Pippin stage production on DVD

I have a long and sorted history with this show. I may have gone to about the only high school in America that would have risked staging Pippin. It was also about the last time I would have dared wear a unitard, which the entire cast wore, making the sexually charged nature of the show even more potent. It was 1983 and the show was, if not still cutting edge, at least a lot more edgy than your average high school musical. This also a time before things like parents' advisory groups, which now would surely squelch any director who wanted to use high schoolers to tell this story.

This show suffers a bit from age, not only in the "finding one's self" story, but also from it's circus-infused story-telling techniques, its strong theatricalities, and it's blatant anti-war theme. Actually, the anti-war theme may still be potent. The music remains likable, particularly Pippin's solo numbers.

William Katt is a pleasant Pippin, with the right pop-twinged voice for Stephen Schwartz's score. He spends a goodly amount of time without a shirt on, and it's, well, goodly. The cast is generally all good. Ben Vereen reprises his leading player role from the Broadway cast, for which he had won a Tony Award in 1973. Chita Rivera is Pippin's mother; Martha Raye is Pippin's grandmother. The vocal standout in the cast is Benjamin Rayson as Charlemagne. He displays a strong full-throated baritone befitting the King that united an Empire. Is this the touring company? It's nearly a decade after the show opened on Broadway.

Sorry to drop so many unknown names, but really all I can think of when writing about Pippin is Teri and Adam (who split the Leading Player role), and Drew(Pippin), and Anna (Berthe), and Paul (Charlemagne), and Jamie (the brother whats-his-name), and Melissa (Catherine), and Carrie (Fastrada), from"my" production. I should get points for remembering those names after 25 years. I've only seen two of them in the last 10.

Pippin
Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Roger O. Hirson and Bob Fosse
Original production directed and choreographed by Bob Fosse
Filmed in Hamilton, Ontario in 1981
Cast: William Katt, Martha Raye, Chita Rivera, Ben Vereen, Benjamin Rayson, Leslie Denniston

Godspell film on DVD

I can't believe that the film versions of Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell came out in the same year, 1973. There are very different in style, tone, and even in their religious viewpoints, although both end the story with the crucifixion and don't refer to resurrection (hmmm). This is composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz's second appearance in my Year.

My Midwestern, protestant upbringing in the 70s included knowing and loving much of the music from Godspell, although I don't think I saw the film until years later. I still love the music, but find the story-telling techniques and production style very dated. The broad clowning to enact the parables between songs falls flat to me. And it struck me as very odd that the New York City scenes are void of people, making the ministry of Christ seem very insular.

The cast was probably all unknowns in 1973 (although two are from the original 1971 off-Broadway stage version of show). Today Victor Garber (Jesus) and Lynne Thigpen are well-known, respected actors. It was fun to see them in their pre-CSI-Law&Order-Alias (pick your tv franchise) days. The World Trader Center towers are all over this film (including in the photo I've uploaded for this entry), and I can't help but realize that this posting is going up on September 11th.

Godspell

A Musical based upon the Gospel According to St. Matthew

Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Film directed by David Greene released by Columbia Pictures

Cast: Victor Garber, Lynne Thigpen, David Haskell, Katie Hanley, and several others.

Wicked Original Broadway Cast Album

Today's entry is the bonafide Broadway juggernaut of the new millennium. It's also succeeded in bringing in a whole new audience to the Broadway theater--no easy feat. It is the first entry in my Year with composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz, who got his feet wet in musicals with Godspel and Pippin, which I would qualify as "soft rock" musicals. With Wicked he has a more mature musical style that combines traditional Broadway styles with a pop music mentality.

You need to have a villain if you're going to have a hero. But does Wicked have a hero? Most in the audience would say that Elphaba is the hero, but the characters on stage certainly wouldn't agree. And Elphaba is not without fault, ego, or mistakes.

And with the two strong performances by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth in the original Broadway cast, the argument for who is the hero is further confused. Both Ms. Menzel and Ms. Chenoweth are singers that defy categorization (if not gravity). They have a "belt" mentality without the limitations of a belt range. They can choose their vocal placement to keep from having an obvious break in their ranges, unlike many belt singers. Perhaps this is by benefit of being among a generation of musical performers who have always used microphone amplification for their entire performing life.

I saw Wicked in the sit down production in Chicago with Ana Gasteyer in the role of Elphaba. The whole production was wonderful and the women in particular were great. Rondi Reed (who just won a Tony in a straight play) was Madame Morrible. I'm sorry I don't recall the actress who was Galinda. The complicated set was a bit of a puzzle to me. To me, it took away from the action on stage rather than added to it.

Wicked
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Book by Winnie Holzman
Based on the novel by Gregory Maquire
Original Broadway Cast recording
Released by Decca Broadway in 2003
Cast: Kristin Chenoweth, Idina Menzel, Joel Grey, Carole Shelley, Norbert Leo Butz