The latest edition of Gerard Alessandrini’s Forbidden Broadway, which had originally been announced for Broadway, begins previews Off-Broadway August 30 at Theater 555. The newest edition of the musical parody, titled Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole A Song, will officially open September 19.
The cast is led by Danny Hayward (Finding Neverland), Nicole Vanessa Ortiz (Sister Act), Chris Collins-Pisano (Jersey Boys), and Jenny Lee Stern (Rocky, A Christmas Story) with musical director Fred Barton on piano.
Created, written, and directed by Alessandrini, with choreography by Gerry McIntyre, Merrily We Stole a Song parodies current Broadway shows, including Hell’s Kitchen, Stereophonic, The Outsiders, The Great Gatsby, and Back to the Future plus the recent Merrily We Roll Along and more. Attendees can also expect sendups of Roger Bart, Patti LuPone, Daniel Radcliffe, Ariana DeBose, Jeremy Jordan, and the the 2024 Tony Awards as well as selections from Alessandrini’s recent Forbidden Sondheim.
In an earlier statement Alessandrini said, “I am thrilled that this latest
incarnation of the show that I had been preparing for more than a year,
can now open Off-Broadway, where Forbidden Broadway has felt at
home for over 40 years. The exciting new Broadway season has inspired
me to create a barrage of theatrical zingers, and I’m thrilled to have
the opportunity to present this edition in New York after all.”
The series debuted in 1982 at New York’s 130-seat Palsson’s Supper Club. The revue has gone on to play in over 200 cities around the world. The show has spawned multiple iterations with Alessandrini continually updating the material to reflect Broadway’s current slate; a few evergreens remain. For his work on Forbidden Broadway in all its forms, Alessandrini and the show received a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre and several Drama Desk Awards. Alessandrini's spoof of Hamilton, entitled Spamilton, played New York and continues to tour the country.
The production also features set design by Glenn Bassett, costume design by Dustin Cross, lighting design by Joan Racho-Jansen, sound design by Andy Evan Cohen, hair and wig design by Ian Joseph, production supervision by Peter R. Feuchtwanger, production stage management by Brian Westmoreland, and casting by Michael Cassara.
Forbidden Sondheim: Merrily We Stole a Song played several performances at Manhattan's Green Fig Cabaret Theater in November 2023.
The show is produced by John Freedson, Harriet Yellin, and Eric Krebs.
Tickets for all previews are priced $30. After opening tickets will be $79, with premium seats available for $99. Visit Theater555.venuetix.com.
