Pippin - the Musical

with Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Your source for all things Pippin: DVD, Video, Cast Album CD, Cover Song CDs, Karaoke, Sheet Music, Books, Links, Lyrics, Licensing Info, Trivia Quiz

Pippin DVD

Pippin on DVD [new browser window] $14.99 or get used copies for less. The Pippin DVD features Ben Vereen as Leading Player, William Katt as Pippin, and Chita Rivera as Fastrada. Includes short clip of Bob Fosse interview.

Note that the production here does not provide the same feel as the original Broadway production, but it does show much of Fosse's choreography.

Pippin CD, Sheet Music

• Pippin Cast Album and cover song CDs
• Pippin Karaoke
• Pippin Sheet Music

• Pippin and Fosse on DVD; Video

About Pippin

• Overview and licensing
• Books covering the Broadway musical Pippin - essential reading for fans, performers, and directors involved with Pippin.
• Pippin Articles including the LA revival in 2009 and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre production of Pippin
• Pippin composer Stephen Schwartz

Pippin Lyrics, Forum, Trivia Quiz, etc.

• Pippin Lyrics [on separate page] - Also Lyrics for Corner of the Sky Pippin lyrics | Lyrics for Extraordinary
• Contributed Pages (photos, reviews, comments)
• Links to Pippin Websites
• Pippin Forums and show schedule
• Lighting and special effects
• Pippin Trivia Quiz

Pippin Recordings

Cast Album CD

Pippin

Original Broadway Cast Recording, UNI/Motown, 1972 REMASTERED in 2000! Buy Pippin (1972 Original Broadway Cast) [new browser window]

• Includes: Magic To Do, Corner of the Sky, War is a Science, Glory, Simple Joys, No Time At All, With You, Spread a Little Sunshine, Morning Glow, On the Right Track, Kind of Woman, Extraordinary, Love Song, I Guess I'll Miss the Man, Finale
• BONUS TRACKS on this recording: I Guess I'll Miss the Man -- The Supremes, Corner of the Sky -- The Jackson 5, Morning Glow -- Michael Jackson

Downloadable Pippin Songs

From Skywriter: Michael Jackson and Jackson 5 - "Corner of the Sky"

Pippin Karaoke for performers

Broadway Box Karaoke - Includes "Corner of the Sky"

The Broadway Box- 80 Songs From 51 Shows [new browser window] Here's a 5-CDG box set that contains 80 classic songs. Includes songs from Pippin and Godspell - 51 top shows in all. Great gift item.

Pippin Karaoke - Pocket Songs

Click here and enter "Pippin" in search box This JTG karaoke has orchestrations that are similar to the cast album.

Pippin Karaoke - Stage Stars

Pippin Karaoke [new browser window] The price is lower on this one and it includes both vocal track and instrumental, so you can practice with the vocal first. Note, though, that the orchestration is less like the original cast album than the Pocket Songs version.

Pippin Songs Recorded by Various Artists

• Ben Vereen's "Magic to Do" as part of Broadway's Greatest Leading Men [new browser window]
• Broadway With a Beat [new browser window] recording by Eileen Barnett (1996)

"Corner of the Sky"

• Jackson 5 - Anthology - (Decca Broadway, 2000) - Their version is included on the remastered cast album as a bonus track. Buy Pippin (1972 Original Broadway Cast) [new browser window]
• Guy Haines - The Stephen Schwartz Album - (Varese Sarabande, 1999)
• John Barr - In Whatever Time We Have - (Dress Circle, 1998)
• Scott Coulter "Corner of the Sky" medley
• Lee Lessack - An Enchanted Evening (LML Music, 1997) I Know You By Heart [new browser window]

"Morning Glow"

• Michael Jackson - Best of Michael Jackson (Motown, 1981)
• Ethan Freeman - With You - (TER, 1997)

"I Guess I'll Miss the Man"

• The Supremes - rerecorded on the Pippin soundtrack as a special track - (Decca Broadway, 2000)

"No Time At All"

• Dorothy Loudon - The Stephen Schwartz Album - (Varese Sarabande, 1999)

"Love Song"

• Dame Kiri Te Kanawa with Malcom McNeil - Heart to Heart - (EMI Angel, 1991)

"Marking Time" (Cut from the musical)

• John Barr - a top British singer includes a swinging version of this song on his CD In Whatever Time We Have
• Michael Rupert - Lost in Boston IV - (Varese Sarabande, 1997) Lost in Boston, Vol. 4 [new browser window] This is the ONLY recording of this song that was replaced by "Extraordinary"

"With You"

Comparison Shop for
Pippin Sheet Music

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

Pippin Songs - Downloadable digital sheet music "Magic to Do," "Extraordinary," "Love Song," "No Time At All," "With You," "Morning Glow," "Corner of the Sky." See Corner of the Sky page for complete list including choral music.

