Archival PhotosLook Back at Ben Vereen and John Rubinstein in the Original Pippin on BroadwayThe show opened October 23, 1972, at the Imperial Theatre.
By
Playbill Staff
October 23, 2019
Pippin opened October 23, 1972, at the Imperial Theatre. Ben Vereen, John Rubinstein, Irene Ryan, Jill Clayburgh, and Leland Palmer led the cast of the show about accepting oneself for who you are. The story follows Pippin, son of Holy Roman Empire patriarch Charlemagne, as he realizes he is just not the hero he wants to be. With a score by Stephen Schwartz, a book by Roger O. Hirson and direction and choreography by Bob Fosse, the show had a successful run of 1,944 performances.
Nominated for 11 Tony Awards, it took home five—including two for Fosse and one for leading man Ben Vereen. The show was revived by director Diane Paulus in 2013, winning four more Tony Awards.
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Production Photos: Pippin on Broadway in 1972
Production Photos: Pippin on Broadway in 1972
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Pippin Playbill - Nov 1972
Ben Vereen and John Rubinstein (center) in Pippin.
The Topdog/Underdog playwright received the 2023 Distinguished Achievement Award at a star-studded event that included Josh Groban and J. Harrison Ghee.