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Magic to Do
Phoenix closes season with Tony-winning ‘Pippin’ By Josh McAuliffe
sPeciAl To The TRiBoRo BANNeR The current touring production of the beloved Broadway musical “Pippin” will make its way to Scranton Cultural Center at The Masonic Temple in the spring as part of Broadway Theatre League of NEPA’s 2016-17 season. For those who’d like a primer of sorts, though, Phoenix Theatrics is presenting its own production of the show over the next two weekends at Phoenix Performing Arts Centre, 409 Main St. in Duryea. The musical runs Nov. 4 to 6 and 11 to 13, with Friday and Saturday performances at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 and can be reserved by calling 570-457- 3589. Seating is limited. One of the most iconic musicals of the 1970s, the Tony Award-winning “Pippin” is well known for its awe-inspiring Bob Fosse choreography and Stephen Schwartzpenned music and lyrics. The show revolves around a mysterious dance troupe, led by the Leading Player (originally played by theater great Ben Vereen), who tells the story of Pippin, the son of the Middle Ages European king Charlemagne. However, rather than focusing on the real-life exploits of these two historical figures, “Pippin” derives much of its inspiration from “Faust.” In 2013, the musical was revived on
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Broadway, with Patina Miller receiving a Tony for her performance as the Leading Player, making her and Vereen the first two actors of different sexes to win the award for playing the same role. Since its Broadway revival, access to “Pippin’s” rights has been restricted, said Phoenix Performing Arts Centre artistic director Lee LaChette, the show’s director and choreographer. “So, I was really surprised that we got the licensing for it. I’m thrilled,” LaChette said. LaChette has been a fan of the musical since she performed it in college, reserving special praise for the choreography of Fosse, the legendary theater and film director/choreographer whose other works include “Cabaret” and “Chicago.” The Broadway revival of the show added circus-style acrobatics to the dance numbers. According to LaChette, the Phoenix production is going out of its way to reflect those changes, with the dancers displaying trapeze and tumbling techniques throughout the show. That sensibility is extending to the show’s production design. LaChette noted the audience will feel like they’re looking into a gold and purple circus tent. “The circus will be on our stage,” she said. The show will also include a number of magical elements, including levitation illusions and lit-up white gloves that will illuminate the Leading Player, who will be played by Jade Casella. (Tyler Saar will step into title role.) And, of course, audiences can expect all the iconic songs from “Pippin,” among
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From left: Joey Morales (Player), Jade Casella (Leading Player) and Brooke Taylor (Player).
them “Magic to Do,” “Glory” and “No Time at All.” Jenn Johnson is serving as the show’s musical director. All told, the production consists of 24 cast members, from pre-teens to adults. They’ve been rehearsing since late August, and “everyone is having a blast with it,” LaChette said. This is the ninth and final production of Phoenix’s eighth year. Just recently, the theater received official non-profit status, which will be enormously beneficial as it moves forward, LaChette said. “It was a very good year for us, and we’re hoping the future will be good to us,”
she said. “We’ve got to get people to come out and see our shows.”
If you go
What: “Pippin,” presented by Phoenix Theatrics When: Nov. 4 to 6 and 11 to 13, with Friday and Saturday shows at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows at 2 p.m. Where: Phoenix Performing Arts Centre, 409 Main St., Duryea Details: Tickets are $12 and can be reserved by calling 570-457- 3589. Seating is limited. For more information, visit phoenixpac.vpweb.com.