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Glory, Glory!

A starry concert performance of Pippin raises money for The National AIDS Fund.

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

Last night's concert presentation of the Stephen Schwartz-Roger O. Hirson musical Pippin in the Grand Ballroom of the Manhattan Center on West 34th Street was quite an event. Produced by Jamie McGonnigal and Kate Shindle, the concert benefited The National AIDS Fund. Here is Rosie O'Donnell, one of five stars who shared the role of the Leading Player, opening the show with "Magic to Do."

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

The concert was a personal triumph for Michael Arden in the role of Pippin. Here's Arden singing "Corner of the Sky."

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

An audience favorite was Terrence Mann, hilarious in the role of Pippin's father, Charlemagne.

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

Also an audience favorite -- for obvious reasons! -- was daytime TV star Cameron Mathison as Pippin's stupid but studly brother Lewis.

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

Here's Billy Porter, another of the Leading Players, singing "Glory"...

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

...and here's Darius de Haas, yet another of the Leading Players, singing "Simple Joys."

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

The one and only Charles Busch, fabulously costumed by Michael Bottari and Ronald Case, winningly performed "No Time at All" in the role of Pippin's grandmother, Berthe.

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

As Pippin matures, he struggles with sexual lust vs. the joys of a committed relationship. (Sound familiar?)

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

Here's Julia Murney as Fastrada, Pippin's seductive, scheming stepmother.

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

Pippin is crowned in "Morning Glow." Last night's performance of the soaring anthem by a huge chorus and full orchestra, conducted by Mark Hartman, was thrilling.

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

The beautiful widow Catherine, played by the luminous Laura Benanti, tries to domesticate Pippin.

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

Our hero walks out on Catherine and is urged to end his life in a blaze of glory by the Leading Player -- here in the person of the great Ben Vereen, who created the role in the original Broadway production of Pippin.

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

But Pippin finally realizes that not everyone in this world needs to do extraordinary things. He chooses family life with Catherine and her son, Theo (Harrison Chad).

(Photo © Michael Portantiere)

The show ends with Theo -- here surrounded by Leading Players O'Donnell, Porter, Vereen, de Haas, and Shindle -- beginning to look for his own "Corner of the Sky." Last night's Pippin concert was directed by Gabriel Barre and choreographed by Andy Blankenbuehler.

 

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