[Wicked05]

Hey!
Some people say that this show may be inappropriate for a high school production! What do you think? I have nevr seen the show done before, so any help with it would be great!

Thanks

[Sara]

I think it's a great high school show. Some of the stuff would have to be toned down depending on the liberality of the school.. but yes, I'd say sure!

[DaWhiteStuff329]

it's a little more risky to do say than Fiddler of the Roof, but I think it's a great high school show. You can always change words like "@$$hole" to "idiot" and such, and get rid of the sexual references/dances (i do think tho that is a very important part of the show, so if anything be toned down and not removed)

[Tracktony88]

Well at our school, they toned it down by replacing the love scene shown on the broadway version with a scene between theo and pippin and theo's duck dying. It is mildly sexually related, but thats the humor in it.

[Fontinau]

[Rainkloud]

yes, they are both in there, and also: a sexual scene between theo and pippin? how... does that work exactly?

[magicalme]

our choreographer invented a new dance for flesh. well it was actually simmilar, after watching the dvd again. we replaced the guys with girls, we seperated the lesbians a bit, but they were stil there. the lowering of pippin was cut. we kept most of the curse words in there, but took out jackass ro asshole or whatever charlemagne called lewis in the origional. and we replaced the word sex in magic to do with lust.

[Rainkloud]

our flesh was a 60's dance party. but we still had the pippin losing his virginity with the lowering bit. and we kept sex. and asshole. XD

[Ezther0]

YES! Our school performed it and we rated it pg-13, so younger audiences were not as large. BUT THE PLAY WAS AN ULTIMATE SUCESS BECAUSE THEY DIDNT DIDNT TAKE AWAY SCENES. although they did still tone it down. heh.

[Prince B]

I fear I might get drawn and quartered for saying this, but I'm not so sure it is quite so appropriate for high schools. I feel as though the messages are extremely mature in nature, and that high schoolers just aren't as capable of understanding a portraying them unless you have an incredible director. Now this is not to say that a group of teenagers couldn't have fun doing Pippin, but as far as being the best fit, well I don't know. This, too, is all assuming that nothing was cut. As soon as you start having to bend over backwards to make it acceptable, you are admitting the content isn't suited for your actors and your audiences. With You and the sexual connotations in the Hearth sequence are there for very specific reasons, and if you opt to not capitalize on them AT ALL, you are omitting a significant component to the plot and to Pippin's life. In all of our lives, doesn't sex play a main role in the development of our maturity? I mean, to not even use the WORD "sex" in Magic To Do, is just so unfortunate.

I am by no means blaming or criticizing those who have done the show in a high school setting. If anything I think it is unfortunate that high schools have to be so incredibly conservative in what they portray onstage. It's this hush hush attitude that makes for the nixing of Rizzo's pregnancy (a significant, and dramatically RIFE teenage issue) and Sarah Brown getting "caught up in the moment" rather than drunk on her ass, but I digress...

Sexual imagery and (mild) profanity aside, Pippin is about issues much bigger than most teenagers are able to comprehend. Part of the genius in the way Fosse adapted it is that he took a treacly score and plot and turned it into a dark, chilling fable. I don't know how a high school can do as adequate a job of recapturing that same brand of warning and darkness. That all being said, if anyone is currently involved with a high school production of this, one of the most intriguing and ambiguous musicals ever written, I wish you best of luck, and just disregard what I've just written as the ramblings of someone who thinks way too much.

[lind]

Think about it: high school and college students are the horniest people on earth and they truly are at a point in their life where they need to find a place. They're really going off into the world. This is a great show for a high school or any sort of learning institution. The students - no matter what their background - all parallel the characters in every way.
Pippin - obvious
Catherine - the girl in HS always trying everything (ie losing her virginity) to keep the boyfriend around.
Theo - looking for a father figure
LP - putting up a smooth front while inside he's crumbling
Char - blindly dumb, ignorant of the real world
Fast - the slut looking to get by through sex appeal

Weren't you one of these kids in HS and didn't you know all of these kids in HS. They can handle it. They'd be better suited most adult casts.

[Mysterons]

[GeaugaDog]

Ever notice how schools want to draw crowds with a musical like "Pippin" or "A Chorus Line" or "Cabaret" but tone them down so much that they're destroyed. I think if your School Board/Superintendent/Principal/Musical Director can't do the show as written, then they shold move on to "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" or some other "kiddie" show. By the way, parents of elementary students, there is a thing called a babysitter. Use one instead of bringng your noisy brats to a show. And turn off your cell phone. And leave your damn camcorder and camera at home. It may be your kid, but I bought a ticket to see them in the show. Broadway performers have parents too, but they don't act like entitled idiots.

