Well that makes one decision easier for November. The casting for Pippin could not be more wrong. I can think of at least 10 Broadway leads and another 5 or 10 true stunt casting ideas better than this. He must be really cheap
Jackie took her vacation to get married/go on a honeymoon. She was only supposed to be gone a week, maybe two, but the producers asked her to take more time off so they could get a name in the show for a bit. While Whoopi was there and for a few weeks after, they were courting people (Rosie, Harvey Firestein, Rosanne, Kathy Lee, Fran Dresher) to do 6 weeks replacing Mary Testa. They also asked Ben Vereen and Huey Lewis to play Tony Robert's role.
"Josh Kaufman, who in May of 2014 was announced as the winner of Season 6 of NBC's hit show "The Voice" as a member of Usher's team, will make his Broadway debut playing the title role in the Tony Award winning PIPPIN for a limited engagement beginning Tuesday, November 4 and through Sunday, January 4, 2015."
Congrats to Josh but PLEASE can we just put Erik Altemus in as Pippin every night!!!!
Of course there's the age factor, but also I just don't think he's in shape to do this role. At least it's only for 2 months.
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
Altemus would have been the superior choice by far. I could also easily see Andrew Keenan-Bolger , Hunter Parrish, Mark Evans , Dave Thomas Brown, or any number of broadway talents. Do they think this guy will draw?
AKB doesn't really have the voice or the height for that role. I am shocked they didn't bump up Erik to the Pippin role full time, he seemed to be a crowd favorite when I was there. I don't know anything about this guy, but maybe if he won The Voice, it could draw people. No clue though.
I thought Kaufman was a good singer on The Voice, but absolutely nothing about him says Pippin. Like, at all. Pippin is supposed to be young, bright eyed, and uncertain of himself. This takes away from the jokes about Catherine being too old for the part and being older then Pippin. This should make for a stark contrast against Lewis, as well.
Sam Lips would have done well if they moved him up. I can think of so many people who, on the surface at least, seem like they would have been better choices.
(As for this being stunt casting, it's a textbook example for me. The Voice will probably be in a new season and there's tons of potential for promotion. Also...totally serious here, but do people even watch The Voice? I'm young, up to date on pop culture, and can't name a single person who won, unlike the early seasons of American Idol.)
Just noticed that only 7 original cast members remain in the show:
Charlotte d'Amboise Rachel Bay Jones Colin Cunliffe Andrew Fitch Orion Griffiths Ashton Woerz Brad Musgrove
A Chorus Line revival played its final Broadway performance on August 17, 2008. The tour played its final performance on August 21, 2011. A new non-equity tour started in October 2012 played its final performance on March 23, 2013. Another non-equity tour launched on January 20, 2018. The tour ended its US run in Kansas City and then toured throughout Japan August & September 2018.
It may make him look younger, but still no way right for Pippin. I take back what i said about him looking like an Ewok- He looks like the love child of an Ewok and Zelda Rubinstein (Tangina in "Poltergeist")
darreyl102, I agree with you. He is not right for Pippin at all. I was only suggesting options that might make him look a little bit more like the others. However, this is a particularly strong move of the Weisslers. They are bringing him during the beginning winter months. Additionally, when Christmas hits, he will bring in a lot of money for the production just because he is a celebrity.
This production never cared about getting an interesting vocalist on stage - they finally do but he's not the right age. I do find it interesting that they have been settling on being so middling with their casting choices and it reflects in their middling grosses. On top of all of it is the fact that the score is not challenging enough for his voice
I have a thought. Would Matthew Thomas consider returning to the role on Broadway? Then Erik Altemus could take over as the touring Pippin (in the event that the tour Pippin with vocal problems doesn't work out).
"Noel [Coward] and I were in Paris once. Adjoining rooms, of course. One night, I felt mischievous, so I knocked on Noel's door, and he asked, 'Who is it?' I lowered my voice and said 'Hotel detective. Have you got a gentleman in your room?' He answered, 'Just a minute, I'll ask him.'" (Beatrice Lillie)