Pippin, a 5-year-old teacup Yorkshire terrier, will make his stage debut in “The Wizard of Oz” this weekend. Pippin will play the role of Toto in Medomak Valley High School’s fall musical.
The Alna resident was brought to Maine by Aaron and Kristen Robinson. His journey to Alna was fraught with drama, which may have contributed to his theatrical interests. He was purchased from a reputable breeder and the Robinsons booked the flight from the Midwest to Portland.
An error resulted in the tiny pup being sent to Portland, Ore. It took an entire week in a crate before he arrived in Maine. Aaron Robinson opened the crate and the 8-month-old puppy bonded with him immediately. “He rarely leaves my side,” Aaron Robinson said.
Pippin is the young star’s chosen name. He arrived with the name Remi. Aaron Robinson, a noted musician, and Kristen, an actress and singer, often watched old musicals on TV. One night, early in Remi’s life with them, they watched “Pippin” by Stephen Schwartz.
The tiny puppy danced all around. “We thought he was bitten with the theater bug,” said Robinson. “Actually, it was a tick and a treatment cured it, but the name stuck.”
When Kristen and Aaron Robinson welcomed their son, Andrew, Pippin was not pleased. Sharing his “dad” with another dog had been tolerated, but this was unacceptable.
Pippin attempted to “bury” the newcomer by dragging blankets over him. “If Pippin had been a bigger dog, I am sure we would have been rescuing Andrew from being buried in the yard,” Aaron Robinson said. Today, an older and wiser dog, Pippin tolerates young Andrew.
Pippin required some concessions to appear in “The Wizard of Oz.” Not familiar with the world past his mailbox in Alna, he was at first hesitant to leave Aaron Robinson’s side.
Director Nancy Durgin assigned him a handler, Medomak Valley High School student Josh Hagin. “He needed to be separated from Aaron so he could concentrate on his part,” Durgin said. “Pippin has also fallen in love with Ariel Haskins, who plays Dorothy.”
Now Pippin appears excited to leave his mark on the stage at MVHS, as well as in the wings and on the lawn outside.
Pippin, with 50 student actors, including some from Medomak Middle School, is hard at work on his stage debut.
Of his experience onstage so far, Pippin declined to comment. “He was quite attentive when we watched ‘Peter Pan’ this week,” said Robinson. “I think he is eyeing the role of Nana.”
The beloved musical opens on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Show dates and times are Nov. 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 13, and 14 – all evening shows at 7:30 p.m. The Sunday matinee, Nov. 8, is at 2 p.m.
Tickets will be sold at the door for $10 for adults and $8 for ages 17 and under.
All performances will take place at Medomak Valley High School in the Ronald E. Dolloff Auditorium.
