Lucie Arnaz Completes High-Flying PIPPIN National Tour Cast as 'Berthe'

The producers of the Tony Award-winning hit Broadway musical Pippin have announced full casting and rehearsals begin today for the U.S. national tour which launches on September 6, 2014 at The Buell Theatre. Lucie Arnaz joins the cast in the role of Pippin's trapeze-flying grandmother, Berthe. This all-new production of Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz's Pippin is directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus, features choreography by Tony Award nominee Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse and circus creation by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers).

In addition to Lucie Arnaz as Berthe, the national tour features Sasha Allen (a finalist on the 4th season on NBC's "The Voice") as Leading Player, Kyle Selig (The Book of Mormon on tour) as Pippin, Tony Award winner John Rubinstein (created the role of "Pippin" in the 1972 original Broadway production) as Charles, Sabrina Harper (Pippin, original Broadway Revival cast) as Fastrada and Kristine Reese (Wicked on tour) as Catherine. The company also includes Skyler Adams, Sascha Bachman, Bradley Benjamin, Callan Bergman, Dmitrious Bistrevsky, Mark Burrell, Mathew deGuzman, Fernando Dudka, Mirela Golinska, Kelsey Jamieson, Preston Jamieson, Lisa Karlin, Alan Kelly, Melodie Lamoreux, Zachary Mackiewicz, Lucas Schultz, Tory Trowbridge, Mackenzie Warren and Borris York.

With a book by Roger O. Hirson and music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Pippin features music supervision and arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo, orchestrations by Tony Award winner Larry Hochman, scenic design by Tony Award winner Scott Pask, costume design by Tony Award nominee Dominique Lemieux, lighting design by Tony Award winner Kenneth Posner, sound design by Tony Award nominees Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm.

PIPPIN tells the story of a young prince on a death-defying journey to find meaning in his existence. Will he choose a happy but simple life? Or will he risk everything for a singular flash of glory? The show is noted for many Broadway standards including "Magic To Do," "Corner of the Sky," "Glory," "No Time at All," "Morning Glow," and "Love Song."

The original production of Pippin, directed by Bob Fosse, premiered on Broadway in 1972. It won five Tony Awards and five Drama Desk Awards, and ran for close to 2000 performances before closing in 1977. Pippin is now in its second smash year at Broadway's Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street; NYC). This production of Pippin debuted at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA where it ran December 5, 2012 to January 20, 2013. It opened on Broadway on April 25, 2013 and went on to win four 2013 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Director of a Musical. The show also received Best Revival of a Musical honors from the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League. The New Broadway Cast Recording for Pippin is available on Ghostlight Records.

Barry & Fran Weissler and Howard & Janet Kagan present the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) production of Pippin with Lisa Matlin, Kyodo Tokyo, A&A Gordon/Brunish Trinchero, Tom Smedes/Peter Stern, Broadway Across America, Independent Presenters Network, Norton Herrick, Allen Spivak, Rebecca Gold, Joshua Goodman, Steve McManus, David Robbins/Bryan S. Weingarten, Philip Hagemann/Murray Rosenthal, Jim Kierstead/Carlos Arana/Myla Lerner, Hugh Hayes/Jamie Cesa/Jonathan Reinis, Sharon A. Carr/Patricia R. Klausner, Ben Feldman, Square 1 Theatrics, Wendy Federman/Carl Moellenberg, Bruce Robert Harris/Jack W. Batman, Infinity Theatre Company/Michael Rubenstein and Michael A. Alden/Dale Badway/Ken Mahoney.

Photo by Jennifer Broski