ART's PIPPIN Honing Current Run; Still Eyeing Broadway in 2013?

Pippin began performances earlier this month at The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) surrounded by Broadway buzz. But according to a report by the Associated Press, the show's cast and creative team are keeping their focus to making the current run stand on its own before Pippin officially opens on January 3rd.

'"You're always going to get people who come in and expect to see what they saw years ago," Patina Miller (the Leading Player) said. "I'm not Ben Vereen."

In fact, to make that point, she at first resisted the costume she was given - a slinky, black, curve-hugging tuxedo-like number - because it looked too much like Vereen's.
Then she saw how good she looked in it. "I decided it works," she says with a smile.'

As previously reported, producing team Barry and Fran Weissler along with Howard and Janet Kagan have given enhancement money in order to 'enable them to put together a commercial production of "Pippin" for Broadway.' And Barry Weissler is reportedly 'talking to Broadway theater owners about a house.'

With music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Roger O. Hirson, the production is directed by A.R.T. Artistic Director Diane Paulus. Previews began at the Loeb Drama Center (64 Brattle Street, Cambridge) on December 5, with press opening on January 3, and running through January 20, 2013.

Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson's beloved coming-of-age musical is directed by Diane Paulus with circus choreography by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers) and choreography by Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse. Set design is by Tony Award-winning designer Scott Pask, costume design by Dominique Lemieux, lighting design by Tony Award-winning designer Kenneth Posner, and sound design by Tony winner and A.R.T. Resident Sound Designer Clive Goodwin. Orchestration is by Tony Award-winner Larry Hochman, Music Supervision by Nadia Di Giallonardo, and the Music Director is Charlie Alterman.

The cast is led by Matthew James Thomas as Pippin, with Erik Altemus as Lewis, Andrew Cekala as Theo, Charlotte d'Amboise as Fastrada, Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine, Terrence Mann as King Charles, Andrea Martin as Berthe, and Patina Miller as the Leading Player. Other members of the company include Gregory Arsenal, Stephanie Pope Caffey, Lolita Costet, Colin Cunliffe, Andrew Fitch, Orion Griffiths, Viktoria Grimmy, Olga Karmansky, Bethany Moore, Phlip Rosenberg, YanNick Thomas, Molly Tynes, and Anthony Wayne.

Matthew James Thomas, Gregory Arsenal, Lolita Costet, Orion Griffiths, and YanNick Thomas are appearing with the permission of Actors' Equity Association. The A.R.T. gratefully acknowledges Actors' Equity Association for its assistance on this production.

Royal heir Pippin is spurred on by a mysterious group of performers to embark on a death-defying journey to find his "corner of the sky." The original production of Pippin, directed by Bob Fosse, premiered on Broadway in 1972. It won nine Tony Awards and four Drama Desk Awards, and ran for close to 2000 performances before closing in 1977. Pippin has become a staple of the American Musical cannon, noted for many memorable songs including Corner of the Sky, Magic To Do, l Guess I'll Miss The Man, Glory, No Time at All, Morning Glow, and Love Song.

Tickets for Pippin begin at $25 and can be purchased online from October 23 at www.amrep.org/events/show/pippin or by calling 617-547-8300.