Seasoned actors can convey subtle emotions to the back row, even through their two-man horse costume. Watch pros at work with this GrouponLive deal to see Pippin, presented by Kansas City Repertory Theatre at Spencer Theatre. For $25, you get one ticket in main-section seating (up to a $49 value, including all fees). Choose between the following performances:

• Saturday, September 22, at 2 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m.
• Saturday, September 29, at 2 p.m. Doors open at 1 p.m.

Innovative artistic director Eric Rosen wanted to reintroduce audiences to the 1972 musical Pippin—the story of King Charles The Great’s son searching for his own identity amid betrayal, war, and love—and at the same time, turn it on its head. To do this, he moved the play from the Middle Ages to 2012 and cranked up Stephen Schwartz’s rock score by having the actors play their own instruments. The typically piano-driven opener “Magic to Do” becomes a garage stomper fueled by caffeinated electric guitar, kicking off the show with a newfound spirit.

As Pippin, played by Drama Desk nominee Claybourne Elder, embarks on his quest for fulfillment, he encounters a colorful cast of characters with mysterious motivations to help him, from his youthful grandmother to a performance troupe led by a charismatic yet enigmatic Leading Player. By turns both comic and sinister, Pippin combines compelling drama with the raw energy of rock ‘n’ roll, much like an arm-wrestling match between Simon and Garfunkel.