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Pippin

Presented by Playhouse on the Square at Playhouse on the Square

January 29-February 21, 2010

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Winner of 5 Tony Awards, Pippin is the lively coming of age story of King Charlemagne's oldest son. Featuring music from the award-winning composer of Wicked and Godspell, this dazzlingly colorful and imaginative tale first captivated audiences on Broadway and continues to appeal to the young-at-heart everywhere. Pippin longs to discover the secret of true happiness and fulfillment. After seeking it in the glories of the battlefield, the temptations of the flesh, and the intrigues of political power, Pippin finds contentment in the simple pleasures of home and family. Join us as we have "Magic To Do" in the NEW Playhouse on the Square.

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  • Venue Info

    Playhouse on the Square

    66 South Cooper
    Memphis, TN 38104

    Full map and directions

  • Admission Info

    Tickets: $15 - Preview $20 - Opening Weekend $30 - Adult, Thursday & Sunday $35 - Adult, Friday & Saturday $20 - Student, Senior, Military $15 - Children

    Info Phone: 901-726-4656

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  • Dates & Times

    Dates:
    January 29-February 21, 2010

    Times:
    Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm
    Sunday at 2:00pm

  • Accessibility Info

    Currently, no accessibility information is available for this event.

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    • Event Name: Pippin
      "Really good show with super performances by the leads"
      Comment posted by: Dorothy Kirsch - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Feb 04, 2010
      

      Saw Pippin Sunday afternoon at the fabulous new Playhouse and it is a really good show with super performances by the leads. Very, very well done.

      Saw Pippin Sunday afternoon at the fabulous new Playhouse and it is a really good show with super performances by the leads. Very, very well done.

    • Event Name: Pippin
      "Sean Blake, Ben Vereen, and Michael Jackson, On Stage at Playhouse on the Square in Pippin"
      Comment posted by: George Conroy - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Feb 02, 2010
      

      Sean Blake may not have been born yet when the great Ben Vereen won the Tony Award for Best Actor in the role of "The Leading Player" when the musical Pippin debuted on Broadway in the early '70's.... Expand

      Sean Blake may not have been born yet when the great Ben Vereen won the Tony Award for Best Actor in the role of "The Leading Player" when the musical Pippin debuted on Broadway in the early '70's. But had he seen that show, itself winner of half a dozen Tonys, Mr. Blake might well have thought to himself, "When I grow up I wanna be just like Ben Vereen." Welcome to Memphis, Sean. You are Ben Vereen, with a few of the late Michael Jackson's animated dance moves enhancing the spectacular choreography originally conceived for Broadway by the legendary Bob Fosse. It's the story of Prince Pippin (Alvaro Francisco) who has just returned home having graduated with honors from an institution of higher education. And he has declared that he will do great things. He is determined to have a magnanimous life, to have his "corner of the sky". As soon as he can figure out exactly what it is he was meant to do. His first instinct is to become a warrior and fight battles of honor and courage alongside his father, like his stepbrother Lewis (Joshua Quinn) does. Pippin's Father, King Charles (Kent Fleshman) is not so keen on the idea of his smart son taking over the family business of "king-ing" and running wars, but he relents and allows Pippin to battle in the battle. Pippin finds has no taste for it. Pippin consoles his grandmother Berthe (played by Lili Thomas who leads and delights the audience in a "No Time At All" sing-a-long). Berthe's best advice to young Prince Pippin is to go for the love of a woman or, maybe lots of women, with all the gusto he can get. He does that, too, but it seems not to be "his thing." He tries murdering his father to become king and right the world's wrongs. Still, he finds that, too, is not what he really wants. Meanwhile our Leading Player stands ready if unable to shepherd the boy's life in the right direction, whatever that may be, introducing pyrotechnics, huge Fosse inspired dance numbers, magic tricks and a chorus of "players." Back to The Leading Player. The talented Mr. Blake cum Vereen cum Jackson is a tour de force as the master puppeteer of Pippin's amazing life. His presence commands the stage every time he steps out on it, in action, in energy, in song and in sheer presence. The consummate showman, he gives a show-stopping performance. Blake's Leading Player is complemented by Alvaro Francisco's near equally mesmerizing portrayal of Prince Pippin. What a voice! What a talent! He makes full use of Playhouse's new auditorium with its near-perfect acoustics (there was a little electronic buzz in the sound system, a problem probably easily cured). Francisco brings Pippin to life with his voice -sweet but not syrupy, charming without being cute. He is delightful, thoroughly appealing, and - as the role calls for - a completely engaging character. A few more observations: The new theatre has a real orchestra pit, and the eight-piece Playhouse orchestra led by Renee Kemper is a perfect fit. Real, live music for musical theatre on Union. Hooray! Ben Wheeler's lighting is understated but rich, colorful and simple. It matches the many moods of "Pippin." Finally, you won't know her but her name does appear in the program as a "player." She seemed to me to be "the leader of the pack." Lindsey Roberts distinguishes herself in the chorus. She's usually half a step ahead in dance and a half beat ahead in song. Hint - her socks don't match. Collapse

