[All4theBest02]

Couple 'o ideas I wanted to knock around, and I figured what better crowd to knock them around with than some fellow Pippin enthusiasts?

Between this and J/H, this is probably the pitch my producer will like most. I want to do NEW things with the show, most particularly with the Leading Player and his control over the proceedings and his ties to a semi-satanic background.

Secondly, I desperately am looking for input on orchestration ideas; I really want to make this puppy stand out like a beast.

Thirdly, any mini-ideas you have regarding scenes in/not in the script, and any ad-libs you may have done in your productions that you've particularly liked?

Also, FYI, this will be in 2-acts, splitting just after 'Right Track'. Also, the scene in the Toronto Production with the Leading Player, Catherine, and Pippin will be included. Other than that, I'd appreciate some input from my fellows. Please and thanks in advance!

[dmorrissey]

An interesting thing that you could do would be to take out Extraordinary, and put in Marking Time. In case you didn't know, Marking Time was taken out of pippin because the actor had problems with it since it couldn't convey his feelings enough. Stephen Schwartz then wrote Extraordinary and put it in Marking Time's place. Putting Marking Time back in would DEFINATLy make this version stand out, plus Marking Time has different emotions going through it, which would be something fresh for people who have seen Pippin a lot before.

Another thing, making it bloody could be fun. I saw Pippin a while ago at this theater by me, and they made it so fun to look at because in "Glory" while the Lead Player was dancing, lights were slowly going up in the background which revealed TONS of fighting, and LOTS of bloodshed. Seriously, they must have used so many bloodpackets, the stage was COVERED in blood. Really set a mark in my head that when I get old enough to direct it, I'll do something similar.

Also, make sure the lead player is hot and can seduce even the characters of the same sex in the show

and that's just some ideas i have

[Mr_rekkan]

Awesome. I should look up that song, I havn't heard of it before.

And yes...the Leading Player should be totally hot. Hehe.

That's AWESOME that you're making it stand out. I don't think Pippin gets enough attention as a musical.

[Deester]

Just so you know, I read this on the Stephen Schwartz website. It is regarding getting permission to replace "Extraordinary" with "Marking Time". The message is from Stephen Schwartz himself:

While I have always liked the song, there is of course a good reason it was replaced, which is that "Extraordinary" works much better thematically. The emotiona message of "Marking Time" is well conveyed in the book, particularly in the scene where Pippin sits "at the head of the table" and the following scene with Catherine. More important to the story is not to forget the pull on him of his original quest within the long Catherine sequence, which is what "Extraordinary" deals with; otherwise, the final scene with the Players lacks some persuasiveness. Technically of course, it is important for you (and others) to know that it is actually illegal to replace songs or otherwise change a show you have licensed without obtaining the author's permission. I'm sure I would have granted it for this one production, which was after all at a college and therefore partially a learning experience. But in general, I would not be in favor of, nor permit, returning to "Marking Time" in place of "Extraordinary".

Sincerely, Stephen Schwartz

[All4theBest02]

Hmmm...definately good ideas abounding. I had a few other thoughts too; I saw a production where, at the end, they bring on not only Catharine and Theo but also Berthe as a sort of 'Trio' in opposition to the Leading Player - Fastrada - Charlemagne 'encouragement' group. It may come of cheesey to some, but I think it adds some depth to the show. Thoughts anyone?

More specifically, I'm thinking also set design and artistically speaking too. Any interesting set ideas? Alternate suicides (and don't even mention the Pippin MM ending...) for Pippin would be nice too, but still alongst the fire idea.

On a side note, I think I've completely figured out "Glory" in my head now...now I just have to make up my mind whether I want this to be my project or not. Eh.

[Monsieur D'Arque]

Do you have video screens or projectors? If so, try theming pippin after a reality TV show... The Leading Player could be a sort of ubiquitous host character, a la Jeff Probst, who metamorphoses into a Larry King type character for the political sections, a "Queer Eye Guy" for on the right track, and during the Catherine section, have him only seen from behind a fence, a la Wilson on Home Improvement. Style the entire Catherine sequence after a classic sitcom.

Alternate Suicides:

Have a "Beauty and the beast" transformation moment with a featured player... smoke fills the stage, colored lights, they lift off the ground a la the Beast... and then burst into flame. soon, they fall, charred, to the ground, and a player casually sprays them with a fire extinguisher and kicks the corpse offstage or into a trapdoor.

[All4theBest02]

I don't like it but I LOVE IT! Great idea, but just an utterly different direction than where I want to go.

As for the Suicide: BEAUTIFUL! How would I do it however? As much as I love B&tB, I've never actually seen it nor do I know how to orchestrate the lifting. Do go on though!

[Monsieur D'Arque]

If you're looking to step away from the Vereen-Fosse influences and give your production a distinctive theme or style, give Charlemagne a Texas accent and cowboy hat. Emphasize his incompetence. Give Lewis the same accent and emphasize his aggression.

During War is a Science, when Charlemagne says "For though i cannot write my name," stop the music and throw in a rimshot. Then, have him mispronounce one line, such as "what separates a charlatan from a ...charlemagney?" The leading player gently corrects him, and he goes on.

Though it doesn't conceivabley fit with the theme, i've always wanted to see the song "Simple Joys" performed B-52s style. It fits their sound pretty well, and if your leading player can pull off a decent imitation, put him and some players in beehive wigs and have a blast!

Berthe should be Charlemagne in Monty Pythonesque drag.

