Revival Theatre Company’s Pippin
Dows Fine Arts Center (Coe College) — June 4-7
The Corridor has seen its share of plays about princes on quests during recent years. For the final production of its inaugural season, Revival Theatre Company presents a very different take on a conventional tale. A troupe of actors with eclectic costumes and props gathers to perform the story of Pippin, a prince who goes on a quest to find out his purpose in life. As he goes on grand adventures, he comes to a shocking conclusion about what he is meant to do.
The original Broadway production debuted in 1972 and featured direction by Bob Fosse. The pop-style songs became standards, covered by artists like the Jackson 5 and Dusty Springfield. In the decades following the original production, the show has suffered from a diminished reputation due to the version made available for community productions, which diverged significantly from the original.
Now Pippin is getting a much-deserved second look thanks to the 2013 Broadway revival, which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Revival Theatre Company will be the first theatre in Iowa to perform the musical since the revival on Broadway. With choreography inspired by Bob Fosse’s signature style, the RTC production promises to deliver the vision of the original production, combined with the rediscovered energy of the revival.
Pippin showtimes
Thursday, June 4 — 8 p.m.
Friday, June 5 — 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 6 — 8 p.m.
Sunday, June 7 — 2:30 p.m.
This article was originally published in Little Village issue 178
