Roger O. Hirson News

This month, PIPPIN, returned to NYC for a sold out run at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in NYC. PIPPIN was produced by the Broadway Workshop and Project Broadway as their 2017 Main Stage production. Scroll down for photos of the cast in action!

A thrilling update of classic Broadway fare--and winner of four 2013 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival-- the national tour of Pippin comes to the intimacy of Stage One for five performances. Concluding the Harris Center "Big Stage" series, this unforgettable production is full of high-flying, death-defying acrobatics, wondrous magical feats and soaring songs from the composer of Wicked. "Anyone who's seen this production knows how magical the theater can be. This production melds extraordinary circus acrobatics and magical illusions with 'ordinary' virtues like accomplished acting, singing, and dancing" (Boston Globe).

Since its inception over forty years ago, Princeton Summer Theater (PST) has helped launch the careers of hundred of young artists while bringing high-quality, affordable theater to the greater Mercer County area.

The new musical Ben, Virginia and Me: The Liberace Musical will get a special concert presentation at theNational Arts Gallery (15 Gramercy Park South) on Monday, April 17 at 7:30 pm, before debuting a fully staged production at this year's New York Musical Festival (NYMF). Ben, Virginia and Me: The Liberace Musical has a book by Roger O. Hirson (Tony Nominee for Pippin) and music and lyrics by Barbara Carole Sickmen and will be directed by Paul A. Stancato (National Tours: Flashdance, The Lion King, The Wedding Singer) and Music Director Jesse Warkentin (National Tours: Wicked, Cinderella).   Ben, Virginia and Me: The Liberace Musical is produced by Ron Sickmen. Tickets are FREE to the public but reservation are necessary, they can be made by emailingtheatre@thenationalartsclub.org.

Experience the thrilling 2013 Tony Award-winning musical PIPPIN at the Capitol Center for the Arts (Concord, NH) on Thursday, May 11 at 7:30pm. This show tells the story of a young prince on a death-defying journey to find meaning in his existence. It explores the glories of war, the temptations of love, and the intrigues of political power before discovering happiness lies not in the extraordinary but in the ordinary moments of every day.

The University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences presents the third annual production of the UW Musical Theater Program, Pippin. The production runs March 10th through March 19th at the Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse at NE 41st Street and University Way NE. 

Experience the thrilling 2013 Tony Award®-winning musical PIPPIN - described as "An eye-popping, jaw-dropping, VISUALLY STUNNING extravaganza. THE THRILL OF THE SEASON!" by NY1 - at the State Theatre for two shows on Sunday, March 26.

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) announced today the initial lineup for 2017 NYMF. Among the shows announced in the lineup are the Next Link Project musical selections, as well as invited production selections. Now in its fourteenth year, the 2017 Festival will take place July 10th through August 6th at locations around midtown Manhattan in New York City. Dan Markley serves as NYMF Executive Director & Producer and Rachel Sussman serves as Director of Programming & Artist Services.

The University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences presents the third annual production of the UW Musical Theater Program, Pippin. The production runs March 10th through March 19th at the Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse at NE 41st Street and University Way NE. 

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) has announced its annual summer show performance series at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

The University of Washington School of Drama, under the leadership of Executive Director Todd London, has announced its 2016-2017 Season. As with their 75th anniversary season, the School of Drama will continue to build artistic partnerships with both local and national artists in an effort to provide more diverse learning opportunities for their students and create a laboratory environment within the School. Guest artists involved this season include: Ali el-Gassier, Marya Sea Kaminski, Jane Jones, Ellen McLaughlin, Qui Nguyen, Ken Rus Schmoll, Daniel Talbott, and Anne Washburn.

Today in 1977, Pippin closed at the Minskoff Theatre, after having played 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.

After seeing Middle Township High School's production, community members petition for more restrictions on material performed.

There are some shows that tempt a reviewer to write a lengthy essay going into great detail about the many reasons why the show succeeds or fails. Other shows make a reviewer simply want to say, 'Just go see this show,' and nothing more. While there is, of course, much to say about the touring production of the Broadway musical Pippin, now at Providence Performing Arts Center, the production's merits can absolutely be summed up briefly: See. This. Show.

The extraordinary journey of the Broadway revival of PIPPIN began at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge a few years back, and now that triumphant Tony Award-winning musical, directed by Diane Paulus, is back in Boston via the national tour. While some tweaks have since been made to the production that had its Broadway tryout at the A.R.T., the show's exuberant joie de vivre and circus-inspired excitement are still intact. If anything, the show's politics and humor have been heightened in this iteration, thanks largely to its sensational cast.

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

Experience the thrilling 2013 Tony Award-winning musical PIPPIN at the Washington Pavilion for five shows, running tonight, January 20, through January 23, 2016.

The 2013 Tony Award-winning musical PIPPIN, described as "an eye-popping, jaw-dropping, visually stunning extravaganza" by NY1, visits the Providence Performing Arts Center February 16 - 21, 2016. In Providence, PIPPIN is part of the Taco/White Family Foundation Broadway Series.

The National Tour of PIPPIN is, hands down, the finest touring production to land at The McCallum Theatre during my tenure in the desert cities. Passionate. Polished. Near Perfection! It is a glorious spectacle of sight, sound and immaculate storytelling that, despite its mesmerizing visual feast of circus spectacle, remains honest and intimate and, at every turn, very human.