NEWSFLASH: The Storm Theatre is proud to host a benefit concert for the National AIDS Fund.
Ben Vereen, who won a Tony Award for his performance in the original Broadway company of Pippin, will be part of the all-star concert of that Stephen Schwartz musical Nov. 29. Another late addition to the star-studded company is Emmy Award-winning talk show host Rosie O'Donnell, who will open the concert as the first of five Leading Players. O'Donnell and Vereen join the previously announced Leading Players Darius de Haas, Billy Porter and Kate Shindle. Michael Arden, the star of the Off-Broadway hit Bare, A Pop Opera, will play the title role of Pippin, which is being presented as a staged concert to commemorate World AIDS Day. Arden will play opposite Laura Benanti, who has been cast as Pippin's love interest, Catherine. The company also includes Terrence Mann as Charlemagne, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire; Charles Busch, who will don drag to play Berthe; Harrison Chad as young Theo; Cameron Mathison as Lewis; and Julia Murney, who will play Fastrada. The ensemble comprises Sarah Chase, Kristoffer Cusick, Adam Fleming, Barrett Foa, Sriram Ganesan, Julie Garnye, Jordan Gelber, Kearran Giovanni, Jenna Leigh Green, Colin Hanlon, Cheyenne Jackson, Natalie Joy Johnson, Michael Longoria, Jennifer Malenke, Kate Pazakis, Erin Quill, Randy Redd, Robb Sapp, Marty Thomas, Caitlin van Zandt, and Josh Young. The one-night-only mounting of the Stephen Schwartz musical will boast an 80-member choir and full orchestra. Gabriel Barre, who directed Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party Off Broadway, will helm the upcoming production of Pippin at The Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom at 34th Street and 8th Avenue. The concert, which will benefit the National AIDS Fund and the non-profit Storm Theatre, will feature choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler and musical direction by Mark Hartman. Bob Fosse directed and choreographed the original 1972 Broadway production of Pippin, imposing his conceptual vision onto the bittersweet fairytale that Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson created. Ben Vereen was the Leading Player ("Magic to Do," "Simple Joys"), John Rubinstein played the searching Pippin ("Corner of the Sky," "With You"), Jill Clayburgh was his love interest ("I Guess I'll Miss the Man," "Kind of Woman"), Leland Palmer his evil stepmother ("Spread a Little Sunshine") and Irene Ryan was Pippin's feisty grandmother ("No Time At All"). Ryan (the famed stage actress and TV's "Granny" of "The Beverly Hillbillies") left the show for health reasons and died during the run. The show ran 1,944 performances and was one of a handful of scores that brought a pop sound to the theatre in the 1970's (along with Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar). A star of stage and screen, Ben Vereen made his Broadway debut in Jesus Christ Superstar, earning a Tony Award nomination for his performance. He nabbed the Tony for his work in Bob Fosse's production of Pippin and has also starred on Broadway in Grind, Jelly's Last Jam and Fosse. The recent revival of I'm Not Rappaport marked Vereen's non-musical Broadway debut. Rosie O'Donnell has appeared on Broadway in Grease! and Seussical and produced the Boy George musical Taboo. She also hosted the Emmy-winning "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," and her numerous screen credits include "Gimme a Break!," "A League of Their Own," "The Flintstones," "Exit to Eden," "Beautiful Girls," "The Twilight of the Golds," "Wide Awake" and "Will & Grace." She is also at work on an autobiographical theatre project based on her book "Find Me." Tickets range from $50 to $1,000, and many prices include the party following the performance, which will include the Pippin company. Call (212) 868-4444 or visit www.smarttix.com. Donation options and sponsorship opportunities are available through www.pippinconcert.org or by contacting PippinConcert@aol.com. The Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom is located in Manhattan at 311 West 34th Street.
