Pippin - worth the wait?

The musical Pippin has always held a close place in my heart. From the time I was privileged to help with a production of it at Lee High School in the mid-80s I have loved the music, the script, and been fascinated by the themes of the show. So I was thrilled to learn that a revival was opening on Broadway, as I shared in a previous post.

And so I made arrangements to see it as soon as I could, and that time was this past Saturday night. I was so excited. I read everything I could about it. And I walked into the Music Box Theatre on 45th Street full of anticipation.

A buildup that nothing could live up to, right? Primed for disappointment, you say?

Wrong!

This was one of my most enjoyable theatre experiences ever. The cast was sharp and highly energized, playing off a highly enthusiastic audience, the pacing was crisp, the and I loved the choices made in this production (as discussed below). The best of those choices was the use of highly skilled circus acrobats for the ensemble. So entertaining! And so appropriate for the script. Check out this teaser, which shows only a fraction of the energy:



In Pippin, we're not ever sure what is real and what is in Pippin's head. The use of the circus performers enhanced this, as it created a fantastic journey where the Leading Player is leading our hero toward desperation in his quest to be extraordinary. Desperation that is designed to produce the grand finale promised to the audience. As Pippin progresses through glory, the flesh, revolution, politics, and the ordinary life, the wonderful acrobatics really works in portraying just how attractive - no, seductive - his dream is to him.

I so want to walk through the way the plot worked and why it did, but I'll refrain for two reasons: 1) to do it right it would make for a blog that is way too long, and 2) I could never do it justice. But here are a few random comments:

• Matthew James Thomas created the role of Pippin exactly as I would have envisioned it.
• I cannot describe how entertaining Andrea Martin was in the role of Pippin's grandmother Berthe. This 66 year old actress ended up on a trapeze before her song was finished, and received the only mid-show standing ovation I have ever seen. The audience sang along with joy.
• Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine was awesome. When she performed I Guess I'll Miss the Man over the objections of the Leading Player, we almost believed that the show was starting to get out of control. (Btw, this song is omitted from the Playbill list because it is supposed to be an ad lib. She sold it.)
• Finally, the ending. The only thing I never really liked about Pippin was the ending. The final line of "Trapped, but happy" always seemed forced to me. The ending in this production is completely different and it works. Right on point with the theme of the show.

What a wonderful Saturday night, one I will always remember. I did "come and waste an hour or two" - plus a weekend. And I'm so glad I did. Extraordinary.

Pippin 2013

Pippin is back on Broadway.

Check out this video promo:



I could not possibly be more excited about this!

I was introduced to this powerful show in 1984, when I was a student teacher at Lee High School. (That's right - a student teacher. I've got layers, people.) Buddy Murphy directed the school's performance of this 1972 musical, and I was privileged to work with him and his students on it. I fell in love with the music, the script, and the powerful message of a young man searching for meaning in his life. How far will he go?

Here is a clip of Ben Vereen performing the opening number in the original production:



And now it's on Broadway, for the first time since I've even known it existed. Before you ask - oh yeah. That's gonna happen, God willing. Gotta find my corner of the sky.

One of a kind...Ted Cheek

The year was 1986. I was so excited when I found out that my uncle wanted to take me on a trip. A trip to a place I'd never been before. Hello, New York City!

Just Uncle Ted and me, exploring the Big Apple. The Empire State Building. Rockefeller Plaza. The Statue of Liberty. But most of all, Broadway. That was the summer I fell in love with the the Great White Way, and in particular the best theatre anywhere in the United States.

Our first priority was Ted's favorite, Big River. I was spellbound. Then we saw a revival of Sweet Charity, which I wanted to see because I had been involved in a production of it at Lee High School. Finally, I went to see Cats; Uncle Ted had no interest in that so I went alone. Three shows, great food, and the lights of Broadway. I've been hooked ever since.

After an amazing life, Uncle Ted went to his eternal reward Tuesday. He will be missed by so many people. He was a man with an amazing heart for everyone - his family, his friends, and anyone else who needed his help. You could see the love and compassion of Jesus in the way he loved and cared. He always took care of my mother (his sister) in ways that I could see, and I am sure in ways that I will never know. He was the president of a business that they owned together (along with their other brothers) and his leadership was legendary. Their business gave me my first job as a teenager, where over the course of six years I learned my work ethic. Whether through his business, his church, or time with his family, his life touched so many people.

My roles in my own family fall into three categories: son, brother, and uncle. While I did not get to observe much about his life as a son, I watched and watched and watched him be a brother to my mom. And I experienced firsthand his love as an uncle. I sit here tonight and say with all the conviction I can muster: I am better at all of these because of how it was modeled for me by Uncle Ted.

I am going to miss my uncle so much. Tomorrow we will say goodbye and celebrate his life here on earth. It will extremely difficult.

And one week from tomorrow, I will be on a plane to New York for a couple of days. I will see a couple of shows, eat some great food, and marvel at the world Uncle Ted introduced me to almost 30 years ago. While my trip was planned weeks ago, I don't think this is a coincidence. I get to celebrate this great man by revisiting the place where we had such a great time. He will be in my heart with every step.

Thank you, Uncle Ted. I miss you.

Catch Me If You Can

As documented in previous posts like this one, Broadway is one of my favorite places in the world. When I’m anywhere close to there, I want to find a way to catch a show. So as I was planning to visit friends in Pennsylvania this weekend, I decided to add an extra day for a trek into the Big Apple. You may be asking, “Close? Really?” And you would probably have a point – I am currently writing this on a 3 hour train ride from NYC to their city. But 1) for an Alabama boy, that is close, and 2) that’s how much I love it. Rationalization can be a powerful thing.

So….what to see? There were really three choices at the top of the list. The two not chosen were Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, simply because the music is by U2. How to Succeed in Business, starring Daniel Radcliff. But my niece Macy was in New York earlier this summer and saw Catch Me If You Can and she absolutely loved it. Add to that the fact that the co-star Norbert Butz had spent four years of his career at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery and it was the obvious choice.

It. Was. Amazing. It had everything that I love about the genre. A great story to tell, exceptional musical numbers, awesome performances, humor, and even a couple of times where I got a little misty. And it had something I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced before: the original cast intact. I bought the soundtrack on iTunes when I got back to my hotel room, and the performers on the album are the same ones I had just seen perform. How cool is that?

Just to give you a taste, here is a four-minute clip from this year’s Tony Awards. It includes an almost complete version of the song “Don’t Break the Rules”, which was an absolute showstopper. Enjoy:

 

Let me just say that I was highly entertained and walked out of the theatre with a smile on my face. Like a child, I wanted to cry out “Do again!” But also, with the way I’m wired, I never see a movie, listen to a song, read a book, or see a play without thinking about how it fits into and comments on life. CMIYC was no exception. It was a story of a kid who went looking to fill a big hole in his life, one left by a father who taught him some distorted values. It was also the story of an FBI agent who never had children of his own and was also trying to fill a hole in his life by the pursuit of this criminal who continually made him look bad. It dealt with father issues, conditional vs. unconditional love, and the tension between law and grace. I loved the fact that these two long time adversaries found something of what they were looking for in each other. And that unlike Javert of Les Miserables, Agent Carl Hanratty learns that the heart can change. He still believes that the rules must be obeyed and punishment must follow when they are not, but he learns to administer the law with love and grace mixed in. And, like the Prodigal Son, Frank responds to that.

Just a marvelous show. If you’re ever in New York, or if in the future a touring company brings it near you, see it!