School boards/Superintendents/Principals, etc. should realize that kids have internet, cable, and DVD-hardcore porn readily available to them. To deny this is to lie to yourself. "With You", "Dance 10, Looks 3" and Sally Bowles abortion never damaged anyone but instead make people think. I think what "conservatives" find especialy troubling is young people thinking for themselves.

[Mysterons]

O.O
Geauga...I don't know how to pronounce that, but can you be on my wall with lind and say things that I like for all eternity?
That is EXACTLY why I will never see a school production of Cabaret again. I saw one once...oy.
Things cut:
Two Ladies
Sally having an abortion at all
"Und now, presenting, the cabaret girls"
The verse about Elsie from the song Cabaret
Don't Tell Mama
I Don't Care Much
Anything to "violent" or "sexual".

Needless to say, that sucked. Back on topic, Pippin doesn't have a lot that should be cut if it's gonna be school production. The language, the Pippin Catherine "scene", and that's about it. Nothing else is "bad" enough. That school probably would cut half the show, though.

XO
Myst

[Norma]

I am considering doing Cabaret at the high school where I teach theatre. I plan to do the show as written (the original version, not the revival) with only one exception: I will cut "Two Ladies." I don't think the impact of the show will be affected by this ommision.

[Sara]

[lind]

Take a risk man. We thrive on risks. If you can defend your actions with reasonable, thought out responses, you can do anything.

[Fontinau]

[lind]

right on Fontinau

[Prince B]

What I find intriguing is the fact that a high school english class will read anything from Catcher in the Rye to The Color Purple to Sun Also Rises which are all rife with profanity, debauchery, and adult themes. Hell, Shakespeare is downright filthy to those who can decipher it. Why is it that we allow students to study and analyze that which we will not allow them to portray. Is it because the artform of the musical isn't as understood or respected by the public education system, and therefore is not as trusted as a valid form of learning/expression? I don't know. Because of the common misnomer that musicals are trivial, light fare, and their sole existence being in mostly post-1940 America, not to mention the high school tradition of exiling any and all mention of musical theater to Extra-Curricular Land, it is easy to view the same adult themes in musicals as lacking in the artistic merit attributed to some of the novels students read.

Another thing that I think has been grossly overlooked is the fact that it is ILLEGAL to alter these shows so drastically. I'm the last person to be a stickler for the law, but there exists a fine line between directorial vision and downright copyright violation. If a high school insists on doing Cabaret or Into the Woods (good lord) or Merrily We Roll Along (god help me, it's been done), go for it. Whether they are trying to get bigger box office sales or attempting to expand the students' cultural repertoire (which I am ALL for), do it, just don't bastardize the artistic integrity of the work. Perform the show that is written, and if what is written is not acceptable, then find something else to perform. This raises even more issues of the fact that there are fewer and fewer family-friendly and budget-friendly musicals being produced nowadays. How many times can a high school mount The Music Man or Fiddler on the Roof before people start getting bored. As the contemporary Broadway theater audience develops a taste for edgier, flashier material, the young amateur production groups of America, be they in high schools or community theaters, are languishing for new material. It seems like only a matter of time until some high school, in a desperate attempt for something new and exciting, tries mounting The Wild Party and in turn ends up with a 25 minute show.

[LucyFastrada]

All I have to say is my all-girls catholic school did 'Pippin' my senior year. We had 2 female Leading Players to compensate for the male lead and as far as "censorship" if you will went, we did cut the scene where Otto (the duck) dies, and I'm not sure if that was because of content, length, or a combination of the two. Other that that we changed the line in "Magic to Do" that goes "Sex presented pastorally" to "Desire..." (which has two syllables, so that was interesting). The "With You" dance was not as sexual as we all know it can be, and I, being Fastrada as you probably guessed, couldn't play up the idea of an incestral relationship with Lewis, but all in all I think we maintained the integrity of the show. Basically, I'm trying to make the point, that a few edits may have to be made as to not offend parents and administrators, but the show will not necessarily butchered if changes are subtle and kept to a minimum. A lot of things in there go over kids' heads anyway (even the kids on stage...I doubt most of the cast ever thought about what they were saying in "Glory").

