Pippin previews start tomorrow — Page 9

^That JCS revival was bad regional theatre.

And Kelly I think you're more than entitled to your opinion and I genuinely appreciate a lot of the insight you contribute here but we can all read your thoughts here that have already been posted and my point was that you don't need to repost your same thoughts over and over again after a new poster writes something. Sorry if my first post came of as excessively bitchy. Reading it over, it was.

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I saw the show tonight and LOVVVVVVVED it. Full disclosure that it's one of my favorite shows and I went in knowing way too many details of the book and score, so it was hard sometimes to just sit back and enjoy without "this is different, this is the same" running through my brain, but I didn't care. I thought the circus elements worked beautifully, and I really liked the book changes. The story has always been weird (especially the ending) but I was really satisfied with what they did with it - i think the circus factor actually made it make a lot more sense. I adored the little nods to the original production, especially the incredible literal interpretation of the logo art. So cool.

If there was one weak link to me it was Charlotte, but I should admit that I've never particularly cared for her in anything. She certainly wasn't bad, just... fine in a sea of brilliance. Oh well. Andrea Martin was ridiculously great as everyone else has said, I thought Patina knocked it out, and I was very pleasantly surprised by Rachel Bay Jones and Michael James Thomas (though it sounded a little like he had a cold tonight). "Love Song" has never been so lovely.

All in all, yayayayayayayayay. I'm so happy I saw this, I really want to go back soon, and I hope it enjoys a really long run. The audience was super-enthusiastic tonight (!!) and the whole thing just left me in a really fantastic mood. Go Pippin!

Thanks, (although labeling would have been fine) many of us have really tried to keep some suprises as just that.

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I agree with everyone about Charlotte as the weak link. But I have seen her be fantastic and commanding and hilarious. So we know she's capable. Even her dancing here, which is usually a sure thing with her, is a bit lackluster. I still think its inspired casting putting her oposite Terrance Mann, however.

But other than that, like I said before, this show is perfectly cast (seems so rare these days), perfectly staged and appropriately updated without sacrificing the classic elements.

And it was nice hearing a bit of "Marking Time" as incidental music during Act II.

SPOILER!

"muscular guy in the shorty-shorts..."

I'm seeing the show on my birthday, May 5. I literally know zero about the plot and have, to my knowledge, never heard the score. Would I enjoy it more, with some research about the book? Is it a hard plot to follow? For example, Follies. For me, if I didn't do a search on the book,before seeing it, I would have been confused with some plot points and relationships. The same for A Little Night Music.

Whoop, got invited to opening night!

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Advice appreciated. It's also often wise to take your own advice.

Eric - Larry Hochman did the new orchestrations.

ArtMan - If you want to read up on it, you can go to Schwartz's website here:
http://www.stephenschwartz.com/faq/#q15

or you can read this link someone else posted here in a previous thread:
(warning: it is a bit long, but thorough)
http://www.newlinetheatre.com/pippinchapter.html

I looked at my album this morning, and the original orchestrations were by the great Ralph Burns, who also did Chicago a few years later. Why in the world would they replace those?

Absolutely Extraordinary!
Awed, can't speak.

SPOILER ALERT, 442!

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You're ruining that andrea martin moment for people..may want to delete it