| CTG/MARK TAPER FORUM’S 2009 SEASON IS ANNOUNCED
42nd Season Set for Newly Renovated Theatre
Includes Six Productions – Two Musicals, Three Dramas and a Dark Comedy
“Pippin”
A magical musical comedy and the artful expression of sign language are brought together in CTG and Deaf West Theatre’s production of “Pippin” for the opening production of the Taper’s 2009 season, January 15 through March 15, 2009. Opening is January 25.
With book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, “Pippin” will be directed and choreographed by Jeff Calhoun, who was at the helm of two previous, highly successful CTG and Deaf West co-productions, “Big River” and “Sleeping Beauty Wakes.”
“Pippin” is the captivating coming of age story about a young man’s search for meaning in his life, as told by a lively band of troubadors in the Roman empire. The episodic quest of Pippin, the son of the powerful Charlemagne, takes him through battlefields, orgies, revolution, and finally, love and domesticity, as he tries to find a place for his “spirit to run free,” for his “corner of the sky.”
By interweaving music, voice, American Sign Language and dance, and combining powerful storytelling techniques from both hearing and deaf cultures, Deaf West has created a uniquely theatrical genre for a number of productions including “Oliver!,” “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Open Window.”
CTG and Deaf West first paired up in 2002 with the presentation of Deaf West’s award-winning production of “Big River” at the Taper, which was subsequently presented for an extended run on Broadway, where the cast received Tony Award Honors for Excellence in the Theatre and the production was nominated for Best Revival – Musical. “Big River” traveled to Japan and had two national tours, returning to Los Angeles in 2004 and presented by CTG at the Ahmanson Theatre. In April 2007, CTG and Deaf West collaborated on the world premiere of the musical “Sleeping Beauty Wakes” at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and the production won the Ovation Award for World Premiere Musical.
When “Pippin” was first presented on Broadway in 1972, the musical won five Tony Awards and was nominated for 11.
Stephen Schwartz has received Tony Award nominations for his work on the current Broadway hit “Wicked,” and for “Pippin,” “Godspell,” “Working” and “Rags,” while Roger O. Hirson has received two Tony Award nominations (“Pippin” and “Walking Happy”) and an Emmy nomination for his work on the TV series “The Adams Chronicles.”
Tickets Currently Only Available as Part of a Season Ticket Package
Tickets for the Taper’s new season are currently available by subscription only. For information and to charge season tickets by phone, call Audience Services at (213) 972-4444. To purchase online, visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org.
For information regarding audio description and sign language interpreted performances, call TDD/Voice (213) 680-4017.
Center Theatre Group, a non-profit theatre arts organization, is one of the largest and most active theatre companies in the nation, programming seasons year-round at the 740-seat Mark Taper Forum and the 1,600 to 2,000-seat Ahmanson Theatre at the Music Center of Los Angeles, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City.
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