Cast: Michael Arden & Tyrone Giordano (Pippin), Ty Taylor (Leading Player), Sara Gettelfinger (Fastrada), Harriet Harris (Berthe)
For complete info on this wonderful cast, see the Pippin program on the Center Theatre Group website.
I knew that I'd appreciate the Deaf West Theatre production of Pippin, since I loved Big River when they did it and I'm not really a fan of that show (or the story). If they could make me enjoy a show I didn't like, clearly seeing their production of a show I actually like was a good idea. Pippin isn't Stephen Schwartz's best music, but there are some very good songs and this production makes everything work better than I've seen it before.
The cast of Pippin is amazing! The costumes, sets, and lighting are very well done. One of the best things about this production is they shortened it a bit so that Pippin is only one act. They only took out one full song (and it's still in the score) and added a couple things to the versions of Pippin I had seen before and really improved the show. I hope this production makes it to Broadway so my friends in New York will be able to enjoy it!
The way sign language was incorporated into Pippin was even better than what they did in Big River. I think Pippin really lends itself to the interpretation because of all the dancing that is already a part of the show, the magic, etc. and this show was designed very well.
I highly recommend catching Pippin at the Mark Taper Forum while you can (it runs until March 15th). I know I'm going to do my best to see another performance of this production of Pippin before it leaves LA in case it doesn't come back.
Grade: A-
Labels: comedy, Deaf West Theatre, drama, Harriet Harris, Michael Arden, musical, romance, Stephen Schwartz, theatre, Ty Taylor, Tyrone Giordano
Reviewed by Kat at the 8:00 PM show | 1 screams
screams,
March 18, 2010 12:25 PM