‘Forbidden Broadway’ gets ready to restart its mocking of Broadway with new edition of show

By Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Get ready to goof on “Pippin,” ”Kinky Boots,” ”Matilda the Musical” and “Motown the Musical” — the theatre spoof revue “Forbidden Broadway” is sharpening its witty claws again.

Creator and writer Gerard Alessandrini said Friday he’s preparing a new edition of the popular show at the newly refurbished Davenport Theatre on 45th Street starting Feb. 22, merrily tweaking the Broadway shows that have opened since “Forbidden Broadway” took a hiatus in April.

Over the course of the spring, Alessandrini will continue to add new material and targets to reflect the new Broadway openings, including shows such as “Rocky,” ”Cabaret,” ”The Bridges of Madison County” and “Aladdin.” A brand-new edition of the revue will debut around the time of the Tony Awards in June.

Co-directed by Alessandrini and Phillip George, the show features a small, talented cast playing and singing multiple parts in a frenetic and hilarious send-up that isn’t scared to mock Catherine Zeta Jones, Bernadette Peters, Matthew Broderick, Patti LuPone or Mandy Patinkin, among many others.

Alessandrini started the revue at a small Upper West Side nightspot in 1982 and watched it grow into an almost annual event with versions in Los Angeles, Boston and London over the next three decades. It took a three-year break in 2009 but re-emerged in 2012 with a well-reviewed revue.

The last edition, called “Forbidden Broadway: Alive & Kicking!” sent up “Annie,” ”Newsies,” ”Once,” ”The Book of Mormon,” ”Evita,” ”Porgy and Bess,” ”Anything Goes” and “Follies.” The new edition will be called “Forbidden Broadway: Alive & STILL Kicking!” and tickets range from $29-$79.

___

Online:

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today