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Lucie joins national tour of Pippin


Brock

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From Playbill.com:

 

Lucie Arnaz, the daughter of late actors Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, will play Berthe in the U.S. national tour of the Tony Award-winning revival of Pippin, producers announced July 28. The production launches Sept. 6 in Denver at the Buell Theatre.

Complete casting has been announced for the production, which begins rehearsals July 28 and opens Sept. 10 in Denver. Performances continue through Sept. 20 the Buell Theatre. Tickets are on sale now at DenverCenter.org.

As previously announced, the production will star Sasha Allen ("The Voice," "Camp," Hair) as Leading Player, Kyle Selig (The Book of Mormon on tour) as Pippin, Tony Award winner John Rubinstein (who created the role of Pippin in the 1972 original Broadway production and currently stars in the Broadway revival) as Charles, Sabrina Harper (Pippin, original Broadway revival cast) as Fastrada and Kristine Reese (Wicked on tour) as Catherine.

The company also includes Skyler Adams, Sascha Bachman, Bradley Benjamin, Callan Bergman, Dmitrious Bistrevsky, Mark Burrell, Mathew deGuzman, Fernando Dudka, Mirela Golinska, Kelsey Jamieson, Preston Jamieson, Lisa Karlin, Alan Kelly, Melodie Lamoreux, Zachary Mackiewicz, Lucas Schultz, Tory Trowbridge, Mackenzie Warren and Borris York.

 

MORE HERE: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/193943-Lucie-Arnaz-Will-Swing-from-Pippins-Trapeze-on-Tour-?tsrc=nx

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There was some hinting that Lucie would be playing this role, but I was hoping she would be replacing Andrea Martin on Broadway. I hope this plays somewhere close to New York. I'm very excited. Lucie's one problem is that nobody is going to believe her character has lived 66 years.

 

I saw the show with Andrea Martin and it was outstanding. The character of Berte only has one scene and one number, but it is the showstopper to end all showstoppers. I don't think I've ever seen an audience response like the one that followed that number.

 

 

The character performs hanging upside down from a trapeze.

 

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I had heard the spoiler bit. I love the song this character sings. I'm not all that familiar with the show but know some songs. I was unsure of how many scenes the character had.

The character does also make an appearance in the opening number, which was the number they performed on the Tonys last year. I think she was added to the opening for this production. I think in the original production with Irene Ryan she only appeared in the one scene. I don't remember if she appears in the finale at all.

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I nearly fell off my rocker to hear Little Lucie will be playing Granny Clampett's legendary Broadway role :lucywow:

 

I would have loved to have been old enough to see Irene Ryan in the original production - cannot imagine the audience  reaction she got when she sang  "It's hard to believe you're being lead astray by a man who calls you granny" - must have been a roar unheard like anything other than Lauren Bacall backstage!

 

(By the way has anyone ever seen the 1980's tv production with Martha Raye in the role?)

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I have seen the 1980s TV production with Martha Raye. Bob Fosse was supposedly very displeased with it because he did not have creative control, but it's enjoyable. Chita Rivera is terrific in it as Fastrada the stepmother. Lucie could be playing that role and be marvelous as well. The Broadway revival is reconceived and spectacular.

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Joanna would be fun! It would be yet another thing she and Lucie have in common.

 

Andrea Martin is scheduled to leave the Broadway production on September 21 and the LA run begins on October 21. I wonder who will play Berthe in Broadway then. It can't be Lucie since she'll be doing the show in San Francisco at this time. Maybe they'll get someone to do it for a month (or bring back Priscilla Lopez) and then have Lucie take over.

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Though it's hard to comprehend, Lucie is now just SIX years younger than Irene Ryan was when she played the role on Broadway! 

 

And just a year or two shy of Martha Raye when she did it.

 

I have a CD of  the entire show of Pippin recorded from the audience.  "No Time At All" is the highlight and Irene makes the most of it.  She sings a few verses, then conducts a singalong.  There's a bit of dialogue not recorded on the album.  Before the last verse, she says something along the lines of  "OK, you've had your turn. Now  I'm going to take this verse alone......center stage....(pause).....a spotlight, please...." then begins singing.  The ovation is loud and long, one of the longest I've ever heard.  A true showstopper in the literal sense.

 

Schwartz said he wrote the "Granny" lyric before Irene was cast.

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