Goodspeed's PIPPIN "From the Composer of WICKED" -- Pardon?

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 10:13pm

PIPPIN is coming to the Goodspeed this summer. I love how shows are advertised in a way that they appeal to the most unintelligent people (which I guess is your mainstream CT audience?).

PIPPIN is advertised as: "From the Composer of WICKED".

Excuse me? Wo there. Back up. WICKED, written almost 30 years later, is by the composer of PIPPIN, yes, and his name is Stephen Schwartz. Duh? Are people really this dumb?

Check it out: http://www.goodspeed.org/

Updated On: 1/21/06 at 10:13 PM

[timote316]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 10:15pm

Yes.

[wickedfreak]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 10:28pm

Some people are just as imfored about stuff like that.

[hyperchet]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 10:30pm

Well if it bring people to the theatre, then go for it.
poop.
sorry if not everyone can be as theatre savvy as you..

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 10:52pm

What's the problem??

Not everyone in the world is a huge theater fan. If advertising Pippin as being written by the composer of Wicked gets them to see the show, then great. If I were putting on Pippin, I'd use the Wicked connection to bring people in too. It's smart advertising if you ask me.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 10:54pm

It's fine advertising for your local community theatre. I expect better from a class act like Goodspeed.

[timote316]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 10:56pm

While yes, it is smart advertising, it just goes to show America's knowledge of theater. I'm not saying its a bad thing, either, as theater isn't majorly mainstream. But it just goes to show that most of America is dumb to theater history stuff like this.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 1/21/06 at 11:01pm

I don't think it's a big deal. There are a lot of people who enjoy and appreciate theatre, but may not be familiar with the creative teams of shows. It's not like Stephen Schwartz is as much of a "household name" as Stephen Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Webber (both of which may even be stretching the term "household name"). Someone that saw Wicked and enjoyed it but never heard of Pippin might now be interested in exposing themselves to a classic piece of theatre. It's really not a big deal, especially if it gets people in the seats that may not have gone in the first place.

Posted: 1/22/06 at 12:02am

well said, joshua...
a 13 year old kid who saw Wicked as maybe their very first broadway musical, wouldn't necesarily know that the same composer did Pippin! it will help to educate people and draw them to seeing other, older works by the composer. memoirs of a geisha is using "by the director of chicago, rob marshall" and i think people who loved chicago may be more inclined to see "moag" because of the ad...hey if its good enough for hollywood, its good enough for goodspeed!
not all people/kids are theater whores like us!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/22/06 at 12:33am

But the difference is, the NEW film, "Memoirs of a Geisha" is by the director of the earlier film, "Chicago".

Pippin was written 30 years before Wicked even existed.

Not to mention, the Goodspeed Opera House is one of the finest regional theatres in the country. They shouldn't have to stoop so low.

Updated On: 1/22/06 at 12:33 AM

Posted: 1/22/06 at 12:49am

ok..i see your point..and i see what you're saying.
in their casting notice at equity...goodspeed has the show listed as "Pippen" with an E ..so i am a little more concerned with that!!! man, goodspeed is really slacking! hahahahah!