Porter and de Haas Part of All-Star Pippin Concert
By
Andrew Gans
The Nov. 29 all-star Pippin concert to commemorate World AIDS Day will feature several actors splitting the role of The Leading Player, the part created on Broadway by Ben Vereen. Among the stars set to share that role are Billy Porter and Darius de Haas. The company, which is still in formation, will also include The Wild Party's Julia Murney, Avenue Q's Jennifer Barnhart, Hairspray's Michael Longoria, Bat Boy's Sarah Chase, Bombay Dreams' Sriram Ganesan, Into the Woods' Jen Malenke and "Camp" star Kaitlin van Zandt. The one-night-only mounting of the Stephen Schwartz musical will also boast an 80-member choir and full orchestra. Co-producers of the concert — to be held at The Manhattan Center's Grand Ballroom at 34th Street and 8th Avenue — are Kate Shindle and Jamie McGonnigal. Choreography will be supplied by Andy Blankenbuehler with musical direction by Mark Hartman. The New York City concert of Pippin will benefit the National AIDS Fund as well as the non-profit Storm Theatre. Tickets will go on sale at the end of October. Sponsorship opportunities are currently available by e-mailing PippinConcert@aol.com. Darius de Haas has appeared on Broadway in Marie Christine, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Carousel, Rent and The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm. He created the title role in Running Man for which he received an Obie Award, and his other theatrical credits include The Bacchae, Saturn Returns, Children of Eden, Once On This Island and I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky. De Haas was also part of the recent benefit Hair concert. Billy Porter was recently seen in the Public Theater's productions of Merchant of Venice and King Lear. His Broadway credits include Grease!, Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Smokey Joe's Cafe and the Dreamgirls Actors' Fund benefit. Regionally, Porter has appeared in Angels in America and Going Native, and his screen credits include "Broken Hearts Club," "Shake Rattle & Roll" and "The Intern." Bob Fosse directed and choreographed the original 1972 Broadway production of Pippin, imposing his conceptual vision onto the bittersweet fairytale that Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson created. Ben Vereen was the Leading Player ("Magic to Do," "Simple Joys"), John Rubinstein played the searching Pippin ("Corner of the Sky," "With You"), Jill Clayburgh was his love interest ("I Guess I'll Miss the Man," "Kind of Woman"), Leland Palmer his evil stepmother ("Spread a Little Sunshine") and Irene Ryan was Pippin's feisty grandmother ("No Time At All"). Ryan (the famed stage actress and TV's "Granny" of "The Beverly Hillbillies") left the show for health reasons and died during the run. The show ran 1,944 performances and was one of a handful of scores that brought a pop sound to the theatre in the 1970's (along with Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar). * Last season, McGonnigal and Shindle presented an all-star benefit of another Stephen Schwartz musical, Children of Eden. That concert also benefited the National AIDS Fund.
All-Star
Pippin Concert Set for November 29 On Nov. 29, co-producers Kate Shindle and Jamie McGonnigal will present the award-winning musical Pippin with an all-star cast to be announced shortly. McGonnigal will direct with musical direction by Mark Hartman. The New York City concert of Pippin will benefit the National AIDS Fund as well as the non-profit Storm Theatre. Tickets will go on sale in mid-October. Sponsorship opportunities are currently available by e-mailing PippinConcert@aol.com. Bob Fosse directed and choreographed the original 1972 Broadway production of Pippin, imposing his conceptual vision onto the bittersweet fairytale that Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson created. Ben Vereen was the Leading Player ("Magic to Do," "Simple Joys"), John Rubinstein played the searching Pippin ("Corner of the Sky," "With You"), Jill Clayburgh was his love interest ("I Guess I'll Miss the Man," "Kind of Woman"), Leland Palmer his evil stepmother ("Spread a Little Sunshine") and Irene Ryan was Pippin's feisty grandmother ("No Time At All"). Ryan (the famed stage actress and TV's "Granny" of "The Beverly Hillbillies") left the show for health reasons and died during the run. The show ran 1,944 performances and was one of a handful of scores that brought a pop sound to the theatre in the 1970's (along with Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar). |
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