Rating: 
Summary: Pippin...Magic To Do
Review: What can one say about a DVD that preserves much of what made it a hit on Broadway...Bob Fosse's Direction and Choreography? It is a wonderful piece of musical theater history and a wonderful representation of a hit that stormed Broadway in the 70's.That is not to say that this DVD is not without its problems. One of the main problems is that part of the show have been edited out. A song, jokes, a pivotal moment with a talking head are missing leaving viewers perplexed at times. It seems that the editor didnt have a copy of the script to work from. The saving grace is the wonderful performance of Ben Vereen as the Leading Player. For those who want to see Vereen at his peak I would suggest you skip the Fosse DVD and get Pippin. He was one of Fosse's favorite dancers and Pippin shows off his skills. Other actors do a fairly admirable job with their parts. William Katt is good at Pippin, but no matter how many times I watch this producation I get mad that he drops the last line of the show and loses some of its punch in the dropping. Chita Rivera and Martha Raye handle their roles well and Christopher Chadman, who later went on to become a choreographer before passing away, reprises his role of Louis, Pippin's half-brother, and is as wonderful here as he was on Broadway. Stephen Schwartz and Bob Fosse battled throughout Pippins creation, but Pippin is one of Schwartz's nicest score. And the opening number, Magic To Do, is a Broadway classic (which is why I wonder why it didnt make it into Fosse). If you collect Broadway Musicals, Pippin is a great addition to your collection. It is a close replication of the Broadway production and it worth having.
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