Diane Paulus-Helmed PIPPIN Revival in Development- Page 2

[themysteriousgrowl]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 3:20pm

I've seen it "work" with females as the LP.

I don't see anything in the material that precludes it.

What's gender-specific about the character?

Seems like a very misogynistic POV.

Can anyone elucidate with specifics?

[ggersten]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 3:57pm

Perhaps the show could have rotating Berthe's because Elaine Stritch deserves her chance at it.

Then we go off into fantasy land and cast:

Ms. Peters as Fastrada.
Lea Salonga as Catherine.
John Barrowman as Charles.
Bob Martin or Sutton Foster as Leading Player.

and if he can get out of his contract: Matthew Morrison as Pippin.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 4:03pm

Peters and Morrison are entirely too old for those roles. And Sutton would be a Catherine, if anything, but she's still too old, IMO. Also, Barrowman is too young.

I just don't think it has the same feel. Not that a woman can't play it, but it plays off more like an awkwardly sexual kindof feel. Not that Ben Vereen didn't have it going on, but with a woman it adds an overlying layer of sexuality that doesn't need to be there.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 4:12pm

A revival of Pippin starring Gavin Creel would just about be the best news ever! I hope it happens.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 4:15pm

I like the casting, but Paulus and this Sept Doigts **** is absolutely insane. Who in their right mind throws out Fosse? Schwartz has even gone a long way toward acknowledging and incorporating Fosse's contributions in recent years.

For that matter, what is this bull**** about Hirson retooling the book when he couldn't even tool it himself in the first place, leaving Fosse, Paddy Chayefsky, and a bunch of script doctors to create the show's most effective lines and moments? The current script licensed by MTI is a weird hybrid of Fosse, Hirson, and some new stuff like the "Theo ending."

Right off the bat, I'd advise the Weisslers to guarantee themselves another Chicago. Bring in Ann Reinking and anyone else who's alive who did the show and recreate the Fosse choreography and staging. Let the sets and costumes be new, do whatever adaptation you have to with the new number that replaced "Welcome Home," clean up the orchestrations a la the Papermill revival so that the music actually matches the tone of the book, and serve to a paying audience. I guarantee they'll go home pleased.

And if you really think the play within a play concept needs clarification, then go with the unused screen draft's idea and have Pippin be a young man facing the same life decisions as the character who is pulled out of the audience and becomes a part of the show until he realizes that it's only a show in the end.

Updated On: 11/19/10 at 04:15 PM

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 4:17pm

My concerns with a female LP have nothing to do with character. It's just that the two times I've seen it, the girls playing the role, phenomenal singers though they are, got very vocally tripped up. Perhaps if they modify the score, it could work. But from both times I have seen it, it's not just as easy as raising the score an octave, and it doesn't quite sound right.

[madbrian]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 5:03pm

I think Terrence Mann should play Charles; I can easily see him as Creel's father. And no disrespect to Houdyshell, but Berthe should be Stritch, or someone of her stature.

[Brick]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 7:44pm

If anyone can make these piece work in a new production, then it's Paulus.

I often find this show to be a soggy, sappy mess without the acidity Fosse's production brought to cut through it. Many have tired through the years but either it remained too saccharine or the darkness felt forced and Diet Fosse.

Glad to hear they were being adventurous in the workshop, because again, if anyone can find a way in, it's Paulus.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 11/19/10 at 10:50pm

PurpleFanta, if Katie Finneran was involved, I imagined she played Fastrada.

That's genius casting.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 9:39pm

According to a poster on ATC, the full cast was comprised of:

Pippin- Gavin Creel
The Leading Player- Tracie Thoms
Catherine- Natalie Cortez
Berthe- Jayne Houdyshell
Fastrada- Katie Finneran
Charlemagne- Michael Cumpstey
Lewis- Jason Patrick Sands
Theo- Al Calderon

Ensemble- Robin Campbell, Jeff Hiller, Mykal Kilgore, Wallace Smith, Alysha Umphress, Zakiya Young.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 4:41am

I feel like Cortez would be SO much better as Fastrada than as Catherine. And Katie could really play either role.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/19/11 at 1:53pm

This group, 7 Fingers, is collaborating with Barry Weissler and Paulus on the revival. Caught this in the Times when I was looking for articles on them. They will be in Denver next month with their "Traces" show and I wanted to see them. It is discussed briefly in the middle of the article. Paulus talks about them.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/theater/13seven.html?scp=1&sq=Traces&st=cse

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 2/19/11 at 10:31pm

I think PIPPIN is bound to be revived at some point. It's a show that can use a revival and has potential, but it will be an uphill. It was a production of its time and of Fosse at the height of his popularity and creative powers. It'll be interesting to see how it does in new hands. However I think there is a chance it could be an very successful rediscover.