Q: I have heard it said that you and Bob Fosse were at odds during the production of "Pippin" over the direction the show was going. Could you address this? Also, I have always had certain misgivings about the show and especially about the ending. Your thoughts?

A: My issue with Bob Fosse was not so much the darkness of his vision but the tawdriness and the emphasis on bumps and grinds and cheap jokes. I also felt that the Leading Player was undercutting the focus on Pippin in some cases and forcing Pippin to become a relatively one-dimensional character. I agree with you about the ending, but that's not Bob's fault; none of us could find the right ending. Incidentally, I saw a production which came up with a terrific ending: after the Leading Player and troupe leave and Pippin sings his little reprise of "Magicshows and Miracles", he and Catherine begin to exit; Theo (played by a boy of about fifteen) remains on stage and very softly begins to sing to himself "Corner of the Sky" a capella; Pippin and Catherine turn to look at him in dismay as the Leading Player and troupe sneak back on and put all their focus on him; as the Leading Player holds out his hand to Theo, the lights get very bright on him and then black out. I love this ending and it seems exactly right to me.

Stephen Schwartz

(This ending is now available from Music Theatre International)