At # 27 on our countdown, we are about to take a personal coming-of-age journey. In this unique experience, we meet a young man trying to find meaning and significance. Along the way, there’s a performance troupe guiding us along through this tale. We are talking about the adventures of… Pippin. Based on the fictional story of Pippin The Hunchback (son of Charlemagne), the show features a score by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson.

From the 2013 NBC telecast, Tony winner Patina Miller as “The Leading Player”, Matthew James Thomas in the title role, and the company of the recent Broadway revival bringing their circus act out Herald Square with a medley of 2 of the musical’s beloved signature songs CORNER OF THE SKY and MAGIC TO DO.

PIPPIN was first conceived as a class assignment while Stephen Schwartz was studying Drama at Carnegie Mellon University in the 60’s. He was part of the school’s oldest Theatre troupe that creates all new original works called Scotch’n’Soda Theatre. Originally Schwartz not only wrote the score, he also directed that original early production. He also co-wrote some of the score with Ron Strauss. Many of the songs and lines from that early production did not even make it into the final version that we all know today. Schwartz graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a BFA in Drama in 1968. 4 years later following the success of his debut rock musical Godspell, Schwartz went back to working on the score of PIPPIN without Ron Strauss updating the story and songs. In addition, Schwartz hired a full new creative team including iconic director and choreographer Bob Fosse.

The original production of PIPPIN arrived on Broadway in the Fall of 1972 playing the Imperial Theatre running for 5 previews and 1,944 regular performances. Under Bob Fosse’s direction and staging, the cast consisted of….

Ben Vereen (later Samuel E. Wright, Northern J. Calloway, and Larry Riley) as “The Leading Player”,

Tony winner John Rubinstein (later Tony winner Michael Rupert and Dean Pitchford) as the title role,

Christopher Chadman as “Lewis”,

Eric Berry as “Charlemagne”,

Jill Clayburgh (later Tony winner Betty Buckley) as “Catherine”,

Leland Palmer (later Tony winner Priscilla Lopez) as “Fastrada”,

and

Irene Ryan (later Dorothy Stickney after Ryan’s passing) as “Berthe”.

When the show first opened on Broadway, the audiences enjoyed the show but critics panned it. At the same time, the show’s ticket sales plus a lot of businesses in the 1970’s were not doing well economically. However, everything changed when Bob Fosse had an idea to the show’s main producer Stuart Ostrow. Together with the cast, PIPPIN became the very first Broadway show EVER to film a TV commercial to help promote the show. It did so well from that, the show ran for an additional 5 years. Since then today, Broadway has continued the tradition of filming proshot B-Roll trailers and commercials. We love seeing highlights from the shows in action.

PIPPIN’s original production was nominated for 11 Tony Awards. It won 4 including BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (for Ben Vereen), BEST SCENIC DESIGN (for Tom Walton), along with BEST DIRECTION and BEST CHOREOGRAPHY (both for Bob Fosse).

4 years after the show closed on Broadway, a one night only production in Toronto was filmed in 1981 for Canadian Television. Directed by Bob Fosse’s dance captain Kathryn Doby and the show’s book writer Roger O. Hirson, the filmed cast included…

Ben Vereen reprising his Tony winning performance as “The Leading Player”,

William Katt as the title role,

Christopher Chadman reprising his Broadway role as “Lewis”,

Benjamin Rayson as “Charlemagne”,

Leslie Denniston as “Catherine”,

Tony winner Chita Rivera as “Fastrada”,

and

Martha Raye as “Berthe”.

The filmed performance was also abbreviated. Several songs and dialogue used in the original Broadway production were cut for the filmed performance including the song I GUESS I’LL MISS THE MAN. The filmed production is now available on DVD.

In addition to its original success on Broadway, PIPPIN went on to become a worldwide hit including productions in London’s West End and many regional productions out in North America. The show was later revived on Broadway only once.

The recent revival of PIPPIN was originally developed for the American Repertory Theater in 2012 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the show’s Broadway Debut. For this new production was well known for being done in the style of being in a circus. It included illusions by Paul Kieve and circus acts created by Gypsy Snider and members of the Montreal-based troupe Les 7 doigts de la main. In addition, the role of “The Leading Player” was changed from a male to a female. The Cambridge production did so well, it was brought to Broadway in 2013 playing the Music Box Theatre for 37 previews and 709 regular performances. Under the direction of Tony winner Diane Paulus and choreography by Chet Walker, the 2013 revival cast consisted of….

Tony winner Patina Miller (later Ciara Renée and Carly Hughes) as “The Leading Player”,

Matthew James Thomas (later Kyle Dean Massey and The Voice‘s Josh Kaufman) as the title role,

Erik Altemus as “Lewis”

Tony nominee Terrence Mann (later John Rubinstein and Tony winner John Dossett) as “Charlemagne”,

Tony winner Rachel Bay Jones as “Catherine”,

Tony nominee Charlotte d’Amboise as “Fastrada”,

and

Tony winner Andrea Martin (later Tovah Feldshuh, Annie Potts, Lucie Arnaz, and Priscilla Lopez) as “Berthe”.

The revival was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 2013 winning 4 including BEST REVIVAL OF A MUSICAL and BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL (for Patina Miller). With the GLORY the show got at the Tonys for both its original and revival, PIPPIN made Broadway History as both Patina Miller (the revival’s “Leading Player”) and Ben Vereen (the original “Leading Player”) became the first actors of two different genders ever to win a Tony Award for playing the very same role.

The recent revival went on tour all across North America. Most recently, the production debuted for the first time in Australia as one of the first few musicals to be performed after Live Theaters were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It opened in December of last year 2020 playing the Lyric Theatre in Sydney for a strictly limited engagement.

Today, PIPPIN continues to become a popular show performed in Schools, Community, and Regional Theaters everywhere.

Isn’t this show magical?!

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