Pippin Revival Dream Cast

If there was to be a revival who would you want in it.

After seeing the Clip of Julia Murney as Fastrada I would want her to be my mommy and she has the pipes to do it
WHO else do you think? Also it would be interesting if they had a powerhouse female leading player

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hahhahaha

but do you agree on Murney?

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There was a revival that played Toronto a year ago and never made it to Broadway.

The show just doesn't doesn't work.

It has a fantastic score but it's an empty piece, and the NY critics would masacre it.

The best you could hope for would be a concert staging where the songs and performers could really shine.

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I know he's a genius but could he handle it?

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Amoni-
If I am remembering my facts correctly, it was Fosse's staging that kept the show alive and running. So, sure it got 11 noms, and 5 wins...but that doesn't mean it works.

And, Ben Vereen was a "star" before PIPPIN. He was pretty well thrown into controversy when we was cast as the original Judas in JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, and was nominated for a Tony in that.

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Amoni,

The original production got mixed reviews and business was slow. The TV commercial, plus a low weekly nut kept it afloat long enough to catch on. But it was never a smash hit.

The Tony Awards it won were for Best Actor, Director, Choreographer, set and lighting. None of those seem to be a pat on the back for the writing of the show.

Have you seen the show? Honestly, it really is a mess. A shame because the score is really good.

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"Have you seen the show? Honestly, it really is a mess. A shame because the score is really good."


Yes, I was lucky enough to see the original cast as a kid. I also have the DVD signed by Vereen and William Katt. I know the score and have talked with Stephen Schwartz about it. I don't see a mess. The show was before the British invasion, at a time when Broadway was but declared dead. The commercial, a brilliant idea, introduced the show to the public. The show ran for years because people liked it. Most people don't go and don't count steps and measure octaves. They go to enjoy the show and there are many things to enjoy in "Pippin". Doesn't mean their taste is any more important than anyone else's. Even the greatest of shows can have bad productions. As for Vereen, he was not a star before. He was a working actor. He left "Pippin" for a brief time to do "Funny Lady" with Streisand and after, got "Roots", both he might not have even been considered for without the acclaim and attention he received at The Imperial Theater.

I would agree that the show has some major flaws, flaws that would prevent it from really succeeding on Broadway today.

I mean, the plot is really a mess.
Doesn't Pippin kill his Dad, and then usher him back to life?
Sure, that makes for one funny line ("Just don't let it happen again."), but it makes a mess of the plot.

It's a good show, but I don't see it going any farther than an Encores! mounting. (Which, now that I think of it, wouldn't be a terrible idea.)

I'd say it's almost equal importance in terms of stage time between Pippin and the Lead Player. But, the Lead Player has better material. Ethan Mordden wrote that, for the character of Pippin to hold your interest, you would have to cast a male Gwen Verdon in the part.

Speaking of Gwen Verdon, I was hoping that, when they put together the show "Fosse", they would have included "Time To Start Livin'" and that Gwen would have played Berthe. It would have been nice to have her on Broadway again. She would have won her fifth or sixth Tony Award and, when she left, they could have brought Gretchen Wyler back to Broadway to replace her.

Elaine would be marvelous as Berthe, but I would ADORE to see Kaye Ballard play it.

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"Id like to see Roger Bart as The leading Player"

lol.... wait u aren't serious are you....

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"Sara Ramirez"

Wow, good choice.

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I don't know, I may be biased, but I'm a big Michael Arden fan, and he already knows the role..

Cloris Leachmam for Berthe!