Dan's Papers

Genevieve Horsburgh

‘Forbidden Broadway’ Delights at the Gateway Playhouse

The Gateway's latest production will have you rolling on the floor laughing.

The second show in The Gateway’s summer season, Forbidden Broadway, is not your typical musical, and that’s what makes it a must-see, especially if you’re a fan of theater or are in need of a good belly laugh. Forbidden Broadway is written and directed by Gerard Alessandrini, who joins Gateway for this spectacular rendition, with a script he’s re-written more than a dozen times over the last few decades.

Known as the “Fall-Down Funny Roast of Broadway,” Forbidden Broadway is a take-no-prisoners parody of all your favorite Broadway hits. The clever tongue-in-cheek score has you hanging on each line. Alessandrini is a master of parody lyrics—swapping words for ones that will have you either giggling or full-blown laughing out loud, with tears of hilarity streaming down your face.

The cast consists of four performers who portray countless characters from over two dozen of the best-known Broadway shows. It’s amazing how each cast member can seamlessly transition from one scene to the next—from singing re-worded tunes from Mamma Mia! to poking fun at the costumes of The Lion King— never missing a beat. Their infectious energy will keep you enthralled, and even the absence of a true plot will not deter from the enjoyment of the music—because at the heart of the show, the music is what it’s all about.

A huge kudos to this amazing cast: Chris Collins-Pisano, Bill Coyne, Mia Gentile and Keri Safran, who work together like wheels on a car, each one rolling alongside the other in comedic brilliance. Gentile’s powerhouse vocals belt out songs made famous by the likes of Idina Menzel and Liza Minelli. Her performance of “How to Fly,” a parody “Defying Gravity” from Wicked, almost gave the audience as many goosebumps as the original. When she comes out as 30-year-old Annie, America’s favorite orphan, the audience can barely contain the giggles. The scene that parodies West Side Story with “Chita and Rita” leaves the audience pealing with laughter and will stay in your head for several days. Gentile was most recently seen on Broadway in Kinky Boots, and we imagine she’d make a fabulous Elphaba in Wicked if given the opportunity.

Safran is a red-headed spitfire, and her personalities on stage are vivacious and hilarious. Her portrayal of the personalities of Barbara Streisand, Patti Lupone, Bernadette Peters, Julie Andrews are on point and side-splitting. Her timing is perfect and her antics only add to the fun.

Collins-Pisano has some very memorable performances, including his spoof on The Lion King as Rafreaky complete with a Mickey Mouse headdress and hidden Disney merchandise. He also portrays the characters of Evan Hansen (laugh-out-loud funny lyrics), the Phantom from The Phantom of the Opera and Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice) all of which he played out uproariously.

Rounding out the cast is Coyne, who delivered so many varied performances. It’s a wonder the cast can fully embody each unique character in every scene they’re in. His interpretation of characters like Hugh Jackman, Simba from The Lion King and Lin-Manuel Miranda from Hamilton were on point. There’s a scene with Coyne and Collins-Pisano where they do a riff on The Book of Mormon that will have you hooting with laughter.

There are so many different shows represented in this rendition of Forbidden Broadway—including Chicago, Mary Poppins, Cats, Jersey Boys, Fiddler on the Roof and Little Shop of Horrors to name a few more. You’ll lose count of how many costume changes each character has, and the costumes themselves are uproarious in their interpretation, due to the vision of Costume Designer Alvin Colt. The Lion King ensembles were hilarious, as were the puppets used for the “Ya Gotta Get a Puppet” scene from Avenue Q. The parodies of Cats and Frozen were also favorites, and you’ll be giggling about the Cabaret scene for a week.

Forbidden Broadway is a refreshingly wicked and clever parody of some of the most popular shows that have graced the Great White Way. As always, The Gateway picks the best team for the job, and this show is a great example of masterful talent working together seamlessly.


 

The Theater Guide

Jessica Kennedy

If you are willing to play Russian roulette with your theater experiences, then you might just want to check out Forbidden Broadway, performing from June 5th- 22th at The Gateway Playhouse in Bellport Village. You may be entertained, offended, or both- no matter the outcome, this raucous night of theater, directed brilliantly by Gerard Alessandrini, will certainly have you talking!

This show is not like many others in terms of its format; rather than follow a discernible plotline with consistent characters, this show is a medley of musical performances which, although seemingly unrelated, are woven together to create a scathing and scandalous commentary on Broadway, its productions, and its major players. From “America’s Favorite Orphan,” featuring a washed up, cigarette toking Annie in her original iconic red dress begging for a revival, to Mary Poppins reviewing her own Broadway show as “stupid, careless, fictional, nonsensical verboseness” (sung to the tune of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” of course), you will find that many major shows- classic and contemporary- feel the sting of their famous songs, characters, and production choices hyperbolized and ridiculed. Although it was hard for me to watch the cast mock the beloved Julie Andrews, the Cats parody was outright hysterical (because as the cast says, nobody likes Cats). As long as you can stomach this show butchering one of your most precious Broadway memories- and believe me, it will- you will be able to find the humor in this deliberately sardonic spectacle of a show!

Although the content of this quirky performance may not be to everyone’s taste, the production of it is indisputably excellent! The cast of four will blow you away with their outstanding vocal range, perfect impressions, and stellar comedic timing. The cast works seamlessly together, and build off one another to heighten the effect of their satirical bits. This is seen best in the Les Miserable Segment- the audience’s ripples of laughter can attest to that! Mia Gentile’s rendition of Frozen (“Let it Blow”) was simply gorgeous, while at the same time hilarious. While Bill Coyne’s effortless jabs at Hugh Jackman are one of the more contemporary references added to the lineup, the show also targets classics, such as Chicago– and Keri Safran kills it! Chris Collins-Pisano’s additions are also side-splitting- his parody of Cameron Macintosh as a shifty “merch” hustler is laugh out loud ludicrous. Add to that impressive costumes by Tony Award winning Original Costume Designer Alvin Colt, and you are in for a night of gasps and guffaws!

Just one note to the less seasoned theatergoer: If you have not seen many of the shows targeted for laughs, you may find yourself a bit out of the loop for some of the numbers. While still a fun time for all, missing the jabs and jokes are half the fun of this performance! So rewatch a few of your favorites, and (if you are feeling brave) come watch them stretched, distorted, and ultimately celebrated in this unapologetic and goofy spoof on all things Broadway!