Director Stephen Dexter’s new version of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Pippin will be the reopening production at London’s Charing Cross Theatre.
Running from 30 June until 14 August 2021, the innovative re-imagining of Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson’s well-loved musical will be performed in the round by an ensemble cast of eight.
Welcoming the seven-week run for the production at the popular London venue, Dexter said: “Pippin opened on Broadway in October 1972, however Stephen Schwartz started writing an early version of the show while he was a student at Carnegie Mellon University in 1967.
“Flower power was at its peak, war was raging in Vietnam and Hair opened on Broadway. It was the year of The Summer of Love. My take on the show (which I have been lucky to direct three times before) is told by a group of hippie travellers of that time.”
Schwartz added: “I’m delighted that Steven Dexter’s new and re-imagined production of Pippin will have further life this summer at Charing Cross Theatre. By stripping back Pippin to its essence, it draws the audience directly into the heart of the story. I’m excited to come over to see it for myself, and if Covid rules permit, I will be there!”
Presented by Adam Blanshay Productions, Edward Johnson and Steven M. Levy, the cast and full creative team for Pippin will be announced at a later date.
The story of a young prince in search of true happiness, the musical was originally produced on the Broadway stage in 1972 by Stuart Ostrow in a production directed by the legendary Bob Fosse. The 2013 Broadway revival directed by Diane Paulus won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.
An earlier version of the production produced by Peter Bull for LAMBCO Productions ran at the Garden Theatre in Kennington, South London from 8 September until 17 October last year.
Angela Thomas
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