Forbidden Broadway (Off Broadway)

Gerard Alessandrini’s FORBIDDEN BROADWAY CLEANS UP ITS ACT opened on November 17, 1998 at Ellen’s Stardust Diner Theatre (1650 Broadway) and closed on August 30, 2000 after a run of 754 performances.

Produced by John Freedson; Peter Martin; Jon B. Platt and Harriet Yellin; Associate Produced by Gary Hoffman; Jerry Kravat; Nancy McCall; Steve McGraw and Masakazu Shibaoka.

Created by Gerard Alessandrini; Lyrics by Gerard Alessandrini;

Directed by Gerard Alessandrini and Phillip George; Musical Directon by Matthew Ward; Choreographed by Phillip George; Set Designed by Bradley Kaye; Costume Designed by Alvin Colt; Lighting Designed by Marc Janowitz; Press Representation by Pete Sanders Group; Internet Marketing by Toby Simkin / BuyBroadway; Group Sales / Promotions by SRO Marketing and Production Stage Managed by Jim Griffith.

STARRING Bryan Batt; Lori Hammel; William Selby; Edward Staudenmayer; Kristine Zbornik and Ellen Margulies

Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act was the fifth incarnation of Gerard Alessandrini’s Forbidden Broadway, his popular off-Broadway musical revue spoofing “the best of Broadway”. The leading premise of the show was, like Times Square, Forbidden Broadway should drop its raunchy demeanor and “clean up” its parodies. Naturally, the cast fails spectacularly, meanwhile spoofing shows like Chicago, The Lion King, Ragtime, Titanic, Jekyll and Hyde, and Footloose. They also take stabs at personalities like Rudolph Giuliani, Ann Miller, Julie Taymor, Bebe Neuwirth, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 2001: A SPOOF ODYSSEY

Gerard Alessandrini’s FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 2001: A SPOOF ODYSSEY opened on December 6, 2000 at Douglas Fairbanks Theater (432 West 42nd St.) and ran for 552 performances.

Produced by John Freedson; Jon B. Platt; Harriet Yellin; Associate Produced by Gary Hoffman; Jerry Kravat and Masakazu Shibaoka.

Created by Gerard Alessandrini; Lyrics by Gerard Alessandrini;

Directed by Gerard Alessandrini; Directed & Choreographed by Phillip George; Musical Direction by W. Brent Sawyer; Musical Direction by Catherine Stornetta; Set Designed by Bradley Kaye; Costume Designed by Alvin Colt; Lighting Designed by Marc Janowitz; General Managed by Ellen Rusconi; Press Representation by Pete Sanders Group; Internet Marketing by Toby Simkin / Theatre.com; Group Sales / Promotions by SRO Marketing; Production Stage Managed by Jim Griffith and Consultant: Pete Blue.

STARRING Felicia Finley; Danny Gurwin; Tony Nation; Christine Pedi; Gina Kreiezmar and William Selby.

Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey was the 21st century’s first incarnation of the Off-Broadway revue Forbidden Broadway. It spoofed new shows of the time, including Beauty and the Beast, Aida, and The Full Monty, and the revivals of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Music Man, Cabaret, and Kiss Me, Kate; older shows, such as Annie Get Your Gun, Miss Saigon, and Les Misérables; and personalities, such as Gwen Verdon, Édith Piaf, Heather Headley, Marin Mazzie and Ben Brantley.