NPR: Patina Miller first got noticed on the theater scene in 2009 as the star of Sister Act: A Divine Musical Comedy. She earned rave reviews for playing the accidental nun who led a choir to stardom. Now she's center stage again in the Broadway revival of Pippin, the musical first launched in 1972. Miller takes on the role of Leading Player, the circus artist who guides a young prince in finding meaning and magic in his life. She won this year's Tony Award for best leading actress in a musical. You can also hear her on the newly released CD of the show's songs.
7 comments:
She is amazing. Not only is she talented, but she is also a great role model. I like that she knows what she loves to do and that she understands what she needs to do to pursue what she loves. I hope, in the future, I am like that.
I am really happy to be attending an amazing school with such amazing and talented people. It's hard not to think and be excited about the future when you read about people like Patina Miller!!
I don't know all that much about the original Pippin, but a couple months ago I got to see the revival. Patina Miller was fantastic in the role. It wasn't until after the show that I found out that in the original version the lead player was male, and I was really surprised because the role seemed like it was made for Patina. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to see a CMU graduate on the stage before coming here. I really liked the article and the insight that Patina gave in it. I can't wait to see what she does next.
I really admire Patina Miller. But honestly, I don't think this interview did her justice. 'Pippin' was quite a challenge: making a role her own (one that was already so widely known), working on a specific type of strength so that she could justly serve the world of the play, and making social sacrifices in the spirit of staying healthy and focused. All of these struggles were skated over in the interview. It sounded as if the interviewer had asked a few vague questions, recorded the session, and then wrote down her answers word for word. The interview portrays her as unintelligent, because her answers are loaded with 'likes', skipped words, and nonlinear thought. It's a shame because obviously, she's a very smart and hard-working woman. She got a full scholarship to go to Carnegie Mellon and worked her tail off so that she could be the successful broadway star that she is today.
I'm really excited we have people such as Patina that leave Carnegie Mellon and go on to become a broadway star. Patina serves as an excellent role model and inspiration for me. She proves that as long as you work very hard it is possible to reach your wildest dreams. For me this would be working as a broadway lighting designer. After reading about Patina's great success I feel confident that if I work hard enough, then CMU can be an extremely rewarding educational opportunity. I'm glad Patina is doing well with her role in Pippin and I really hope I get the chance to see her perform!
People like Patina Miller are what keep theater fresh and interesting. Props to Pippin, especially. Ben Vereen's role is an iconic one. A lot of people don't know that Stephen Schwartz created the role of the Leading Player specifically for Ben. For someone to step into that role, it takes a lot of talent. When I did this musical in high school, the director contemplated gender-bending the Leading Player, but ultimately decided against it due to lack of female talent. Patina Miller breathed new life into Pippin's devilish conductor. Although I have not seen the show, the take the director took on it (the circus theme) is brilliant. Pippin is literally "a show within a show" and a circus portrays that brilliantly.
It is really wonderful to hear an artist describe the dedication to their art in such concrete terms. More often than not, many people don’t understand what it is actor’s do, but her comments gave a tremendous amount of insight into the preparation that goes into a show. I also liked how she spoke about theatre as a lifestyle, with its own benefits and sacrifices that one must make. The one thing I question is her comments about the work after Sister Act. In several classes we have discussed what happens when an Actor isn’t working, how to handle rejection, and the role after a big role such as this. The article seems to suggest a slight depression and sense of loss after the show is done. Yet a show’s closing night is not a travesty, but rather part of the business. I surely hope that such a talent will find many more shows in her future.
Interesting read! I don't know anything about Pippin, but I have heard great reviews of Patina and her portrayal of Pippin in the revival. It is always interesting reading about the process of some actors in preparing for a role and Patina's is no different. However the more interesting part, as it relates to Patina, is what she needed to give up in order to achieve great performances every night. Some would think that she would have a more active social life now, however it is quite the opposite. Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices to achieve success.
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