Priscilla Lopez returns as Berthe in Pippin on Broadway

Tony winner Priscilla Lopez returned to the Broadway cast of Tony Award-winning musical Pippin as Berthe last night, assuming the role from Lucie Arnaz, who rejoins the show's National Tour.

The cast of Pippin currently features Josh Kaufman as Pippin, Carly Hughes as Leading Player, John Dossett as Charles, Charlotte d'Amboise as Fastrada, Rachel Bay Jones as Catherine and Priscilla Lopez as Berthe. Other members of the company include Mike Schwitter, Eli Tokash, Ashton Woerz, Mackenzie Bell, Colin Cunliffe, Ariana DeBose, Andrew Fitch, Orion Griffiths, Lauren Joy Herley, Naël Jammal, Nicolas Jelmoni, Sam Lips, Richard Maguire, Brad Musgrove, Charlotte O'Sullivan, Adam Roberts, Masha Terentieva, Kristen Beth Williams, and Lara Seibert Young.

Priscilla Lopez won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1980 for her performance in 'A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine' and was nominated in the same category in 1976 for 'A Chorus Line'. She also played the role of Fastrada in the original 1973 production of 'Pippin' on Broadway. Other Broadway credits include 'In the Heights', 'Anna in the Tropics', 'Nine', 'Lysistrata' and 'Company'.

Pippin features a book by Roger O. Hirson, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and is directed by Diane Paulus with circus creation by Gypsy Snider of the Montreal-based circus company Les 7 doigts de la main (also known as 7 Fingers) and choreography by Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse.

The Broadway revival opened at the Music Box Theatre on 25 Apr 2013, following previews from 23 Mar 2013. The show opened to excellent reviews: Sensational revival (NY Post); Beautifully buoyant, intoxicatingly sensual revival (Back Stage); Eye-popping, jaw-dropping extravaganza (Time Out NY); A wonder to behold (Hollywood Reporter).

The production won four Tony Awards: Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Patina Miller), Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Andrea Martin) and Best Direction of a musical (Diane Paulus).

Pippin will play its final performance on 4 January 2015 at the Music Box Theatre.

- by Tom Millward