The Corner - 1972 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 9

As part of the international celebration of the quadricentennial of Shakespeare's death, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in Lincoln Center is presenting a new free multimedia exhibition, SHAKESPEARE'S STAR TURN IN AMERICA, which documents the on-going popularity of Shakespeare's plays in North America from Colonial times to present day using materials from the Library's vast collections.

Creedence Clearwater Revisited will bring hits like "Green River," "Bad Moon Rising" and more to The Orleans Showroom March 19-20.

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.

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

It is with sadness that the Stratford Festival bids farewell to the man who was Canada's oldest working actor. William Needles died January 12, at the age of 97, surrounded by his family, at a hospice in Alliston, Ontario. Just days earlier, he had left his adopted hometown of Stratford, after suffering a massive heart attack on December 19.

Happy New Year, BroadwayWorld! As we eagerly anticipate the amazing musicals and plays coming up in 2016, we're taking a moment to look back at the significant Broadway closings of 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."

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.'

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.

It's commonplace for any songwriter to write a song about their past. But when Bill Anderson, Vicky McGehee and Jamey Johnson co-wrote 'The Guitar Song,' eight years ago, they had no idea they were actually writing it about their future.

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.

Mamai Theatre Company continues its third season with new private and public funding grants, two new venues, and a production of Tennessee Williams' American classic, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, directed by Mitchell Fields.

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.

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.

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.

When the curtain hiding the big top is dropped after the opening verses of PIPPIN's first song, it reveals one of the most stunning visual tableaus you will ever see on stage. Acrobats, contortionists, clowns, and dancers line the colorful stage in a dazzling array of theatrical magic. However, as breath-taking as the opening scene is, the musical's impact runs far deeper than just its attractive surface. The show possesses palpable wit, passion, emotion, and a message that should impact theatre-goers of all ages. PIPPIN is, by far, the most exhilarating touring show to come through The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in its first season as host of Orlando's Broadway Series. This visually and emotionally satisfying gem runs through this Sunday, April 26th; don't miss your chance to experience this beautiful corner of the musical theatre sky.

California Musical Theatre announced the 2015-16 Broadway Sacramento season at the Community Center Theater, featuring six shows not previously presented on the series, two of which were produced in the round at Music Circus but never before part of Broadway Sacramento.

'If music be the food of love, play on.' Even before the invention of the musical comedy (more on that later), William Shakespeare knew the importance of music in telling stories on stage. For our March feature, my colleague Jeff Walker and I thought that instead of marking the Ides of March with songs about murder, betrayal, and fate, we would focus on the synergy between showtunes and Shakespeare.

The touring production of PIPPIN landed in Nashville Tuesday night to begin their week of magic and mystery at Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

For 40-some years now, Stephen Schwartz's Pippin, the musical about an inquisitive young man in search of meaning in his life - and, notwithstanding, the actual meaning of life - has enraptured audiences, inspired legions of theater devotees and provided any number of young men (and a not insignificant number of young women, either, we suppose) with their go-to audition song in 'Corner of the Sky.'

Happy Birthday, Stephen Schwartz! In a career spanning over four decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as Godspell (1971), Pippin (1972) and Wicked (2003). He has also contributed lyrics for a number of successful films, including Pocahontas (1995), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), The Prince of Egypt (1998; music and lyrics) and Enchanted (2007). Schwartz has won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics, three Grammy Awards, three Academy Awards and has been nominated for six Tony Awards.

Local horn players from Arcadia and surrounding communities, will be joining the legendary Motown group, The Four Tops onstage at Arcadia Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 21 at 8pm.

PIPPIN, the Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) and Roger O. Hirson (book) magical show is now on stage at The Palace Theatre. It tells a modern version of the mythical tale of Pippin, the oldest son of King Charlemagne, and his search for purpose and identity.

PIPPIN concludes its Broadway run today, but the tour cast continues to bring the show to audiences across the country. In this video, the cast takes CBS Sunday Morning behind the scenes through their training process, rehearsal rooms, and more!

Broadway's high-flying, death-defying Tony Award winning hit musical Pippin is closing today, January 4, 2015, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street, NYC), after 709 performances and 37 previews.