During the assassination, Charlemagne gradually slips into a Marlon Brando accent until Pippin notices.

All in all, the production should become a dark, amorphous pop-cultural wasteland, like a twisted production of Godspell.

[All4theBest02]

Wonderful! Monsieur D'Arque, if I can actually get my producer to agree with some of these ideas, I'll even credit you in the program for some of these thoughts! Gratzi!

Everyone else, keep coming with them: I love the ideas so far.

[Monsieur D'Arque]

More on the Assassination scene: As the church lights come up, we should hear the noises of monks at prayer, and of someone eating rather loudly. As the lights come up, we see Charlemagne eating a bowl of spaghetti. Instead of stabbing Charlemagne, Pippin shoots him and then drops the gun. Charlemagne collapses in his halfl-eaten pasta dinner. After the song, when the Leading player restores Charlemagne to life, he says "This may require some tricky surgery. Only an experienced hand with a very delicate blade could accomplish this task." He lays charlemagne on his back, and pantonmimes a quick, vicious slash across the abdomen. He now mimes reaching deep, deep, very deep into Charlemagne's body, eventually allowing his whole arm (or head) to dive into the gash in search of the bullet. He eventually finds it, after which Charlemagne gets back up. however, when he bends over, half a spaghetti dinner falls from his robe, and appears to the audience to have fallen from his still-open stomach.


Alternate Suicide, part 2 (less expensive, more disturbing):

The Grande Finale! Triumphant music plays and a large golden throne is revealed. A player climbs into the chair, and sits down quite comfortably. A crown, conveniently attached to the chair, is lowered onto his head, and the Leading Player throws a lever. At once, restraints pop down onto the player's arms and legs, and sparklers go off all around the chair. The players cheer and clap. Suddenly, the chair begins to shake, and the theatre is filled with the sounds of a generator reaching full power. The chair begins to smoke, and the player in it spasms as if being electrocuted. The smell of burning meat is wafted in. Just as it reaches the peak of intensity, there is teh sound of a circuit breaking. all lights in the house and onstage go out as the chair emits a final flash and winds down. In the dark, we hear the leading player calling to the stage manager "I think we blew a fuse!" a voice from the back of the house calls out, "See! I told you we should have run this at dress rehearsal!" After a moment, the lights are restored. during the blackout, the player in the chair was replaced with a smoking, badly burned corpse or skeleton.

[BroadwayBud]

That IS really disturbing. Sorry to pull away from the thread, but I didn't even realize that anyone died at the end...could someone explain the whole Grand Finale concept to me and why the Leading Player gets so angry? I hope this isn't a stupid question. Again, I'm sorry I'm distracting the point of this thread. Someone could PM me with a response if they like. Thanks!

[Monsieur D'Arque]

More random concepts...

THE SET

The show open with a projection of a PIPPIN logo (not the traditional happy-go-lucky jesters, but a more modern, vaguely unsettling logo) on a blank brick wall. The brick wall is actually made of false bricks, maybe shoebox sized, but maybe larger, which obscure the stage. Set into the brick wall is a door painted to blend into the bricks. During Magic to do, the lights go out and the music plays as a spotlight follows down the wall, until just past the door. Once the light passes the door, the Leading Player slips out and shuts the door again. Then, with "Psst!" the light flits back to the LEading PLayer, who has appeared out of nowhere. Players enter climbing over the wall, if possible. Otherwise, they enter through the door as well, or through the house.

After corner of the sky, the players have disappeared. Pippin looks around, and walks off into the house. As soon as he's gone, the door pops open, and the leading player steps out to sing. WHen he's done wiht his line "journey through our anecdotic revue," he slams the door shut. The vibration is accompanied by a crash of drums, and the force (actually players hidden behind the wall, makes the false brick wall fall, revealing the Charlemagne set underneath.

GLORY:

During the tapdance section, the leading player does not dance. Instead, a Chorus Line of players dances out and performs an intricate dance. During this, battle goes on behind them, but at about halfway through the dance, a shot rings out and one member of the line falls dead. More and more dancers are shot, until only one survives at the end of the song. She takes a bow, turns to dance off, and is dispatched with a WWII samurai sword by the leading player, who then licks the blood off the blade and smears it, "Apocalypse Now" style, on his face. At the final operatic chord of the song, the Leading Player pulls the pin on a grenade and tosses it towards the ensemble. Instead of the goofy music that usually happens there, we hear a deafening roar, and see light and smoke. The only person who makes it out of the smoke is the leading player, and he shouts, shell-shocked, "GLORY!" Musical coda.

[All4theBest02]

Um...okay, just finished catching up. I like the whole thing with the Suicide at the end, but it's very JCS too...I like the assassination too, but I'm trying to keep the characters traditional as possible while being outrageous, y'know? But I may incorporate some of that Godfather ideas. Monsieur D'Arque, you should consider (if you don't already) directing.

LOVE-LOVE-LOVE the Brick Wall! I'm gonna' see if I can't do something like that...

And just and FYI to all, this is TEEN theater I'll be directing, so don't go too over-the-top with this.

[lc06]

[BroadwayBud]

Got it. Thanks!

[lc06]

no problem

[Monsieur D'Arque]

more ideas...

GLORY

During the dance break, have several players do the traditional marionette-like dance sequence, or a similar one. Then, on the other side of the stage, light up Charlemagne, lounging at his desk, playing with toy soldiers, making them "dance" like the people onstage.

[lc06]