An Interview with Michael Lanphear from PIPPIN (a guest post at PlayhouseSquare’s Behind the Curtain blog)
As I serve as PlayhouseSquare‘s Community Engagement and Education’s blogger department this year, I will take you behind the scenes of each KeyBank Broadway Series show and interview a member of the show’s cast, crew or creative team. The fourth show in the 2014-2015 series is PIPPIN The Musical…
Visit the PlayhouseSquare’s Behind the Curtain blog to read my interview with Michael Lanphear, the show’s Acrobatic Coordinator.
My next Broadway-inspired confession: The first time I saw Pippin (at my high school the year after I graduated), I walked out incredibly upset at the close of the show — I hated the ending! Which is mildly hilarious when I look back on the second time I saw it — a year after I graduated college, at Cain Park. And which is why I was so excited to see it again.
After attending this past Wednesday night’s performance, I say this production is a MUST SEE. The addition of the circus arts as a concept takes this musical to a new place, heightening audience members’ enjoyment from start to finish. The skill of the entire cast — the singers, dancers, circus performers — is top notch. Plus I was reminded just how much I love the score — such catchy songs embedded throughout!
…As for the ending? It makes a lot more sense at the age of 31 than it did at the age of 18…
PIPPIN the Musical is in Cleveland February 3 – 15 at the Connor Palace Theatre at PlayhouseSquare. For more information, please visit the show’s page on the PlayhouseSquare website.
Many thanks yet again to the fantastic staff at PlayhouseSquare for including me as a PlayhouseSquare blog contributor for the Broadway Buzz program KeyBank Broadway Series. Next up: Dirty Dancing…
Want to read my previous interviews? Check out:
- my interview with Jarran Muse from Motown the Musical
- my interview with Jess Goldstein from Disney’s Newsies
- my interview with Michael Horsely from White Christmas
Learn more about PlayhouseSquare: follow PlayhouseSquare on Facebook, on Twitter at @playhousesquare, or on Instagram at @playhousesquare.
Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
