A new production of Pippin is currently on Broadway. It opened to decent reviews, grabbed 10 Tony nominations and does not seem to be playing to any empty seats. I'm intrigued because I was never that fond of the show and regarded it, the two times I saw it, as a triumph of staging over substance. This new version, as you'll see below, comes on stronger with the staging gimmicks. It's like what Barnum would have looked like if Fosse had directed it…and I'm not sure if this makes me want to see it or avoid it. I'll try to decide before the next time I get to New York. In the meantime, here's the show's "sizzle reel." And it does sizzle — but then so do the steaks at Denny's…
