Critics urged to stop trippin’ on Pippin

Casting critics urged to rethink their fury as the first musical since the pandemic hits the stage.

American performer Gabrielle McClinton, centre, stars in the award-winning musical Pippin at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre. Picture: David Swift

The producer of the first major musical to hit the stage since lockdown has urged critics to rethink their fury over a decision to cast a black American performer following a wave of public outcry.

The circus musical Pippin came to life at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre on Tuesday this week for the first time since the industry was shuttered in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, Australian musical theatre production company Gordon Frost came under scrutiny after US performer Gabrielle McClinton was cast as the Tony Award-winning musical’s lead ringmaster, denying Australian performers, particularly Indigenous talent, the chance of taking on such a coveted role.

However, co-producer Suzanne Jones said the decision to cast McClinton, who starred in the Broadway musical, came down to timing and training.

“When our industry was shut down, we got decimated and lots of us didn’t qualify for JobKeeper, so it’s been really stressful, and I can understand how people feel very precious about every single job that’s available. From that perspective, I absolutely understand it,” Ms Jones said.

“But from another perspective, normally the person who does that role would have six to 12 months of training. We didn’t have that. We needed to find somebody who had done it and that’s why Gabrielle agreed to come and spend two weeks in quarantine for the show. I think it was hard, but once everyone realised what we were doing and how we were doing it, it has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Starring alongside McClinton is Ainsley Melham, who plays the show’s protagonist Pippin, and television personality Kerri-Anne Kennerley as Pippin’s grandmother, Berthe. At the time of the casting controversy, Kennerley told The Australian she was “blissfully unaware” of the criticism. “It matters not,” the 67-year-old said. “I am delighted to be doing Pippin; it’s wonderful to have jobs back for the theatre.”

While the production’s return to the theatre is “incredibly exciting”, Ms Jones said the industry was “on its knees” and would not survive operating under the current audience cap.

Ms Jones said that Pippin, a show of hope and aspiration, was the perfect story to mark the ­return of theatre.