First Listen: Josh Kaufman in PIPPIN- Page 2

[MidnightRadio]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 9:22am

Updated On: 10/28/14 at 09:22 AM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 10:52am

RippedMan got it right.

I actually liked Josh alot on The Voice, but he sounds pretty shaky in that rehearsal...and flat, which is shocking. He is a very precise singer.

He needs to be fit enough to do the stunt work, but that's about it. Because he's shirtless? Where in the script does it say he is an adonis? Stripping down at the end of the show has absolutely nothing to do with his physique, or Catherine's. If that's what anyone gets from it, they are missing the point of the show. As long as he and Catherine are believable, their looks dont matter.

And I've never seen Josh shirtless...he looks pretty fit to me...and I think he's kind of cute.

I'm more concerned about that vocal, but it's a rehearsal, so I'll wait to judge.

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 11:24am

"I'll wait to judge."

You're on the wrong site with that attitude.

[RW3]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 11:33am

We will all find out on October 31.

[Feste]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 11:34am

Okay, so it's a different take on the role... my main concern from hearing and watching him sing is whether he can sustain eight shows a week for a particular period of time...

[ChrisTyler12882]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 11:55am

I also got a shaky impression from that rehearsal video as well. I think he sounds nice, but I was wondering if he was going to be able to sing the score comfortably 8 times a week for the next few months.

[I'm a starkid]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 12:04pm

I seem to be pretty alone in my opinion and I'm no expert, but I really liked his voice!

[HenryTDobson]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 3:12pm

"To put it simply, Pippin (in this incarnation at least) needs to be young, handsome and fit. He's shirtless at least twice. It's not rude that saying this guy isn't handsome, it's not the handsome needed for the part. It's not bullying, it's not rude. It's plain and simple facts of the matter. Matthew was adorable and was fit, Kyle Dean was dreadfully attractive and extremely fit. Now we have someone coming in who doesn't fit what is the archetype for the part. We can all see it, the audience numbers are nearly below 70%, they're bringing someone in to up the numbers. But I REALLY don't think bringing someone in who won the Voice is going to drive the numbers up. It's a shame."

What's a shame is how incredibly inaccurate your statement is. While I am no means a fan of Josh Kaufman, nor did I find his singing in that clip to be anything special, to prejudge his performance based on the fact that he "doesn't fit what is the archetype for the part" is absurd... especially because there is no archetype for this part. As nice as it is to see a good looking gentleman on stage, the role of Pippin has never required a "dreadfully attractive" male for the part. I actually believe it works better with a less fit male as Pippin is supposed to be a real guy that the audience can relate to. Having a man who isn't all muscle is not a terrible thing.

With all of this said, I believe Josh Kaufman to be a very attractive male in his own right. I only hope the best for his Broadway debut!

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 3:20pm

While there are some extremely knowledgeable people on this board, it also has its population of low IQ club members and it seems a number of them have decided to post in this thread. Even though you've never actually seen him perform in costume in the role, to base your whole assessment of his talent as a performer and his suitability for a role on whether looking at him makes your teeny tiny little pecker stand at attention is the height of shallowness and stupidity. Can you imagine the comments if Patti LuPone was being considered for a role and someone said he didn't think she'd be any good in it because she looks like someone hit her with an ugly stick? Who is attractive or handsome is subjective. There is no one definitive standard. And the producers truly don't care if a few of you don't see it because you won't get excited enough when he takes his shirt off.

Updated On: 10/28/14 at 03:20 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 3:39pm

Believe it not, women post on this site, too. So, having a "pecker" don't really apply to a lot of people. Although, anyone who says someone looks like they have down syndrome most likely has a tiny golf pencil peen.....and is a loser.

"It's not rude that saying this guy isn't handsome, it's not the handsome needed for the part."

Are you a casting director? Is that in the description for the role or are you just basing it on the two actors that played Pippin before him? Ridiculous.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 3:47pm

"Believe it not, women post on this site, too."

Believe it or not, I do believe that but I also believe that the unflattering comments about his physical appearance were made in this thread by people who are or at least identified themselves in their profiles as male, hence my male anatomy reference.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 3:56pm

Cool, although that is the default setting on this site, so if you never bothered to change it, it automatically says male.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 4:08pm

OK Sutton, fair enough. In the spirit of gender equality, I will concede that women can also be shallow, nasty a**holes who could have made disgusting comments like that and I shouldn't have assumed only men were capable of being that pathetic. Does that work?

