A new perspective of the classic tale of Pinocchio, told from Geppetto's side, will be presented at Stuart’s Opera House this weekend.
Pinocchio’s less than honest antics take a back seat to Geppetto’s side of the story in the ABC Players upcoming performance of Disney’s My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto’s Musical Tale.
Viewers will see the story unfold through the eyes of Geppetto the toymaker as it follows his journey to find and understand his new son, who has run away from home. The local theater group will present the play Thursday through Sunday at Stuart's Opera House, 52 Public Square, Nelsonville.
“Originally, Geppetto was a plot device. In this story, you see his inner struggles as the show goes on. You get to see how he's feeling when he realizes Pinocchio isn't everything he wished for,” Joe Asente, who will play Geppetto in the play, said.
As Geppetto takes over the reigns as the main character, the story shifts to his side of the story. Pinnochio is then seen as a problematic child who doesn’t listen to his father or isn’t the child Geppetto expects him to be. Asente said the story mainly focuses on Geppetto’s inner struggles between what he wants and what he has.
“He’s trying to find a balance between filling his empty heart and living a life where he isn't trying to change Pinocchio,” Asente, a junior studying integrated language education, said. “Children can be different from their parents, which is a major theme of the play.”
The musical is one of a series of installments that the ABC Players, a local theater group, has in store for the year. After the success of last year’s musical performance of Shrek the Musical, Asente said the troupe is trying to attract a more family-oriented audience.
“This is our first year doing a kid-friendly season. We decided to tap further into shows that had more appeal than an old fashioned show,” Asente said. “There's a much smaller percentage of the population that wants to see Fiddler on the Roof.”
While My Son, Pinocchio: Geppetto’s Musical Tale is a family-friendly show, Matthew Johnson, the director of the play, said any age group can appreciate it.
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“When you think about Pinocchio, it’s easy to think of it as a children's show. Even if you don't have kids, it appeals to us all,” Johnson said. “It’s about family and wanting something in your life and things not turning out the way you expected to be.”
The play also features music from Stephen Schwartz, a composer who has worked on music for Disney movies such as Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. For Johnson, it is a special privilege to be able to perform music from Schwartz.
“Schwartz is one of the composers that I look up to, so to do one of his shows is great,” Johnson said. “He’s a big powerhouse in the industry, so the music is really good.”
As Geppetto journeys to find his son, Asente said he has difficulties with many things that college-aged students can relate too.
“You can relate to him not knowing what he wants,” Asente said. “You go to college thinking you know what to do, but you have no idea. Not knowing what you want in life is something we can relate too.”
Some students agree that Disney classics are still relevant.
"I still like (Disney films)," Tori Neal, an undecided sophomore, said. “They hold a special place in my heart and I'm going to keep watching them."
@AustinRErickson
ae554013@ohio.edu
