Pippin
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Play Suggestions
Forum Discription: Need help finding a show that's right for your theater? Ask here.
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1628
Printed Date: 4/20/25 at 10:46pm
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Topic: Pippin
Posted By: LisaJ
Subject: Pippin
Date Posted: 9/29/05 at 3:45pm
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As an actor or audience member, what are your thoughts on this show? From what I can tell from the few people I've talked to....people either LOVE it or HATE it, there's no in between. This is just another show that's been submitted for our next season, and since I have to keep the season confidential from our theatre community, I like to ask your opinions. Thanks in advance!!
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Replies:
Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 9/29/05 at 4:47pm
Put me in the love it category.
However, I've never been involved in a production - and only
saw it once - the original Broadway cast. I loved it.
As I recall, it was h*e*a*v*y on tech requirements (everything
from lots of sets to fire and magic) - and, there was a pretty juicy
lesbian ballet that could give some theaters some trouble LOL.
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Posted By: LisaJ
Date Posted: 9/29/05 at 4:56pm
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tristanrobin -
Your insight is always so helpful. You definitely know your theatre!!! I always enjoy reading your posts! Thank you!!
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Posted By: Shatcher
Date Posted: 9/30/05 at 4:22pm
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I am on the Love side as well. the fire and magic do make it a little bit trickey but isn't that what makes it fun?
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Posted By: pauliebonn
Date Posted: 10/05/05 at 12:55am
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I did Pippin 3 years ago, and it is still one of the best shows I was involved in. Also got to meet Steven Schwartz after one of our performances. That was pretty cool!
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Posted By: red diva
Date Posted: 5/15/06 at 9:12pm
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This is one of my absolute favorite musicals. I directed it quite a few years ago and was a wonderful production, BUT....technically a nightmare. We had what has become known as "the Friday night from Hell" (appropros of one of the themes of the show). In fact, we now refer to the production as "The P Show" (sort of like "the Scottish Show") and make a cross with our fingers anytime it's mentioned.. On said Friday night, our turntable turned at the wrong time during the Leading Player's opening speech, exposing Theo and Pippin waiting on the other side, then turned back to the Leading Player so she could finish her speech. We had a costume that caught on fire from the flashpots (luckily it was fireproofed), other flashpots that didn't go off, scenery that was supposed to fly in that never left its roost, and on and on. BUT...on the nights that everything worked, it was glorious! The uncle of one of the girls in the cast happened to have been the cinematographer on "The Deer Hunter" and when he saw it he described is as very cinematic and he loved it! Go for it, but plan your tech way ahead!
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"I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!"
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Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: 5/16/06 at 10:05am
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"Pippin" is no doubt a challenging play. This script is disjointed, the music is soaring, the choreography is complex and the technical requirements would confound Sigfried and Roy.
Because of these reasons, put me in the "hate" category. Mostly, due to the problematical script which meanders from scene to scene without a solid throughline. (Pippin is trying to find meaning in his life which takes him from the court of Charlemagne to the battlefied to his grandma's house to an orgy!? What?!) And who are these Cirque de Soleil rejects who keep taunting him? And let's not forget the funeral for the duck! (The "duck dirge" as we called it.)
That being said, if your theater can pull off "Pippin," then you can tackle pretty much anything.
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"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone
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Posted By: John Luzaich
Date Posted: 3/07/08 at 12:17pm
I saw Pippin on Broadway with the original cast except for Irene Ryan (Granny Clampit). I think she passed away about six months into the run? Anyway, Stephen Schwartz e-mailed us with the new ending to the show in June of 2000. We talked about producing Pippin for years and finally did June, 2007. Our director/choreographer was a guy that grew up in our town. He lives in L.A. now and danced on Broadway in several shows and he was very "Bob Fosse-esque" in his movements. He took the show in a whole different direction and set it in a 1930's carnival idea with a group of roving "carnies" that played the characters in the show. We had the worlds tallest man 8'6" (walking on painters stilts - hands free) and his wife was 4'10". We had tatoo lady (tatoos all over a flesh tone body suit), snake man (with a real live 9' snake), monkey boy, albino lady, bearded lady, etc. It was patterned after the HBO show "Carnivalle". We had a local magician help us with special effects. We had the theatre decorated with huge painted banners of some of the various characters (like you'd see in old carnivals on TV or movies). It was one of the coolest shows I've seen. It was a huge committment (like most big shows) but the final product was edgy, colorful, vibrant, just an incredible show.
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John
cfct@cfu.net
http://www.osterregent.org
http://www.facebook.com/osterregent
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Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 3/08/08 at 6:04pm
Since this thread was started, I have seen another production - the recent revival at Goodspeed Opera House (with Mickey Dolenz of the Monkeys as Charlemagne).
It was TERRIFIC! Very exciting - very dramatic - very funny - very musical. I had remembered just loving this play when I saw it on Broadway, but I enjoyed it even more this time around!
