Pippin

Where are you seats with hot tix?

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Did you know that all seats in section B M-th are $20? Center theatre group is doing this $20 thing for all performances!

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I'm going next Thursday the 15th, I can let you know what I thing (although I am not an official "theatre queen".)

Thanks for the code! I got $20 seats right in the middle of section A!

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You are closer than I am...

I didn't know about this message board, or I would have shared earlier.

I'll keep you posted if I get anything else.

The $20.00 seats are also available for Minsky's.

J

it was a post card mailer from the theatre. are you going thursday or friday night. i'm not sure which is the official opening night.

I'm going this Saturday. Can't wait!

Check out the website! The signing hands in the video are cool :)

Also their program is up if you click on "Programs and Features"

http://www.centertheatregroup.org/tickets/productiondetail.aspx?id=7702

Updated On: 1/12/09 at 08:52 PM

re: Pippin
Posted On: 1/16/09 at 02:32 AM
UGH!

HATED IT!

1. No Intermission. My ass HURT sitting over 2 hours.
2. 1st Preview - Understandable Glitches.
3. Annoying Signing - Singers standing behind the signing performers or other performers hidden among the players singing for signing actors. Looked and felt like either a lip-synced show or when my DVR isn't synced with the sound. The signing was ANNOYING (probably NOT for deaf audience members.) It distracted me from getting involved with the show.
4. Boring and long use of "king" throne/tank set at beginning.
5. Forgettable cast except for three members. Including the supposed hunk, Lewis, whose voice was OK but gave a "stiff" performance.

OK. What was good? The price of the ticket at $20.00. I'd have been IRATE (like many of the old folks leaving the theatre were) had I paid full price.

I enjoyed the male lead performing Pippin, Michael Arden. I thought the Lead Player, Ty Taylor, had a great voice but wanted him to move more like Ben Vereen. Harriet Harris brought much needed relief as Berthe while my ass went numb mid-show.

No standing ovation other than probably friends and/or relatives as maybe 5 people stood. Actors looked dejected as they left the stage. Overheard people involved with the production as I was leaving discussing issues.

I've never seen Pippin before, and I'll never see it again.

YUCK!

I hope everyone used the "magic" code to avoid full price tickets!

PS - Having said all the above, my 33 year old companion couldn't stop saying thank you for taking him and that he loved it. Maybe it's OK for the Rent crowd? I wouldn't know at 48.

Updated On: 1/16/09 at 02:32 AM

personal attack, huh? apparently you have/are one too?

it doesn't take seeing a show to know what ben vereen did. have you been watching too many bad broadway or off broadway or LA shows to have NEVER heard about UTube?

Do a search honey for Ben Vereen and Pippin. SURPRISE! I usually do a little research about the show before I go. U?

Did you know Granny (Irene Ryan) had a stroke while performing the show on Broadway and subsequently died of the stroke in 1973? I'm sure you did, honey.

BTW. did you see this performance of Pippin or are you mad that you paid full price? As the first preview was Thursday, unless you're in the cast, a friend of one of the performers, or a disgrutled audience member like me - perhaps you know not of what you speak.

PS - Enjoy the show. NOT.

Updated On: 1/17/09 at 03:39 AM

Last comment.

Bob Fosse? Choreographer? Ever heard of him? Ever seen one of his shows? Ever notice the distinctive style of movement by performers in his shows?

Thought not.

Hi all... I just found this board. Anyway, here is my review if you want to read it:


I went to see the first preview of Pippin in LA tonight.

****SPOILERS****


The first several minutes of the show were horrific. I sat there thinking, 'the critics are going to shread this.' I couldn't figure out what I hated, but I think it was the set design/props/direction. lol

Pippin is one of my favorite shows and I've seen it quite a few times. It may be because of that I kept thinking 'they should do this instead' or 'that doesn't work'.

Ty Taylor killed it! He was amazing. All of the cast was good, but he was my favorite.

I'm still not sure if two actors playing Pippin really worked. A couple of the other actors in the show (King, Catherine's son) had other actors off to the side or heard/not seen voicing them.

I think both actors who played Pippin were very good. However, it was a bit awkward to watch. I understand that one would sign/act while the other would voice/sing/act. Got it! It worked like that for awhile, but I noticed at a few spots where the voice Pippin would react to the other Pippin, playing more of a conscience which didn't fit. At one point, the voice Pippin stood face to face with the other Pippin and told him not to leave (the stage).
I didn't get that at all. It was like both Pippin's had different thoughts. But most of the time they were in sync. :)

I didn't like the set design at all. Sorry!

A few of the actors stood out, but not in a good way.

Catherine - Pretty good voice but probably one of the weakest Catherine's I've seen. The props she had to work with were just bad.

Berthe - One hot mess! Cringe worthy.

Fastrada - Please don't hate me for saying this, but I could not even look at this girl. She was so skinny and really looked anorexic. As far as I could tell she had a nice voice but I could not get past how painfully skinny she was. Yikes!


The song "Extraordinary" was cut which made me a little upset.

I think the props in this show are just horrible.


This was only the first preview, I think they could do a lot by getting rid of a lot of the props.

Updated On: 1/18/09 at 11:48 AM

I have to disagree with both of you.

I saw the show this evening and it was phenomenal! I loved the staging and thought that the signing didn't distract at all. I also loved the fact that there were two Pippins. To me, it showed the two sides of Pippin. Whenever he had to make a choice, he would argue with himself about which rode to choose.

I also loved the scenic design as well as the use of props.
(I thought the holes in the stage were brilliant!)

Also, as mentioned above, Michael Arden and TY Taylor were great! Both of them had wonderful voices.

Overall, it wasn't a perfect production (a little slow at some points), but I did enjoy myself immensely.