page: 1 2 3 4   October 23, 1972 Imperial Theatre Bob Fosse Bob Fosse Stephen Schwartz At the height of his fame, Bob Fosse turned his notoriously extravagant sex life into rousing musical theater with the staging of "Pippin." Set in 780 A.D. during the reign of the Holy Roman Empire, the musical tells the story of King Charlemagne's son Pippin as he seeks his true calling. Under the guidance of the satanic "Leading Player," a role originated by Ben Vereen, Pippin leaves his stifling family situation to explore more worldly pursuits, but eventually resolves that he is happy being "trapped." "Pippin" poster.