I would go see it anywhere it was produced.
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Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 3/30/08 at 10:52am
I designed PIPPIN many years ago and we had an incredibly simple set, with the exception of putting in a row of up lighting (actually imbedded in the stage - don't recommend doing this EVER) for the opening scene. You can do it on a shoestring - we used six 4x8's, four stair units and a rehearsal bed. Plus lots of flies, but even that could be worked around. Our houses for the show were very good, sold out for the last week performances.
However, what you do need is a strong choreographer and at least a handful of experienced dancers (not to mention some strong singers) to make it work.
Charlie
I loved this show and it never got old.
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Posted By: notmyshoes
Date Posted: 4/18/08 at 4:30pm
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I've also seen this show done on a shoestring budget - I think it still works without all the glitzy spectacle. I love the show...
"Corner of the Sky" gets a little annoying after the 1000th time, though...
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http://notmyshoes.net/monologues - The Monologue Database - by These Aren't My Shoes Productions
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Posted By: spikesgirl
Date Posted: 4/19/08 at 9:59am
Originally posted by notmyshoes
"Corner of the Sky" gets a little annoying after the 1000th time, though... |
THAT I won't argue with you about. I thought maybe it was just the way the actor sang the song that annoyed me, but am starting to think it's just the song itself.
Did have a great time with the show overall though!
Charlie
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Posted By: chel
Date Posted: 5/01/08 at 10:44am
Originally posted by tristanrobin
Since this thread was started, I have seen another production - the recent revival at Goodspeed Opera House (with Mickey Dolenz of the Monkeys as Charlemagne).
It was TERRIFIC! Very exciting - very dramatic - very funny - very musical. I had remembered just loving this play when I saw it on Broadway, but I enjoyed it even more this time around!
I would go see it anywhere it was produced.
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I'm surprised they did it again. It wasn't a money-maker for them when they did it a few years back. It did better when it went on tour. Glad it was a success this time around.
I saw it twice, both times done by young people's theater...and both times was the same reaction...fun. "I love his feet."
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chel
www.windhamtheaterguild.org
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Posted By: SherrieAnne
Date Posted: 5/01/08 at 8:34pm
I've never done the show (thought I'm debating auditioning for the role of Bigfoot Berthe in the near future), but I saw it three times on Broadway back in the '70s. The first time I was dragged - after that, it was SO personal choice!!! I didn't get to see Irene Ryan or Ben Vereen - but I DID get to see Martha Raye in the part of Berthe. When she came out with the line about the flags, I think they added five minutes to the run time waiting for the audience to stop laughing.
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There's a little bit of diva in all of us. Some just have a larger helping than others.
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Posted By: tristanrobin
Date Posted: 5/01/08 at 9:47pm
chel - you must be thinking of a different company - this was the first production of "Pippin" at Goodspeed.
The tour was this past year of this production.
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Posted By: SherrieAnne
Date Posted: 5/18/08 at 10:12pm
Just wanted to share - I DID go to the auditions for PIPPIN, and I DID get the part of Berthe! I am SO thrilled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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There's a little bit of diva in all of us. Some just have a larger helping than others.
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Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:33am
What a fairdinkum bewdy SherriAnne, G'donya 'n toi toi Chookas to you for the part!
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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}
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Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 5/19/08 at 7:47am
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Did this show back in 1989 - WOW almost 20 years ago. Man time flies. Anyway loved the show. IT IS a bit dated musically now, classic perhaps but dated. AND for what it's worth, it can get VERY PG13 and perhaps even R rated now depending upon the director and choreography - who both were very Fosse-esque as someone put it. Ours was actually done with our Shakespeare In The Park summer series and oddly, it was more well received than the two bard shows that summer. It DID create a bit of controversy however. At one point, the board was going to NOT allow some elements of the show to go on, after we all had worked VERY hard for a very long time to bring it up to speed. So the ENTIRE CAST AND STAFF threatened to WALK away from the shows - many people were cast in the Shakespeare stuff as well - if they did that. They relented and it was the best show of the summer, made the most money and was critically and publicly so well received, they all patted themselves on the back for THEIR ?? vision to do the show and to allow it to go on in the format we presented it. EVERYONE was willing to give up their pay to walk away if necessary. THANKFULLY it wasn't and I got a nice paycheck at the end.
GREAT show but again, musically dated and a bit "conceptual" such that I agree it can appear to be pretty disjointed as Topper put it, and often campy as heck - almost too much at times. But for when it was done, that wasn't as big an issue as it appears to be with this show today.
TonyDi
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"Almost famous"
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Posted By: mary051756
Date Posted: 5/20/08 at 7:27am
I'm in the LOVE to watch it...would HATE to have to put it on category, but if you do...Good Luck!
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“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” EMERSON
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