Harry Hepple, Tony Winner Frances Ruffelle & More to Star in London Revival of Pippin

Harry Hepple will play the title role in Menier Chocolate Factory’s previously announced revival of Pippin, joined by Tony winner Frances Ruffelle as Fastrada, Ian Kelsey as Charlemagne and Matthew Rawle as the Leading Player. Performances are set to begin on November 22 and continue through through February 25, 2012, with opening night on December 7. Director/choreographer Mitch Sebastian plans to incorporate Bob Fosse’s original Tony-winning choreography into this production.

The cast of Pippin will also include Carly Bawden (Catherine), Stuart Neal (Theo) and David Page (Lewis), along with Ben Bunce, Bob Harms, Holly James, Anabel Kutay, David McMullan and Kate Tydman.

Pippin is a colorful, imaginative and darkly humorous coming-of-age story centering on the heir to the throne of Charlemagne. Pippin is searching for beauty, glory, fame and magic, but he must come to grips with lust, sex, war, politics and religion. First produced on Broadway in 1972, the show features music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, The Baker’s Wife, Godspell) and a book by Roger O. Hirson.

Hepple appeared in the West End production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Kelsey was last in the West End as Billy Flynn in Chicago. Rawle played the title role in the West End production of Zorro and Che in Evita. Ruffelle created the role of Eponine in Les Misérables for the RSC and received a Tony for her performance in the Broadway production. Other West End credits include Chicago, Starlight Express and Schwartz’s Children of Eden.

Pippin will feature set design by Timothy Bird, lighting design by Ken Billington, costume design by Jean-Marc Puissant, orchestrations and music supervision by Simon Lee, sound design by Gareth Owen and musical direction by Tom Kelly.