Music director Alejandro Ramos wanted to try something different for Hempfield High School's musical this spring.

"Pippin" perfectly fits the bill.

"Last year we did 'Fiddler on the Roof,'" Ramos said. " 'Fiddler on the Roof' had a lot of expectations, a lot of traditions that had to be correct. There were certain religious elements. There were certain musical elements. There were certain set pieces and lighting that had to be something."

He noted the goal this year was to go in the opposite direction. " 'Pippin' sort of answers that question of what can be the opposite of expectations," he said. " 'Pippin' is very free form. 'Pippin' is very go with the flow. 'Pippin' is very different. If you look at 'Fiddler' across 10 schools, it should be the same each time. If you look at 'Pippin' across 10 schools, there are going to be 10 different productions. As a director, that gives you the experimentation to play and create."

Hempfield's production of "Pippin" will run from Friday, Feb. 28, to Sunday, March 2, in the high school auditorium, 200 Stanley Ave., Landisville. The curtain will be raised at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1. The show time for March 2 will be 2 p.m. There is reserve seating for these performances. Visit http://www.hempfieldsd.org/Page/117 to purchase tickets.

Thursday, Feb. 27, will be Senior Citizen Preview Night, sponsored by the Hempfield Foundation. The 7 p.m. performance that day is only for Hempfield residents age 65 and over. No tickets are required.

Freshman Derek Harris will portray the titular character, Pippin, the heir to the Frankish throne who is in search of the secret to true happiness and fulfillment.

"It's kind of crazy," said Derek, who has performed with Servant Stage Company and at Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre. "I didn't really expect much going into the audition as a freshman and (my) first year doing a musical. The callback list came out and I thought, 'OK, maybe there's a chance.' Even getting a callback was exciting because none of these people had heard me do anything. Then the cast list came out and I found out I was Pippin, and I was blown away. This is the biggest thing I've had to do for a show, and it's just really fun to be able to do it."

Senior Alyssa Pantoja, who is in the ensemble, noted that "Pippin" requires dedication. "It's a very dance-heavy show, so it takes a lot of effort within practice and outside of practice to be able to remember the movements," Alyssa said.

This will mark the first time Hempfield has put on "Pippin." " 'Pippin' is basically about this guy who is the son of a king, and he is trying to find his purpose in life," said Alyssa. "He goes through several different avenues to figure out what he is meant to do. At the end there is a plot twist I can't give away, but it's interesting how it works out."

Sophomore Ayla Vieland, who will portray Catherine, was a member of the ensemble last year and is happy to take on more responsibility. "You definitely have to come to rehearsal and be prepared," said Ayla. " 'Fiddler' is a bit of a more serious show whereas 'Pippin' has serious undertones, but it has fun visuals. There's more energy. It's more visually exciting with the bright colors and costumes."

Junior David Becker, who will play Lewis, Pippin's brother, promises an enjoyable experience for spectators. "I think it's going to be a lot of fun to watch," David said. "It has a fun plot. There is more involvement in it as far as the sets go and the lights. There's going to be magic, thrills, and excitement, keeping you on the edge of your seat. You're not always going to know what comes next."

Hempfield's production will feature magic, acrobats, and a healthy dose of humor. "We're just trying to make great experiences for our kids," said Ramos.

In "Pippin," the actors occasionally break the fourth wall, speaking directly to the audience, and have chances to improvise. "From an acting standpoint, that has been the greatest challenge," Ramos said. "The challenge is not only to learn a role for themselves, but to provide the comedy to the audience. Essentially, the plot to 'Pippin' always stays the plot. The characters on the stage are like a traveling troupe. They travel around the world telling the story. Sometimes a funny thing happens, and a comedy piece is introduced, and they have to break out of the character to tell the Hempfield audience what is going on. It's an advanced, mature acting technique to do those types of things, but that has been a joy."

Pippin's score was composed by Oscar and Grammy winner Stephen Schwartz, who also wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway show and recent movie "Wicked."

In addition to Derek, Ayla, and David, the main cast includes Adelynn Aument as Leading Player, Will Cassidy as King Charles, Reese Szulborski as Fastrada, Acacia Arn as Berthe, Graham Best as Theo, and Adelynn Aument, Bella Smith, and Peyton Witmer as the Mansion Trio.