Gavin Creel to Play PIPPIN?

[macbeth]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 10:35am

A mutual friend of Paulus says that he remains her top choice for her PIPPIN after doing the readings, but isn't he getting a little 'long in the tooth' for the role?

Where's Michael Arden these days?

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 10:44am

^In 9th century Europe, a 37 year old guy was probably considered very long in the tooth.

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 10:50am

Last I heard, Creel was going to be on a mission.

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 10:58am

Bearing in mind that Gavin just finished playing Claude two years ago, I think he's just fine age-wise - plus, he can sing the crap out of anything.

[AC126748]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 2:31pm

Michael played Pippin as recently as two years ago, but he's not exactly a kid anymore either. He's turning 30 this year.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 2:50pm

Personally, I'd love to see Jonathan Groff play it- I think he's a good fit for the material. Not that Michael Arden or Gavin Creel would be terrible either.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 3/10/12 at 7:23pm

Gavin doesn't look 37 except in some really unflattering and badly lit pictures. The fan girls (and boys) would go crazy when he takes his shirt off. Plus, his voice never ceases to amaze me. There's nothing he can't do with that voice. He'd be perfect for Pippin.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/11/12 at 8:39am

He definitely doesn't read 40 on stage. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief. (Not saying it will actually STAY suspended, but I think he could pull it off -- and yes, I'd love to hear him sing that score.)

Have to admit: I like both the other suggestions, too (Groff and Arden).

To be fair -- I'm just dying to see this on stage. (And I'm IN Boston, so I'll get to even if it doesnt make it to the Great White Way!)

[Rage and Love]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 12:44pm

Oh! Are there any rough dates for this? I've seen local productions of Pippin as a kid and would love to see this in NY!

[algy]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 1:04pm

I'd never seen Pippin until I saw the Menier Chocolate Factory Production last month - really did not know what to make of it at all.

Would be interesting to see what concept is used for Broadway - the Menier had gone for a video game theme.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 1:11pm

I saw Deaf West's production of Pippin and it was all truly puzzling. The cast was fantastic, but the show itself just strikes me as plain old bizarre.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 1:14pm

"The fan girls (and boys) would go crazy when he takes his shirt off."

Just... ugh.

Does anyone remember that one reason Pippin worked so well the first time was because Fosse was smart enough to cast an actor who could sing in the lead? Creel and Arden certainly have nice voices, but master actors they definitely ain't. They would turn it into Six Flags Over Pippin in nothing flat.

[algy]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 1:34pm

Lizzie Curry: Me too! Albeit with a different production. When my mum asked me what it was about, I had real trouble summing it up in a sentence...

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 2:14pm

This would be the kind of role that Darren Criss's agent should be suggesting for him, not triple-threat jazz-belter roles.

Pippin is a starring role, sure, but it's a relatively undemanding sing, with potential for dance and physical comedy (evidently Criss's strong suits) and the primary acting requirements for the role are a goofy, self-effacing charm and, at least usually, good looks.

Something like this would suit him WAY more than Finch did, as well as bringing the all-important non-theatre-junkie crowd to a show that doesn't have a "name sell" to anyone but people who are already Fosse or musical theatre aficionados.

[ChildrenwillListen]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 2:14pm

I would actually see the show if he did it.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 4:01pm

I don't know if Pippin, singing-wise, would be any sort of ideal role for Darren Criss. No, it isn't the hardest thing in the world, musically, but the character sings a great deal of the score and barely ever leaves the stage. In a sense, its quite similar to Finch actually, but I think Pippin's music is much harder.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/16/12 at 4:06pm

Maybe Criss would like to create his own big role next, rather than eating everyone else's sloppy seconds.