[pippin2004]

My highschool did do Pippin and it wored very well. we did have to change some language, but we were able to keep the orgy scene. but it was a bit more PG, but not too much. it was fun. i really miss that play

[catpower18]

Well my highschool is doing pippin this year and it's going fantastically, we aren't cutting anything out and i dont think our pincipal would even care. Our musical directors and our directors are quite excited about the whole thing and if we cut anything out it would ruin it. I understand that some schools might want to cut things out but why even do a play with sex scenes in it if not to act them out? All our students are so happy to be doing it and are enjoying every minute, we swear everyday so why cant we do it in a play? And if parents or teachers think it's 'innapropriate' then they shouldn't come. It's there own fault if they do come and take offence i rekon. Peace out.

[music4me3111]

I'm doing the show w/ highschoolers at a community theater. We're keeping most of everything expect we're toning down the Pippin/Catherine scene. I think it's appropriate because high school kids are dealing with a lot of the temptations that Pippin deals with. It's easy to relate to.

[aLLiAnNe08]

My Middle School did a production of Pippin when I was in 7th grade. The director just used a slightly edited version, that the lyrics in some of the songs were somewhat different. It actually turned out wonderful, we competed in a district competition and placed first. So yes I think it can be appropriate for highschool.

[music4me3111]

[aLLiAnNe08]

Okay then, well actually the person who played Pippin WAS 14 and he did an amazing job. He is very talented, and just because someone is younger doesnt mean they can't be mature and perform well.

[music4me3111]

I'm not saying that he didn't preform well. I just can't see it, that's all. It's good that he was great, I just can't picture it.

[AlexL]

Agism has always been a problem. I don't see why you can't imagine a 14 year old good enough to sing the songs. I am not sure if you have ever heard of the North Carolina Boys Choir, but they are amazing.

Back on topic:

A very liberal local high school preformed A Chorus Line with only one change: "This and That" in Dance: 10 Looks: 3. It was wonderful. I think that as long as your school is OK with it, it is a great play to do.

[blackjack912]

my school is VERY liberal, or rather I should say the drama deptartment is. In the past few years we've done:

Rags, Into the Woods, Cabaret, Scarlet Pimpernel, Nine, Sweeney Todd, and this year it's Pippin. And each year there were absolutely no changes made whatsoever.

[linus2004]

Black Jack,
You did Cabaret? You're right, you're school is liberal!

On the other hand, with alterations to Pippin, it can be appropriate for any highschool.
However, I suggest altering dialogue-song segues while you're at it. It's pretty poorly structured, so I suggest maybe even adjusting lines as you read through for the first time and as rehearsals progress.

[mannfann714]

My high school was doing awesome shows (like Pippin, Cabaret, etc.) until Chicago, where everyone was in leather and lace underwear and it was the best production the school EVER did. However, all the scantily-cladness got the trustees mad and made my director tone it down. Since then we've done High Society, King and I, Dames at Sea and now Sound of Music. It's definitely go downhill.

I'm doing Pippin this summer at a high school musical program and hopefully they won't censor it to much! I have no idea what the restrictions are.

[PublicFlogging]

My school did it.
But got in huge trouble for it.

I don't have an opinion myself... I haven't seen the show in many years and I don't remeber it well.
Accutally, I saw it when I was about seven, and I remeber my mother ushering me out during Act I...

[MsDivaKate]

Plenty of high schools do Pippin. They usually cut things or downplay things or if your school is liberal enough, its left pretty much as is.

[MzGalinda]

[MzGalinda]

Sorry about the double posts...Back to subject...while the sexuality IS all good and controversial, has anyone ever considered the whole suicide thing? I'm all for an unadulterated Pippin in High Schools, don't get me wrong, but there are a ton of people who would flinch at even the word "suicide", much less convincing the lead to do it.

Forgive me. This is the school who took out the line "suck on this" in Honk.

[kozafluitmusique]

What's wrong with the Duck scene? I'm confused...

My high school just finished up Pippin last night. They changed some of the language (ex. since we had actual nine-year-olds playing Theo, they alternated, they said other names instead of "a-hole" the second weekend), and the scene with Catherine and Pippin they edited (basically they had them try to kiss each other instead).

My mom was appalled that my high school performed it at first, but she slightly changed her mind, but not much. The whole cast was fantastic, though!!

[theonetowatch]

Our high school did it a few years ago and my grandmother wrote a nasty letter to the headmaster about how it was inappropriate for kids to perform. He responded by telling her that she was an uncultured idiotic old lady with no understanding of musical theatre.

One of my favorite comments was during "With You", when my grandpa turned to my grandma and said, "some of those kids look like they know what they're doing." Best day of my life.

Anyway, I don't think it's inappropriate.