondaM

Wed, Nov 24, 2010 : 12:22 p.m.

Yay! I loved Pippi Longstocking