“Forbidden Broadway” is back — and as funny as ever!

09/25/2024

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(from Left to Right), NICOLE VANESSA ORTIZ, DANNY HAYWARD, JENNY LEE STERN and CHRIS COLLINS-PISANO in a scene from "FORBIDDEN BROADWAY" (Photo by Carol Rosegg)

DANNY HAYWARD (left) and CHRIS COLLINS-PISANO (right) spoof “Back to the Future” in a scene from Gerard Alessandrini’s “FORBIDDEN BROADWAY” (Photo by Carol Rosegg)

DANNY HAYWARD and CHRIS COLLINS-PISANO dressed as characters from Back to the Future. — DANNY HAYWARD (left) and CHRIS COLLINS-PISANO (right) spoof “Back to the Future” in a scene from Gerard Alessandrini’s “FORBIDDEN BROADWAY” (Photo by Carol Rosegg)

Forbidden Broadway was, from 1982 to 2009, a hilarious off-Broadway musical revue that parodied current and past Broadway shows, composers, and theatrical luminaries. Now, under the direction of creator Gerard Alessandrini and with long-time accompanist Fred Barton at the piano, it’s back where it belongs — off-Broadway. Its newest incarnation, Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song, is playing at Theater 555 on West 42nd Street.

I’m overjoyed to announce that it’s as funny as it ever was, with a nimbly talented cast of four — Chris Collins-Pisano, Danny Hayward, Nicole Vanessa Ortiz, and Jenny Lee Stern.

They take on theatre etiquette (with Stern as a Brooklynite usher singing “Sit Down, You’re Blocking the Aisle”). They lampoon actors Ben Platt, Bernadette Peters, Daniel Radcliffe, Patti LuPone, and Audra McDonald, among others. And shows ranging from Cabaret (with Hayward playing all three Emcees – Joel Grey, Alan Cumming, and Eddie Redmayne) to Back to the Future, from Six to Wicked, are parodied along with newcomers like Merrily We Roll Along, Hell’s Kitchen, Oh, Mary!, The Outsiders, and Suffs. They even swipe a paw at off-Broadway’s Ballroom-culture inspired Cats: The Jellicle Ball.

This edition of Forbidden Broadway had been booked into a small Broadway theater for the summer, but for some reason lost their booking. Thankfully, they found the intimate Theater 555, and after a short delay they were able to bring their unique slant on the fads and foibles of theater in New York to old fans and new audiences. They don’t spare themselves, either: their traditional opening number has been tweaked to become the satiric “Forbidden Broadway Not on Broadway”.

CHRIS COLLINS-PISANO (left) and JENNY LEE STERN (right) in a scene from “FORBIDDEN BROADWAY” (Photo by Carol Rosegg)

If you’ve seen Forbidden Broadway in the past, seeing it now is like spending time with a wickedly gossipy friend you haven’t seen in a long time. If you’ve never experienced Forbidden Broadway in any of its incarnations, you definitely must go see it now! No matter what, I cannot more strongly encourage you all to head to New York’s off-Broadway Theater 555 and take a stroll up and down Forbidden Broadway!

Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song is presented at Theater 555, 555 West 42nd St., New York through Jan. 5, 2025. For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to forbiddenbroadway.nyc or theater555.venuetix.com.