Five Wild, Wacky & Wonderful Interpretations of Pippin, from Raul Esparza to the Jackson 5

The 2013 Tony Awards are right around the corner, and we can’t wait to find out which show takes home the prize for Best Musical Revival: Pippin, Cinderella, The Mystery of Edwin Drood or Annie. In the meantime, we went on a little YouTube binge to find out the most awesome, hilarious and downright weird interpretations of these Tony-nominated revivals from all over the world. Next up, Pippin is making magic on Broadway, adding a circus-inspired twist to the beloved story of a prince searching for his corner of the sky. We hunted the web to find five innovative takes on Stephen Schwartz’s 1972 musical.


PIPPIN MEETS MOTOWN
When Pippin first hit Broadway in the seventies, everyone was humming Schwartz’s iconic song “Corner of the Sky”—even Michael Jackson! Check out the Jackson 5 singing the hit song on Soul Train…in some very excellent bellbottoms.


PIPPIN GOES STEAMPUNK
Brown University’s Sock and Buskin production of Pippin has everything: gas masks, fishnets and a Leading Player that looks suspiciously like Adam Lambert. Described as a “neo-Vaudevillian steampunk extravaganza,” this Pippin looks poppin’.


A DIVINE “MORNING GLOW”
Pippin is positively cathartic at the Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, TN, starring Alvaro Francisco in the title role. His pure, angelic vocals, the ensemble’s choir-inspired harmonies and the stained glass backdrops make this “Morning Glow” a religious experience.


THE PRINCE TRAVELS TO HOLLAND
In a production of Pippin presented by the Conservatorium INHOLLAND Alkmaar in the Netherlands, our prince (played by Dennis Marquez) is seduced by sirens in white wigs playing musical instruments. The recorder doesn’t exactly scream sexy to us, but hey, whatever works.


RAUL ESPARZA FINDS “SIMPLE JOYS”
And finally, a classic: We never pegged Tony nominee Raul Esparza as a Leading Player type, but after seeing his showstopping rendition of “Simple Joys” at the Bryant Park’s Broadway Under the Stars concert in 2004, we officially became converts.