PIPPIN, Broadway League & Art of Men Partner to Bring Seniors to Show

Pippin The Musical, The Broadway League and Art of Men will bring seventy-five New York City seniors from Union Settlement to the Broadway production of Pippin on October 19, 2014 to experience their first Broadway musical. Cast members from the Pippin will host a talkback with the seniors immediately following the show.

These are challenging times for so many of our nation's senior citizens who struggle with financial and economic difficulties that limit their ability to meet basic daily needs. They rely on a local senior center for meals, security and a place to go for a conversation with others in similar circumstances. Many do not have financial means and with cutbacks impacting many social support program there's almost no funding available for anything other the basic items. There's certainly nothing available for recreational activities.

The Art of Men's goal is to do something meaningful to change that, to honor and respect the lives of our seniors and provide them with moments and events they can enjoy and cherish.

Royal heir Pippin is spurred on by a mysterious group of performers to embark on a death-defying journey to find his "corner of the sky." 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. This production of Pippin made its debut at American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, MA, where Diane Paulus serves as Artistic Director; December 5, 2012 to January 20, 2013. Pippin is noted for many Broadway standards including "Corner of the Sky," "Magic To Do," "Glory," "No Time at All," "Morning Glow," and "Love Song."

PIPPIN is the winner of four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical and Best Direction of a Musical (Diane Paulus). The show is also the recipient of four Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Diana Paulus) and Outstanding Choreography (Chet Walker and Gypsy Snider). The production also led the winners of the Outer Critics Circle Awards with seven wins including Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical (Diane Paulus), Outstanding Choreographer (Chet Walker) and Outstanding Lighting Design (Kenneth Posner). Pippin received the Drama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical and two Fred and Adele Astaire Awards including Outstanding Choreographer of a Broadway Show (Chet Walker) and Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show (Charlotte d'Amboise).

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.

The Broadway League, founded in 1930, is the national trade association for the Broadway industry. The League's 700-plus members include theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers who present in nearly 200 markets in North America, as well as suppliers of goods and services to the theatre industry. Each year, League members bring Broadway to nearly 30 million people in New York and on tour across the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.BroadwayLeague.com.

ART OF MEN (artofmen.org) is an organization of men over fifty seeking to improve their lives and the lives of others by enlightening others with their wisdom and experience and engaging in community projects requiring their specific skills. We are focused on helping those in society most vulnerable and least protected, specifically seniors, children and veterans.

In the past eighteen months our efforts have included pairing with the New York Yankees to bring seniors to a ballgame, two Thanksgiving turkey drives supplying more than 1,000 turkeys to needy families, the reconstruction of a food pantry at St. Augustine's church in the Bronx, participation in NYC Service's Cool Roofs program and our first event in Chicago to benefit the Otis Wilson Charitable Association, Common Grounds Food Pantry and our friends at Leave No Veteran Behind.

Photo by Joan Marcus