After decades of waiting, Pippin is back on Broadway! Eager audiences are ready to either see the show for a first time or relive memories from the past. The audience was filled with joy and excitement as we awaited the curtain to open for the final night of previews. With the famous first line, “We’ve got work to do,” director Diane Paulus takes the story of the young boy Pippin to a whole new level. While keeping the original music and story line, the general feel of the play has  changed as the performers are transformed into a cast of circus performers.

Although the Les 7 Doigts de la Main circus group was filled with unbelievable stunts, other elements of the play suffered. In order to get such talented circus performers, the director found an acrobatic group and taught them the singing, dancing, and acting skills required for the show. While the original Pippin was choreographed by Broadway legend Bob Fosse, the dancing in this new version suffers at times.  Many individual elements of the play were strong and the circus performers took my breath away.

The original story was followed, some comedy was added and the actors got into character very well. However, when trying to put all these elements together into one show in an attempt to get each component its own attention, it becomes too much to handle. It is easy to not be following the story at times because the other elements are stealing your attention. Pippin is a great show to entertain you for two hours. But if you’re looking for the perfect mix of story, great dancing, and phenomenal singing, Pippin may not be the best choice. All in all, for a night filled with entertainment and fun, Pippin is a good show to see.