PRINT

Amazon.com: Pippin : Vocal Selections [new browser window] Pippin - Vocal Selections, Pippin (Score), Corner of the Sky (Easy Play Piano), Corner of the Sky (Lead Sheet), Kind of Woman (Katherine), Love Song, Magic To Do, Magic To Do (Easy Play Piano), Morning Glow, Finale from "Pippin", Guess I'll Miss the Man, No Time At All, Simple Joys, Spread a Little Sunshine.

Pippin Vocal Score

Pippin sheet music and Vocal Score:

Pippin Vocal Score, etc. at Sheet Music Plus [new browser window] (opens new browser window) for piano/vocal, choral, background music, includes "Corner of the Sky" solo, etc. Includes a listing for: "Pippin -- Vocal Score By Stephen Schwartz. Vocal Score. Book. 256 pages.

Search for PIPPIN on BroadwayNewYork.com - All things Broadway & NY [new browser window] (opens new browser window) to purchase Pippin vocal selections, vocal score, or the karaoke CD

The Stephen Schwartz Songbook with songs from Pippin as Stephen plays them. Includes "Corner of the Sky," "Love Song," "Morning Glow," "No Time at All," "With You" and a revised lyric from "Extraordinary".

Attention choir directors or choir members: Visit our Choral Music from Stephen Schwartz Musicals page for more options

Pippin DVD and Video

PBS Documentary on Broadway: The American Musical includes a passing reference to Pippin and a sizable segment on Bob Fosse. In an interview Fosse explains how he developed his dance style.

Broadway - The American Musical - DVD [new browser window to Amazon.com]

Pippin

From the webmaster: I love this production available on video and DVD. William Katt is a fresh and wholesome Pippin. See the Bob Fosse choreography including Ben Vereen's vivacious rendition of "Magic to Do" and a recreation of the original opening of the Broadway show ("floating" white gloves on a dark stage), and more. On the other hand, this production doesn't compare with seeing it on stage, and may not be a good introduction to the show if you have never seen it. For those who have seen the show in a good production, this filmed version offers a charming memory.

Buy Pippin on DVD [new browser window] for only $15.99.

Pippin video at Amazon.com [new browser window]

Or rent from Netflix:Netflix - Only $4.99 a month! 85,000 Titles. No Late Fees. Try it for Free!

Fosse video and DVD includes very little of Pippin but presents Bob Fosse's choreography and includes some interesting interviews. DVD: Fosse [new browser window]

Fosse fans: Catch an amazing Fosse dance by Gwen Verdon and cast of Sweet Charity: The Best of Broadway Performances: The Ed Sullivan Show [new browser window] (Available in video or DVD from Amazon.com

Have you seen Chicago? - A Fosse-related musical from Miramax - DVD with special features: Commentary by director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon, etc. Chicago (Widescreen Edition) or full screen formats. Chicago (Full Screen Edition)

Pippin Overview

Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Book by Roger O. Hirson. Based on The story of Pippin, son of Charlemagne.

The Leading Player tells us the tongue-in-cheek story of Pippin, son of the 8th-Century King Charlemagne, who is on a quest to find his true calling in life. He goes through war, love, politics and other pursuits before settling down with Catherine and her son....It opened 10/23/1972 on Broadway and ran for 1944 performances. Although Stephen Schwartz co-wrote an early version of the show in college in 1967 (then called Pippin, Pippin), by the time he approached Broadway producer Stuart Ostrow with the script and score, all of the original songs and writing had already been changed.

Pippin Song List for Stage Production

PIPPIN Licensing for Local Productions:

Music Theatre International provides a detailed description and ordering information for the production Mtishows.com

The currently licensed version includes the new "Theo" ending. For info about the ending see Stephen's discussion forum at Schwartz forum - New ending

Books Covering Pippin's Broadway Development; Pippin Staging Advice

Defying Gravity includes Four Pippin-related Chapters

Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwartz, from Godspell to Wicked by Carol de Giere is the first and only book source with Pippin's history from Stephen Schwartz's point of view. Find Pippin-related information in

• Chapter 2 "Morning Glow--the College Years,"
• Chapter 6 "Godspell meets Mass and Pippin,"
• Chapter 7 "Pippin Comes to Broadway,"
• and the Extras section chapter "Updates and New Projects" that includes an explanation of the new Pippin "Theo ending."

Defying Gravity also includes more than 200 photographs and illustrations, including photos from the original college version of Pippin. Read more or buy Defying Gravity. Autographed copies signed by Stephen Schwartz and the author are available.

Pippin's Broadway producer Stuart Ostrow mentions Schwartz, Fosse, and Pippin in his new book Present at the Creation, Leaping in the Dark and Going Against the Grain: Present at the Creation, Leaping in the Dark, and Going Against the Grain : 1776, Pippin, M. Butterfly, La Bete, and Other Broadway Adventures He believed that Schwartz's pop/rock sound was the new voice he was looking for to bring Broadway up to date.

