Diane Paulus-Helmed PIPPIN Plays A.R.T. in December; Is Broadway Next? — Page 2

I know I'm in the minority here, but I think it could be good. I'm not saying it will be good, but it might be. I think of Paulus's work this way: she has a knack for taking shows that never quite worked before and making them better. I thought her production of HAIR, which has always been fun but flawed, worked very well. And, for that matter, it received glowing praise, from critics and from most on here. When working with material that works very well as-is, such as PORGY AND BESS, she doesn't have nearly as much success. To me, PIPPIN is a show that could benefit from new elements such that Paulus would bring to it. Without recreating the Fosse production, I think it falls flat, like it did every time I've seen it done without the Fosse staging. So basically, I would approach her PIPPIN with cautious optimism. After her PORGY, I could imagine anything else she'd do being subpar, but you never know.

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To me, the most obvious choice to headline this production is Jonathan Groff. He has a history with Diane Paulus, he's perfect for the role, he's age appropriate, and he should be available in the fall (he's shooting a regular role on the next season of BOSS with Kelsey Grammer in Chicago this summer.)

For the record, Gavin Creel was never going to continue on to the actual production. He did the reading as a favor to Paulus and because he loves the piece, but everyone involved was always aware that he was too old to actually ever remain on board. As the breakdown said, they want someone in their 20s for Pippin, and Groff fits the bill perfectly in every respect.

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Bob Fosse??? Don't be a stodgy old timer! We have to bring a fresh new audience to the theater so it's out with the old and in with the new and exciting. Nouveau cirque is something the kids are excited about today, not some dancing guy in a tutu their grandparents like. Diane is looking for fresh. And what could be fresher than the contemporary circus, which has only been around since the mid-'70s?

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Buckets of blood are old fashioned. What we need are no buckets of blood because everybody is expecting buckets of blood and the plot hinges on a bucket of blood. What the young people want to see are mimes instead of buckets of blood.

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Groff would be great, but Darren Criss would sell tickets. And Betty White as Berthe!