Updated On: 10/28/14 at 04:08 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 4:20pm

Oh that works FishermanBob, just like the majority of your awesome comments. You are a gem, Sir!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 5:05pm

When I saw the show, I saw the u/s. Sure, he was handsome, but his acting was flat, his singing was terribly shaky and flat. And all of his big moments fell flat, so maybe this particular "look" isn't quite working out.

Kyle Dean Massey is very attractive, but he's not INTERESTING. He's not someone, I as an audience member, care about. Someone on this site said it before and he is just giving us "handsome"acting. He's doing the right moves, singing the right notes, but eh. I need some fire, and that's why I haven't seen this show again. When I saw it I just didn't care about Pippin. Sure, it looked cool and the circus tricks were neat, but I don't need to sit through it again. And that's why audiences, probably, aren't coming back. It's not a show where we care about his journey.

I stood in that TKTS line and kept hearing tourist after tourist asking "what is Pippin?" and then hearing the people try and explain it "It's about a prince...who is on a journey...and there's a circus theme..." It's a tough sell. It has nothing to do with a "handsome" leading man.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 5:16pm

"Seriously, Pippin needs to be hot."

What about the show requires that this character needs to be hot (other than that you may have found someone who once played the role hot)?

The character is an Everyman trapped in a royal life. No one talks about him being especially hot. No one relates to him as being especially hot. Nothing he does requires him to be "Extraordinary" in any but an ironic way.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 5:18pm

I actually think making him look like a model lessens his struggle because I mean, he's hot, so who cares about his struggle?

As for Kaufman: Yeah, he's not great in that video, but he killed it on the Voice. So maybe the songs aren't a good fit for his voice? I like the quality of his voice here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCrE2QDz2-0

[IanMorton1]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 5:30pm

Do people think talent comes out of talent shows?
Do you think the talent should be on Broadway?

[SweetLips]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 5:53pm

I think opportunity comes out of talent shows-what you make of it is up to you [and the public].

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 6:00pm

He kills it with this song, really great range. I think he'll do fine as long as he doesn't read BWW!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZeSrRGAA4s

[Starship]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 6:17pm

I don't watch The Voice so I was unaware of Josh until this announcement. Just watched some of his The Voice performances. "One More Try" was incredible and he truly has EXCELLENT vocal control. I wish him the best during his stay at Pippin!! Hope everything works out well for him. I can only imagine how thrilling/stressful it would be to suddenly be thrust into the spotlight and leading your first role in a show on Broadway. Updated On: 10/28/14 at 06:17 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 7:02pm

Do I think talent comes out of talent show? Um, yes. Kelly Clarkson (my favorite), Jennifer Hudson (won an Oscar)..... Do I think it should be on Broadway? Sure! If they can sing/act/dance.

I don't think he's going to bring in any big box office draw. I mean, have any of the winners of The Voice been super successful? I can't name a single winner, besides him.

[brdway411]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 7:32pm

I have seen the show MANY times. I just watched part of the clip, I could not even finish listening to him, It made my ears bleed. HORRIBLE CASTING, And he is too old for the part of Pippin.

Updated On: 10/29/14 at 07:32 PM

[Showface]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 9:29pm

It's one thing to not like his casting because of age and talent...I get that (though he may read younger on stage)

BUT it is a WHOLE other thing to judge him on his looks. First off, when does Pippin's looks have anything to do with the story (someone pointed this out earlier and went into greater detail).

Also, some of the comments here are ridiculous. "Looks like someone with down syndrome", "beaten with an ugly stick" ? Really? Okay. Whatever...

"Can you imagine the comments if Patti LuPone was being considered for a role and someone said he didn't think she'd be any good in it because she looks like someone hit her with an ugly stick?"

Yes, and it's very interesting actually...if someone said that about her, everyone would be quick to burn that poster at the virtual stake, but when it's a lesser nobody it's no big deal. Even though they are both human beings like everyone else...


Look, SEE his performance before judging!

EDIT: The "down syndrome" comment was really low because, it somehow manages to be offensive towards him AND those with Down Syndrome

EDIT #2: I love Patti LuPone...I just made an observation...
Updated On: 10/28/14 at 09:29 PM

[Showface]

Posted: 10/28/14 at 9:35pm

And...now most of the rude comments have been edited...