BWW Review: As Dynamic As Ever, BEN VEREEN Again Lights Up Feinstein's/54 Below With Unabashed Optimism
by Alix Cohen - Jan 27, 2016
Attending a Ben Vereen show these days is like worshipping at the altar of Happy. As he displayed once again on Monday's opening night of his latest run at Feinstein's/ 54 Below, the veteran entertainer exudes palpable pleasure at being on stage while repeatedly expressing gratitude to his audience. Performance is deeply sincere. Vereen seems possessed by spirit. When not singing, eyes often closed, his body echoes the sinuous (Bob Fosse) movement that helped established his early reputation.
BWW Review: PIPPIN at Shea's Buffalo Theatre
by Michael Rabice - Jan 27, 2016
The 1970's was an era of self discovery, rebellion and personal exploration. Broadway was morphing from the stock musical comedy formula towards the darker issues of life not usually seen on the musical stage . There was a young Stephen Sondheim delving into the deep interpersonal relations of marriage in COMPANY and FOLLIES, while Michael Bennett had gathered a group of young dancers who were exposing their inner demons and life stories in A CHORUS LINE. Meanwhile the composer Stephen Schwartz began his career with PIPPIN and would later write hit scores for GODSPELL and WICKED
BWW Review: Broadway Sacramento's PIPPIN is Extraordinary
by Harmony Wheeler - Dec 31, 2015
The "magic to do" in Broadway's "Pippin" owes as much to simple storytelling and relatable "players" as to actual magic tricks and acrobatic wonders. A knife-throwing act here, a disappearing act there, the grand circus tent concept that helped the musical win its Tony Award for Best Revival fits flawlessly. But a beautiful new conclusion and a quest for meaning set to Stephen Schwartz's spellbinding music also capture the soul of live theatre. On that count, nothing has changed since the show's 1972 premiere. Young prince Pippin searches for his "corner of the sky," dabbling in war, sex and politics as a "Lead Player" guides him toward one grand "finale."
GODSPELL REIMAGINED Set for Limited Run at Sydney Opera House
by Tyler Peterson - Dec 10, 2015
?The much-loved rock opera GODSPELL - a timeless tale of kindness, tolerance and love will have a one-week season at the Playhouse Theatre, Sydney Opera House from 9 - 14 February 2016 before moving to Melbourne for performances in The Royal Botanical Gardens.
BWW Review: The Orpheum Offers a Flippin' PIPPIN
by Joseph Baker - Nov 18, 2015
There are the warhorse musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin; there are the lavish productions befitting Phantoms in opera houses and French revolutionaries and revisionist fairy tales (and you know the ones I mean); there are the Disney powerhouses; and . . . there are musicals of a quaint, mind-nudging nature that don't quite fit into any category. Certainly THE FANTASTICKS comes to mind, and -- at least in the previous productions I have seen -- Stephen Schwartz's PIPPIN. Somewhere in my video collection is a filmed version of the musical with William Katt, and just a few years ago PIPPIN was the first musical staged at the shiny, new Playhouse on the Square (with Alvaro Francisco stepping in for a sidelined Jordan Nichols). I sometimes think that small-scale musicals are better suited to venues less grand than the Orpheum; I needn't have worried, however, as PIPPIN has acquired the kind of theatrical, Cirque du Soleil-style atmosphere that perfectly suits the show's opening number, 'Magic to Do.'
BWW Reviews: PIPPIN, THE MUSICAL Magic, Razzle Dazzle Under the Big Top!
by Bryan-Keyth Wilson - Oct 24, 2015
The circus is in town and I ain't talking about Barnum & Bailey! The national tour of the 2013 revival of PIPPIN made its way to the Bayou City and I'm hippopotamusly happy to see this tour! When creative geniuses such as Bob Fosse and Stephen Schwartz are at the helm of the original material, there's no denying that a musical theatre maven such as myself would be overzealous.
STAGE TUBE: On This Day for 10/23/15- PIPPIN
by Nicole Rosky - Oct 23, 2015
Today in 1972, Pippin opened at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for 1944 performances. Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto. The musical uses the premise of a mysterious acting troupe, led by a Leading Player, to tell the story of Pippin, a young prince on his search for meaning and significance. The original cast included: Eric Berry, Jill Clayburgh, Leland Palmer, Irene Ryan, Ben Vereen, and John Rubinstein.
BWW Review: Paramount's PIPPIN Shines with a Dark Sexy Circus
by Jay Irwin - Aug 17, 2015
Stephen Schwartz's "Pippin" is one of those under appreciated musicals. It definitely has its problems but if done well it can deliver the goods. Well, the current tour of the recent Broadway run certainly delivers those goods. Not only does it retain the dark edginess of the story but it's also infused with thrilling circus routines that make it a crowd pleaser on many levels.
BWW Previews: PRINCE OF BROADWAY at Tokyu Theatre Orb and Other Musicals Scheduled for Tokyo This Fall
by Bonny Loo - Aug 10, 2015
Before iTunes and Spotify came along, I used to collect every original cast CD of any Broadway or West End musical that I could lay my hands on, including foreign language cast recordings. By far, my largest collection of non-English cast CDs consists of Japanese cast recordings, many of which were released by Gekidan Shiki (Shiki Theatre Company). Over the last five decades, Shiki has mounted Japanese-language productions of Applause (1972), Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), West Side Story (1974), A Chorus Line (1979), Evita (1982), Cats (1983), The Phantom of the Opera (1988), Crazy For You (1993), Beauty and the Beast (1995), The Lion King (1998), Aspects of Love (1999), Mamma Mia! (2002), Aida (2003), The Little Mermaid (2013), The Sound of Music (2013), Wicked (2013) and Aladdin (2015).
