Forbidden Broadway Returns with 'Roast of Utopia,' 6/13

Gerard Alessandrini's Forbidden Broadway, the recent recipient of the Tony Honors, returns to the 47th Street Theatre (304 West 47 Street) with Forbidden Broadway: The Roast of Utopia.  This retrospective summer edition will run from June 13th through August 22nd in preparation for a new edition in the Fall. 

Forbidden Broadway: The Roast of Utopia "is a retrospective of the greatest hits from the shows' 25 years with additional parodies of Mary Poppins, Spring Awakening and LoveMusik," state press materials. This edition is created and written by Gerard Alessandrini and directed by Phillip George and Alessandrini.  Featured in the cast are: Jared Bradshaw, Erin Crosby, Janet Dickinson and James Donegan with David Caldwell on piano.

(Under the terms of their rental agreement with the 47th Street Theatre, Forbidden Broadway must vacate the theatre for several weeks each spring to make way for the theatre's resident company, The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre, to play its season.) During the hiatus, the New York production of Forbidden Broadway played Chicago's Royal George Theater.

Forbidden Broadway "has been an unstoppable force in New York theatre since 1982 when Gerard Alessandrini created the first parody that lampooned the Broadway shows and stars of the day.  It has been a favorite among theatre lovers, as well as the Broadway stars themselves (Carol Channing, Kathleen Turner, Bernadette Peters, Tommy Tune, Stephen Sondheim, Cameron Mackintosh, and Hal Prince, to name a few) who often stop by to laugh at themselves alongside their public. Forbidden Broadway has won numerous awards in its history in addition to the Tony Honors, which include Obie, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, and Lucille Lortel Awards."

Costumes are deigned by the legendary Tony winning Alvin Colt, who is currently being honored by The Museum of the City of New Yor as they celebrate Colt's six decades of work with the exhibition "Costumes and Characters: The Designs of Alvin Colt", now through July 11th. Sets are by Megan K. Halpern with lighting by Mark Janowitz.

The playing schedule is as follows: Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:15pm and Sundays at 7:30pm, with matinees on Wednesdays at 2:30pm, Saturdays at 4:00pm, and Sundays at 3:30pm.   Tickets are $65 on Saturdays, at 8:15PM,  Sundays at 7:30PM and Mondays at 8:15PM and are $60 for all other performances.  For tickets and information call Telecharge at (212) 239-6200.

For Group Sales call (212) 840-5564.  Visit www.forbiddenbroadway.com for more information.

Photo of Gerard Alessandrini by Linda Lenzi