    • Event Name: Pippin
      "Man's Search for Meaning Leaves Me Searching for Meaning, But Singing All the Way Home"
      Comment posted by: Linda Ostrow Schlesinger from Memphis, TN, Feb 02, 2010
      

      I first saw Pippin as a college production in 1980. I helped out behind the scenes and got to know and love much of the music; however, I found the story very hard to follow. Thirty years later... Expand

      I first saw Pippin as a college production in 1980. I helped out behind the scenes and got to know and love much of the music; however, I found the story very hard to follow. Thirty years later nothing has changed. Last night I enjoyed singing along with my favorite songs, "Magic to Do," "Corner of the Sky," "War is a Science," "Glory," and "No Time at All" but I was still bewildered by the incoherent plot. Pippin, which won five Tony awards when it opened on Broadway in 1972, is a surreal, circus-like musical about the coming of age of King Charlemagne's oldest son and heir to the throne. It is based on a fictitious book by Roger O. Hirson. Playhouse on the Square inaugurated its beautiful new theater on Jan. 29, with the opening of Pippin, directed by guest artist Scott Ferguson, whose bizarre approach emulated the vision of the show's original director Bob Fosse. The 1970s pop style music and lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked and Godspell). Pippin (Alvaro Francisco) is desperate to find something important to do with his life. He searches for fulfillment in all the wrong places'on the battlefield, in the arms of women, and in political power by fatally overthrowing his father, Charlemagne (Kent Fleshman) who, much to Pippin's dismay, has no time or patience for his son anyway. Pippin's mother, Fastrada (Lili Thomas), schemes against him to help her other son Lewis (Joshua Quinn) inherit the throne. After much personal struggle, Pippin finally discovers satisfaction in the simple life, falling in love with a wealthy widow estate owner, Catherine (Kim Baker), and her young son, Theo (Max Jessop). Francisco has a mellow, well controlled voice - the best in the cast - and portrays the naive Pippin with ease. The slightly eccentric but powerful Leading Player (Sean Blake), who "guides" Pippin along his path, alternates between providing comic relief and stage direction, manipulating each scene of the show hoping to elicit the outcome he desires. Full of personality, agility, a strong voice and nice hips, Blake was a natural for this role, which was created by the inimitable Ben Vereen on Broadway. During his search for his "Corner of the Sky," Pippin seeks the advice of his lighthearted and loose paternal grandmother, Berthe (Irene Crist), who tells him not to take life too seriously and live it up a little. Crist's one and only number, "No Time at All," was by far the highlight of the show for me, and apparently for the majority of the audience, judging by the amount of applause that followed her performance. The chorus members/players were very animated, like circus performers frolicking around the barebones set; talented performers all but I couldn't help but notice how many of the female players had unusually large thighs for dancers. Near the finale, the Leading Player tells Pippin "Nothing turns out the way you planned. Nothing is completely fulfilling." How apropos, I thought to myself. That's the way I felt about this play. While the performers did a commendable job and some of the music is very catchy, I would have picked a more reliable musical for such an important occasion. Staying in the same genre, Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar come to mind. Collapse

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• Member
  Reviews

  • All Member Reviews

    Add review/comment

    • Event Name: Pippin
      "Really good show with super performances by the leads"
      Comment posted by: Dorothy Kirsch - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Feb 04, 2010
      

      Saw Pippin Sunday afternoon at the fabulous new Playhouse and it is a really good show with super performances by the leads. Very, very well done.

      Saw Pippin Sunday afternoon at the fabulous new Playhouse and it is a really good show with super performances by the leads. Very, very well done.

    • Event Name: Pippin
      "Sean Blake, Ben Vereen, and Michael Jackson, On Stage at Playhouse on the Square in Pippin"
      Comment posted by: George Conroy - ArtsMemphis Rants & Raver from Memphis, TN, Feb 02, 2010
      

      Sean Blake may not have been born yet when the great Ben Vereen won the Tony Award for Best Actor in the role of "The Leading Player" when the musical Pippin debuted on Broadway in the early '70's.... Expand