See Scott Miller's book From Assassins to West Side Story: The Director's Guide to Musical Theatre for a complete chapter on Pippin and offers some advise for directors. Buy From Assassins to West Side Story. [new browser window]

Check the index of this Martin Gottfried's book on Fosse for Stephen Schwartz (and for Carole Schwartz). There's a few interesting tidbits. Gottfried presents a comprehensive look at Bob Fosse as a director, choreographer, and person. Buy All His Jazz: The Life and Death of Bob Fosse. [new browser window]

Bob Fosse's Broadway includes some Pippin information. Buy Bob Fosse's Broadway. [new browser window]

The Fosse book Razzle Dazzle: The Life and Works of Bob... (opens new browser window to Amazon.com [new browser window]includes Pippin material, and is particularly strong on the dance aspect.

Michael Shurtleff's Audition: Everything an Actor Needs to...[new browser window] also has insights on the formation of the show.

Pippin acquired for film

June 2003. The Stephen Schwartz musical Pippin, originally directed on Broadway by Bob Fosse, attracted the attention of Chicago's film studio. No news has come out since. For updates on Stephen Schwartz's projects and general musical news, subscribe to the free email newsletter The Schwartz Scene

Lighting and special effects

Attention directors: Here's some possibilities for stage fire at the end of Pippin Save Up To $900 On Stage Lighting

Pippin - Articles

Read reviews and comments about the professional production in Los Angeles in 2009. This production interwove music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combined powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures. Special revival of Pippin in Los Angeles

"Composer Looks Back on Pippin" - Seattle Times Seattle Times May 4, 2006 Schwartz says about the show "....It has become timely again. It arose out of the Vietnam War and the fracturing of American society. In the 1990s that seemed like old news. Now we're at war again, there's more political protests. A story about rebellion against an unjust father doesn't feel like such a museum piece...."

Read about original Leading Player Ben Vereen

Review: Professional PIPPIN production at Sag Harbor, NY Aug/Sept 05

For interviews and articles about Stephen Schwartz, Pippin's composer see: Stephen Schwartz page

Pippin Reviews and Features: INCLUDES:

See story behind "Corner of the Sky" on the "Corner of the Sky" page

Pippin Lyrics

Lyrics | Special "Corner of the Sky" page | Special Extraordinary page

Links to Relevant Websites

For singers: Visit our sister site MusicalSingers.com for tips, recorded courses on singing, sheet music, vocal health information, vocal coach links, and more. Everything for singers who love musicals.

Any performers or directors investigating the various role requirements for Pippin will find the Pippin page at stageagent.com to be quite valuable:

This site has a forum where Pippin is sometimes discussed and includes a long article on Pippin under "features."
http://www.fosse.com

Here you can join a Pippin email group veranda.com

Enjoy photos of Stanford's colorful Pippin cast at this site (Spring 2000 production). http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/stanford_pippin?a

Photos of a school production in East Texas School Pippin photos

Pippin photos http://bgys.homestead.com/pippinpics.html

Pippin Forum and show schedule

Forum

See www.stephenschwartz.com forum for general discussion and www.musicals.net Forum list for their active Pippin discussion Forum.

Show Schedule for Pippin Productions in North America

Want to see a production of Pippin near you? Try this list: Go to the licensing agency site MTIShows.com Pippin page and look for the blue tab that says "Upcoming." Click there to find dozens of productions.

Pippin Performance

LICENSING Pippin

Music Theatre International provides a detailed description and ordering information for the production.
http://www.mtishows.com - Pippin licensing

Casting - Pippin vocal ranges

Pippin role requirements as listed on the Music Theatre International site:

Leading Player, dynamic, magnetic (male or female); baritone
Pippin, earnest, attractive, misguided; baritone [often played by a tenor]
Fastrada, Pippin's conniving step-mother, mezzo
Catherine, an attractive, sharp woman, mezzo
King Charlemagne, military, imposing; bass
Pippin's saucy Grandmother; mezzo
Lewis, Pippin's foppish stepbrother
Catherine's 8-year-old Son

Pippin Original Broadway Cast Credits

STUART OSTROW
presents

PIPPIN

Book by ROGER O. HIRSON
Music and Lyrics by STEPHEN SCHWARTZ

Directed and Choreographed by BOB FOSSE

Scenery Design by TONY WALTON
Costumes by PATRICIA ZIPPRODT
Lighting by JULES FISHER
Sound Design by ABE JACOB

Musical Direction by STANLEY LEBOWSKY
Orchestrations by RALPH BURNS
Dance Arrangements by JOHN BERKMAN

Cast:
Leading Player.........BEN VEREEN
Pippin.........JOHN RUBINSTEIN
Charles.........ERIC BERRY
Lewis.........CHRISTOPHER CHADMAN
Fastrada.........LELAND PALMER
Musician.........JOHN MINEO
The Head.........ROGER HAMILTON
Berthe.........IRENE RYAN
Beggar.........RICHARD KORTHAZE
Peasant.........PAUL SOLEN
Noble.........GENE FOOTE
Field Marshal.........ROGER HAMILTON
Catherine.........JILL CLAYBURGH
Theo.........SHANE NICKERSON
Players.........CANDY BROWN, ANN REINKING, JENNIFER NAIRN-SMITH, KATHRYN DOBY, PAMELA SOUSA