Tony Tuesday: Pippin

This week we may be jumping back to the early teenies for the performance, however, the show originally debuted in the 70s. So, let’s rejoice in some soul finding musical majesty. This week’s TONY Tuesday is:

‘Corner Of The Sky/Magic To Do’ from Pippin at the 2013 TONY awards ceremony. 

Although the characters of Pippin and his father Charlemagne are based upon real life people from the Middle Ages, the plot for the show is entirely fabricated. The musical tells the story of Pippin, the son of a King who is desperate to search for his place and meaning in life. Conceptually, the cast are a travelling performing troupe who, guided by the Leading Player, tell this story. Initially starting as a student musical, Stephen Schwartz decided to develop the show further and cites that not a single section of the initial production made it into the finished article. 

The show opened at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway in 1972. The full score was penned by Stephen Schwartz, with a book by Roger O. Hirson and Bob Fosse, Fosse also directed and choreographed the show. Pippin became one of the longest running musicals in Broadway history at the time running for half a decade. The opening night cast included Ben Vereen as Leading Okayer, John Rubenstein as Pippin, Eric Berry as King Charles and Jill Clayburgh as Catherine. Pippin is notable for being the first Broadway musical to record any form of EPK as a promotion. The original television advert contained a minute of footage from the show which was aired nationwide. Pippin received mixed reviews, but its box office success meant the musical thrived. In recent years it has been lauded as one of Broadway’s greats. 

The show was produced in 2012 by A.R.T in Cambridge, Massachusetts in an all-new format. This production was notable for its ‘Big Top’ circus concept, incorporating illusions and also adding a number of performers from a professional circus troupe: Les 87 Doigts de la Main, to the ensemble, performing acts designed by Gypsy Snider. The production was directed by Diane Paulus, with choreography by Chet Walker, scenic design by Scott Pask, costume design by Dominique Lemieux, Lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Clive Goodwin, orchestrations by Larry Hochman and illusions by Paul Kieve.

The production received rave reviews and transferred to The Music Box Theatre on Broadway opening for previews from 23 March 2013. The same cast from A.R.T reprised their roles, including: Patina Miller as Leading Player, Matthew James Thomas as Pippin, Terrance Mann as King Charles and Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine. During its run, the role of King Charles was taken over by the original Pippin, John Rubenstein. Patina Miller became the first female to play Leading Player, which urged producers into using gender-blind casting more often. Patina Miller and Ben Vereen became the first people of different genders to win a TONY award for playing the same role. The Broadway revival was a success winning four TONY awards and closing in January 2015. 

Pippin has only received one West End outing in 1973, a year after it premiered on Broadway. It was again directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse and opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre. The cast included Northern Calloway as Leading Player, Paul Jones as Pippin, John Turner as King Charles and Patricia Hodge as Catherine. The production however, failed to garner the same reception it received in New York and closed after 85 performances.

The musical was revived in 2011 at the Menier Chocolate Factory, directed and choreographed by Mitch Sebastian. The cast included Matt Rawle as Leading Player, Harry Hepple as Pippin, Ian Kelsey as King Charles and Carly Bawden as Catherine.

Pippin was revived in a stripped back version, premiering at The Hope Mill Theatre in 2017, before transferring to London the following year and running at The Southwark Playhouse. The 10-person strong production focused more on the story and garnered rave reviews. The production was directed by Jonathon O’Boyle and starred Genevieve Nicole as Leading Player, Jonathan Carlton as Pippin, Rhidian Marc as King Charles and Tessa Kadler as Catherine.

The show was also revived this year in London in an open air production to fall in line with social distancing rules at The Garden Theatre. Tsemaye Bob-Egbe starred as Leading Player, with Ryan Anderson as Pippin, Dan Krikler as King Charles and Tanisha-Mae Brown as Catherine which marked her professional debut. 

Besties, if you haven’t listened to Pippin, you need to remedy that quickly. It’s one of the finest scores in the Broadway canon. 

Cast recordings available on Spotify and AppleMusic. 

FACTS:

Music: Stephen Schwartz
Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz
Book: Roger O. Hirson and Bob Fosse
Theatre: The Imperial Theatre/The Music Box Theatre
Run: 23 October 1972 – 12 June 1977 (1,944 performances)

23 March 2013 – 4 January 2015 ( around 32 previews and 600 regular performances)

TONYS:

(NOMINATED) Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical – Roger O. Hirson, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical – Leland Palmer, Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical  - Irene Ryan, Best Original Score – Stephen Schwartz, Best Costume Design of a Musical – Patricia Zipprodt

2013 – Best Featured Actor in a Musical – Terrance Mann, Best Choreography – Chet Walker, Best Scenic Design of a Musical – Scott Pask, Best Costume Design of a Musical – Dominique Lemieux, Best Lighting Design of a Musical – Kenneth Posner, Best Sound Design of a Musical – Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm.

(WON) Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical – Ben Vereen, Best Direction of a Musical – Bob Fosse, Best Choreography of a Musical – Bob Fosse, Best Scenic Design – Tony Walton, Best Lighting Design – Jules Fisher. 

2013 – Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical – Patina Miller, Best Featured Actress in a Musical – Andrea Martin, Best Director – Diane Paulus.