      Sean Blake may not have been born yet when the great Ben Vereen won the Tony Award for Best Actor in the role of "The Leading Player" when the musical Pippin debuted on Broadway in the early '70's. But had he seen that show, itself winner of half a dozen Tonys, Mr. Blake might well have thought to himself, "When I grow up I wanna be just like Ben Vereen." Welcome to Memphis, Sean. You are Ben Vereen, with a few of the late Michael Jackson's animated dance moves enhancing the spectacular choreography originally conceived for Broadway by the legendary Bob Fosse. It's the story of Prince Pippin (Alvaro Francisco) who has just returned home having graduated with honors from an institution of higher education. And he has declared that he will do great things. He is determined to have a magnanimous life, to have his "corner of the sky". As soon as he can figure out exactly what it is he was meant to do. His first instinct is to become a warrior and fight battles of honor and courage alongside his father, like his stepbrother Lewis (Joshua Quinn) does. Pippin's Father, King Charles (Kent Fleshman) is not so keen on the idea of his smart son taking over the family business of "king-ing" and running wars, but he relents and allows Pippin to battle in the battle. Pippin finds has no taste for it. Pippin consoles his grandmother Berthe (played by Lili Thomas who leads and delights the audience in a "No Time At All" sing-a-long). Berthe's best advice to young Prince Pippin is to go for the love of a woman or, maybe lots of women, with all the gusto he can get. He does that, too, but it seems not to be "his thing." He tries murdering his father to become king and right the world's wrongs. Still, he finds that, too, is not what he really wants. Meanwhile our Leading Player stands ready if unable to shepherd the boy's life in the right direction, whatever that may be, introducing pyrotechnics, huge Fosse inspired dance numbers, magic tricks and a chorus of "players." Back to The Leading Player. The talented Mr. Blake cum Vereen cum Jackson is a tour de force as the master puppeteer of Pippin's amazing life. His presence commands the stage every time he steps out on it, in action, in energy, in song and in sheer presence. The consummate showman, he gives a show-stopping performance. Blake's Leading Player is complemented by Alvaro Francisco's near equally mesmerizing portrayal of Prince Pippin. What a voice! What a talent! He makes full use of Playhouse's new auditorium with its near-perfect acoustics (there was a little electronic buzz in the sound system, a problem probably easily cured). Francisco brings Pippin to life with his voice -sweet but not syrupy, charming without being cute. He is delightful, thoroughly appealing, and - as the role calls for - a completely engaging character. A few more observations: The new theatre has a real orchestra pit, and the eight-piece Playhouse orchestra led by Renee Kemper is a perfect fit. Real, live music for musical theatre on Union. Hooray! Ben Wheeler's lighting is understated but rich, colorful and simple. It matches the many moods of "Pippin." Finally, you won't know her but her name does appear in the program as a "player." She seemed to me to be "the leader of the pack." Lindsey Roberts distinguishes herself in the chorus. She's usually half a step ahead in dance and a half beat ahead in song. Hint - her socks don't match. Collapse

    • Event Name: Pippin
      "Man's Search for Meaning Leaves Me Searching for Meaning, But Singing All the Way Home"
      Comment posted by: Linda Ostrow Schlesinger from Memphis, TN, Feb 02, 2010
      

      I first saw Pippin as a college production in 1980. I helped out behind the scenes and got to know and love much of the music; however, I found the story very hard to follow. Thirty years later... Expand

      I first saw Pippin as a college production in 1980. I helped out behind the scenes and got to know and love much of the music; however, I found the story very hard to follow. Thirty years later nothing has changed. Last night I enjoyed singing along with my favorite songs, "Magic to Do," "Corner of the Sky," "War is a Science," "Glory," and "No Time at All" but I was still bewildered by the incoherent plot. Pippin, which won five Tony awards when it opened on Broadway in 1972, is a surreal, circus-like musical about the coming of age of King Charlemagne's oldest son and heir to the throne. It is based on a fictitious book by Roger O. Hirson. Playhouse on the Square inaugurated its beautiful new theater on Jan. 29, with the opening of Pippin, directed by guest artist Scott Ferguson, whose bizarre approach emulated the vision of the show's original director Bob Fosse. The 1970s pop style music and lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked and Godspell). Pippin (Alvaro Francisco) is desperate to find something important to do with his life. He searches for fulfillment in all the wrong places'on the battlefield, in the arms of women, and in political power by fatally overthrowing his father, Charlemagne (Kent Fleshman) who, much to Pippin's dismay, has no time or patience for his son anyway. Pippin's mother, Fastrada (Lili Thomas), schemes against him to help her other son Lewis (Joshua Quinn) inherit the throne. After much personal struggle, Pippin finally discovers satisfaction in the simple life, falling in love with a wealthy widow estate owner, Catherine (Kim Baker), and her young son, Theo (Max Jessop). Francisco has a mellow, well controlled voice - the best in the cast - and portrays the naive Pippin with ease. The slightly eccentric but powerful Leading Player (Sean Blake), who "guides" Pippin along his path, alternates between providing comic relief and stage direction, manipulating each scene of the show hoping to elicit the outcome he desires. Full of personality, agility, a strong voice and nice hips, Blake was a natural for this role, which was created by the inimitable Ben Vereen on Broadway. During his search for his "Corner of the Sky," Pippin seeks the advice of his lighthearted and loose paternal grandmother, Berthe (Irene Crist), who tells him not to take life too seriously and live it up a little. Crist's one and only number, "No Time at All," was by far the highlight of the show for me, and apparently for the majority of the audience, judging by the amount of applause that followed her performance. The chorus members/players were very animated, like circus performers frolicking around the barebones set; talented performers all but I couldn't help but notice how many of the female players had unusually large thighs for dancers. Near the finale, the Leading Player tells Pippin "Nothing turns out the way you planned. Nothing is completely fulfilling." How apropos, I thought to myself. That's the way I felt about this play. While the performers did a commendable job and some of the music is very catchy, I would have picked a more reliable musical for such an important occasion. Staying in the same genre, Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar come to mind. Collapse

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