Pippin to Get Holiday Production at London's Menier Chocolate Factory

Pippin, Stephen Schwartz and Roger O. Hirson’s popular 1972 musical, will get a holiday production at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. Previews are set to begin on November 22, with opening night on December 7. The limited engagement will run through February 25, 2012, directed by Mitch Sebastian, who will incorporate the original Tony-winning choreography by Bob Fosse. No casting has been announced.

Set in 780 A.D. in the Holy Roman Empire, Pippin is a coming-of-age story centering on the heir to the throne of Charlemagne. Pippin is searching for beauty, glory, fame and magic, but in doing so, he must come to grips with lust, sex, war, politics and religion. Fosse’s Broadway production ran for 1,944 performances, opening on October 23, 1972, and closing on June 12, 1977. Schwartz’s score includes songs such as “Magic to Do” and “Corner of the Sky.”

The London production of Pippin will have set and projection design by Timothy Bird (an Olivier Award winner for Sunday in the Park With George), lighting design by Tony winner Ken Billington (Chicago, costume design by Jean-Marc Puissant, sound design by Gareth Owen and orchestrations and music supervision by Simon Lee.