Australian Theatre to Re-Open with PIPPIN

[macbeth]

I believe this is the first major production coming back to Sydney? 

https://aussietheatre.com.au/news/145006

“Foundation Theatres is delighted to be reopening the Sydney Lyric in November with this brilliant show” said Foundation Theatres owner Stephen Found. “We are a proud part of the wonderful tapestry of venues, producers, artists, managers, technicians, crew and creatives that all combine to make magic on our stages, and we want to see them back at work. It’s now time to act to restore confidence in the theatre industry for theatre-goers to feel safe when seeing shows again and for theatre-makers to weave their magic. To all who love the live theatre experience, our message is clear: Help us to raise the curtain on Sydney’s theatres and reignite the creative industries in NSW. Join us for PIPPIN. As the players in PIPPIN tell us as the curtain rises: We’ve got magic to do.”

 

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Well, it definitely plays up the suicide subtext...

[qolbinau]

Will there be social distancing? The lyric is an absolute barn and I’m sure John Front would be able to negotiate good rates for a theatre that would otherwise be unused - so it might be economically viable.

[SweetLips22]

I'll be there, even if I have to sit on a strangers lap----start casting, and this will be very interesting to find out who plays who.

We certainly don't have a Patina Miller here that I know about.

[Sutton Ross]

And you never will, she is one of a kind. 

Make sure to ask permission when you sit on their lap though! 

[brettystar]

I am a little skeptical with this one.  I will buy my tickets nonetheless but I am not really expecting that is going to happen.

It is so odd that it seems to have more or less sprung up out of the blue - with a three month lead in for ticket sales - no cast announcement for a show that is largely unknown to those outside of the theatre world - and in the middle of a pandemic.

It perplexes me.

I am actually not even convinced that Frozen and Hamilton won't be pushed back, especially if the borders remain closed to interstate tourists.

I look forward to seeing what happens in any case.

[rosscoe(au)]

Agree this ain’t gonna happen. Frozen and Hamilton will be delayed as well.

[trpguyy]

[brettystar]

rosscoe(au) said: "Agree this ain’t gonna happen. Frozen and Hamilton will be delayed as well."

What I find interesting is that I have seen the advertisement for Pippin on TV a LOT in the past week - and I hardly watch free to air.  I just can't understand what the thinking is behind it, why pump all that money on TV if you know it isn't going to happen.... and the season so far is only three weeks long so it is not worth doing it to just accrue interest from the ticket sales.

Re Frozen - Come From Away have announced they are at the Capital in June so Frozen being pushed back does not seem like a possibility unless it is going to have a very short run.  As it is a 6 month run is fairly short for Disney.

Crazy times indeed.

[Lousy]

SweetLips22 said: "I'll be there, even if I have to sit on a strangers lap----start casting, and this will be very interesting to find out who plays who.

We certainly don't have a Patina Miller here that I know about."

Zahra Newman would be incredible.

[qolbinau]

It looks like Patina Miller's understudy/replacement Gabrielle is being flown over to play the role!

[LizzieCurry]

Here's the full cast announcement:
https://aussietheatre.com.au/news/pippin-cast-announced

[darquegk]

So this isn’t the six-person Pippin they’d discussed before? Or was that a different pandemic staging.

[qolbinau]

This appears to be the Diane Paulus revival.

A minor bit of scandal is happening with the show right now, a local complaining that the Leading Player should not be imported:

https://www.smh.com.au/culture/musicals/i-am-angry-musical-star-slams-pippin-producers-over-casting-decision-20201009-p563qs.html

 

[SouthernCakes]

I’m not sure what her complaint is? She auditioned and they didn’t want her? That’s the business.

I’m more curious if Equity is allowing the Broadway performer to do this or because its in Australia, they don’t really have any say.

[LizzieCurry]

This all ties in with the controversy after the super-white Rob Guest Endowment announcement. I can see the issue — there are plenty of non-white Australian performers who could've done this, but the optics (at the least; there are obviously a lot of other problems at play here) aren't great to bring in an American.
https://artsreview.com.au/statement-by-the-equity-diversity-committee-on-the-rob-guest-endowment/

(Then again, I wouldn't blame Americans for looking overseas for work at this point.)

[SweetLips22]

Who is Zahra Newman, Lousy?

Pippin is an import too, I think--could be wrong.

For such a short season theatre starved patrons would be happy to see Minnie Mouse as The Leading Player, or a coloured male, or Chinese or whatever nationality.

And I think that KAK will pull in her TV followers-a clever bit of stunt casting. I wonder if the make-up people will undo what untold $s have created to make her look 'older than she ever intended to be'?

[ElphabaGoodman]

Zahra Newman played Nabulungi in the Australian production of The Book of Mormon. This production seems to be put together fairly quickly, I can see why they’d hire someone that has experience in the role.

Ainsley Melham, who is playing Pippin, is 100% Australian, originated Aladdin in Australia. He just happened to move to the Broadway company and then the US tour.

No one has mentioned yet, but Leslie Bell who was a Broadway gypsy in the 90s (performed in 7 Broadway shows) is playing Fastrada. She’s American, but has been living in Sydney for about 20 years now.

[LizzieCurry]

I saw Zahra as Nabulungi and she was fantastic. I also thought she would've made a wonderful Leading Player!

[SouthernCakes]

Seems like they’re bringing over a lot of Broadway people for Frozen.

[LizzieCurry]

Are they?

https://frozenthemusical.com.au/cast/