BIG FISH Opens Tomorrow at Music Theatre Wichita
by Nora Dominick - Jul 21, 2015
Music Theatre Wichita continues its 44th summer season with Andrew Lippa and John August's Big Fish the musical, a stage adaptation based on the novel by Daniel Wallace and subsequent Tim Burton film.
BWW Reviews: PIPPIN at Music Hall At Fair Park
by Kyle West - Jul 10, 2015
Like most theatre enthusiasts, I've always enjoyed Stephen Schwartz's score for PIPPIN, with "Magic To Do" and "Corner Of The Sky" easily being my favorite songs. That being said, the original production of the show (which, admittedly, I knew only from the VHS recording of the original Broadway cast, and a low-budget college production I saw) never resonated with me. While the opening of the show was always exciting, the show lost its glitter after the first few scenes. Then, in 2013, when I took a front-row seat at New York's Music Box Theatre to catch the celebrated Broadway revival, I found myself lost in this version's newly polished magic. The revival had won me over, and eventually I made two more trips back to New York (to the same seats) for two additional performances.
BWW Reviews: Catch PIPPIN Flying At The Hippodrome
by Cybele Pomeroy - Jun 26, 2015
PIPPIN does what musical theatre ought to do: hooks you with a great opening number, gives you characters to love and hate, treats your senses with song, dance, costuming, sets and lights and offers fresh perspective on a timeless theme.
WBT to Present Stephen Schwartz's GODSPELL
by Tyler Peterson - Jun 23, 2015
This immensely successful rock opera was the first major musical theatre offering from 3-time Grammy and Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, Children of Eden).
BWW Reviews: Oh, It's Time to Start Living! PIPPIN Dances in to Fisher Theatre Thru June 21
by Anton Anderssen - Jun 15, 2015
'What is my purpose in life?' is a question asked by many people as they ponder the reasons for their existence. Finding one's raison d'etre could be the ever-elusive challenge, and should you never discover it, you are in good company. It is an existential question that lingers eternally for people who really want to have a life that matters. Now on stage at The Fisher Theatre is the musical PIPPIN, the tale of existential woe.
BWW Reviews: PIPPIN
by Linda Ann Watt - May 21, 2015
All of PIPPIN'S performers bring energy, extraordinary ability and talent to this revival!
SOUND OFF Special Edition: 10 Biggest & Bloodiest Tony Awards Best Musical Battles
by Pat Cerasaro - May 20, 2015
Bloodshed is par for the course during Tony Awards season, especially as it reaches its peak in the last handful of weeks leading up the big annual ceremony feting theatre's best, so today we take a look back at some of the absolute most brutal and tight Tony Award races for Best Musical in history. Although comparing a group of musicals - alike as dissimilar as they may be - may be an unfair proposition in practice, there is only one way a winner is decided when the Tony Awards rolls around and it unfortunately always finds fan favorites, critical darlings and a few commercial hits vying for top honors. There can only be one Best Musical - well, except for 1960 when there were actually two mainstage entertainments given the prize; THE SOUND OF MUSIC and FIORELLO, with no less than GYPSY ending up an also-ran. Who will claim the trophy on June 7? Tune in then to see!
BWW Reviews: PIPPIN National Tour at Durham Performing Arts Center
by Jeffrey Kare - May 14, 2015
Loosely based on the fictitious life of Pippin the Hunchback, this musical tells the story of the young prince Pippin, Heir to the Frankish throne, who is in search of the secret to true happiness and fulfillment. He seeks it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh and the intrigues of political power (after disposing of his father King Charlemagne the Great). In the end, though, Pippin finds that happiness lies not in extraordinary endeavors, but rather in the un-extraordinary moments that happen every day.
Faith Conservatory of the Fine Arts to Present PIPPIN, 5/8-17
by BWW
News Desk - May 8, 2015
Faith Conservatory of the Fine Arts will bring the magic of "PIPPIN" to life for six special performances, May 8-17. Tickets to the Tony Award-winning musical, from renowned lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz, are available now at www.FaithTheatreCompany.com.
BWW Reviews: PIPPIN Brings Magic to the Fox Theater
by Christie Fisher - May 7, 2015
PIPPIN soars into Atlanta's Fox Theater May 5-10, 2015. Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, this new staging of PIPPIN incorporates circus acrobatic tricks as well as Bob Fosse's iconic choreography.
BWW Interviews: John Rubinstein of PIPPIN National Tour (and the Original Broadway Cast)
by Jeffrey Karasarides - May 4, 2015
The circus is coming to the Durham Performing Arts Center from May 12th-17th in the form of the national touring production of the Tony Award-Winning revival of Pippin! In this national tour happens to be John Rubinstein, who originated the title role in the orginal Broadway production back in 1972. Now he plays Pippin's father Charlemagne, a role originated on Broadway by Eric Berry, and more recently in the 2013 Broadway revival Three-Time Tony Nominee by Terrence Mann.
BWW Reviews: PIPPIN at Agoura High School's Theatre Department - Magic To Do…And They Did!
by Jeffrey Scott - May 4, 2015
The Stephen Schwartz coming-of-age musical that helped put Bob Fosse on the map exploded onto Broadway in 1972. It then had a successful televised version in 1981. With the recent 2013 revival, the theatre world and all who see it are rediscovering this powerful show. It now has a showing through May 2nd with the Theatre Department at Agoura High School.