FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM: MERRILY WE STOLE A SONG to Open at Green Fig Cabaret Theater

Gerard Alessandrini, creator of Forbidden Broadway, brings his new special edition, FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM: Merrily We Stole a Song, a spoof and tribute to his friend, the late Stephen Sondheim beginning Friday, October 27th. This edition inaugurates the new Green Fig Cabaret Theater, located in the Yotel  (570 10th Avenue at 42nd Street -adjacent to The Green Room). Written and directed by Alessandrini, FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM will play Friday and Saturday evenings at 8PM, through November 27th, with a special performance on the 27th  at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $49 and are available by visiting thegreenroom42.venuetix.com. 

They are also available at the door beginning one hour before showtime.  Seating is cabaret-style at the Green Fig with no minimum.  Drinks and dinner are available.

 

FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM: Merrily We Stole A Song includes many new parodies of Sondheim's shows, and some classic favorites from Forbidden Broadway's 40 years of spoofing Sondheim shows and stars.  Stephen Sondheim was a frequent visitor to Forbidden Broadway and was a friend, advisor and big supporter.  He enjoyed laughing at himself, was a great sport, advising Alessandrini “The meaner the better!,” particularly in regard to parodies of his own shows. This special edition adds a new layer of humor to the Forbidden Broadway legacy.

 

The cast includes Dayna Jarae Dantzler, Chris Collins-Pisano, Jenny Lee Stern, Michael West (as Stephen Sondheim), with Christine Pedi as special guest. Musical staging is  by Spamilton  and Forbidden Broadway veteran, Gerry McIntyre. Fred Barton, the original 1982 Forbidden Broadway music Director and Alessandrini collaborator returns as music director for this edition. 

 

“I feel like Forbidden Broadway and Stephen Sondheim have come full circle with this new Merrily We Stole a Song,” said Gerard Alessandrini. “The very first Forbidden Broadway started previewing in late 1981, just as the original production of Merrily We Roll Along was opening on Broadway. In fact, our original show logo at that time, was a spoof on the real Merrily poster. And here we are again, re-opening the exact same time Merrily... has returned to Broadway. Both shows are now 42 years old. But this time Forbidden Sondheim has four decades of Sondheim spoofs to add to it!”, he continued. 

 

Gerard Alessandrini. In addition to this production, he created wrote and directed all the many editions of Forbidden Broadway in New York, London, Chicago, Los Angeles and all around the world. Plus  Spamilton (the hit parody of Hamilton). Television & recording credits include writing comedy specials for Bob Hope and Angela Lansbury on NBC, Carol Burnett on CBS and special lyrics for Barbra Streisand's album, Duets Encore.  For PBS, he wrote and directed “Masterpiece Tonight”, a satirical revue saluting Masterpiece Theater's 20th Anniversary. As a performer, he can be heard on four of the thirteen Forbidden Broadway cast albums and on the soundtracks of Disney's animated classics Aladdin and Pocahontas.   Directing credits include:  Maury Yeston's musical In the Beginning at Main State Summer Theater and most recently, Anything Can Happen In The Theater:  The Songs of Maury Yeston, the recent revue of the music and lyrics of the multiple Tony Award-Winner.  Other recent writing musicals include Madame X-The Musical, (NYMF) The Nutcracker Musical (George Street Playhouse) and the lyrics for a musical version of Paul Mazursky's Moon Over Parador. Gerard is the recipient of an Obie Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, two Lucille Lortel Awards and seven Drama Desk Awards for Forbidden Broadway, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Drama League. As a native and frequent Bostonian director/writer, he is also the proud recipient of The Elliot Norton Award, with whom Gerard studied Modern Drama in college. In 2006, Angela Lansbury presented Gerard  with a Special Tony Award for “Excellence in Theater”.

Gerry McIntyre (Musical Staging) has won widespread acclaim for his choreography for the first equity sanctioned production during the pandemic. Godspell at Berkshire theater group. He is the associate artistic director of the York Theater company. Gerry is the choreographer of the hit show Spamilton. (Ovation &  Joe A. Callaway Award nominations). Performer: original company of Once on This Island, Anything Goes (with Patti LuPone) and one of the three Americans cast in the Joseph…Dreamcoat (with Donny Osmond). gerrymcintyre.net 

 

Dayna Jarae Dantzler is thrilled to join FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM. She's been in shows on Broadway, Off- Broadway, national tours, cruise ships, and regional production companies. In her spare time, she is a teaching artist and student mentor.

 

Christine Pedi has a long history with Forbidden Broadway having performed in editions in New York, L.A., Detroit, Denver, San Diego, Australia, London's West End & the QE 2. She received a Drama Desk nomination for her performance in Forbidden Hollywood and served as a co-producer and performer in Spamilton. Happily, Stephen Sondheim was spotted in the audience at several of the above.

 

Chris Collins-Pisano is delighted to be back with this buncha no-goodniks! He has previously appeared with Forbidden Broadway in 2019-2020's off-Broadway iteration “The Next Generation”, and in touring productions this past year. Thanks to Gerard, my castmates, and, of course, Steve.

 

Jenny Lee Stern is thrilled to be back collaborating with Gerard the old gang after appearing in Forbidden Broadway: Alive and Kicking, Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation, and Spamilton: An American Parody. She has appeared on Broadway in Rocky  and A Christmas Story and toured the country in Jersey Boys. Instagram: @pinneddownpinup

 

Michael West is well-known for his many years in Forbidden Broadway ( 5 editions - 2,500-plus performances); Newsical, When Pigs Fly, Mr. President, Whoop-Dee-Doo; and Forbidden Vegas. West is currently appearing at Birdland as his alter ego “Kenn Boisinger”.
 

FRED BARTON (Musical Director/Pianist)is an acclaimed songwriter, orchestrator, and conductor. His arrangements are played regularly at Carnegie Hall and nationwide. Broadway: Zorba, Cabaret, City of Angels and Camelot. Off-Broadway: Forbidden Broadway, and creator of Miss Gulch Returns! TV: HBO's Cathouse: The Musical, Olivia, Wonder Pets!, The Magic School Bus.

 

Glenn Bassett (Production Coordinator)  has designed sets for Off-Broadway, opera, regional productions and fashion. Credits: Blithe Spirit, Other Desert Cities, On Golden Pond, Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation, Spamilton, Mamma Mia, Once and Biloxi Blues. Directing and designing Saybrook Stage's upcoming production of The Matchmaker.

 

The playing schedule for FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM: Merrily We Stole A Song  is Friday and Saturday evenings at 8PM through November 27th. There will be a special performance on Monday, November 27th at 7:30PM.  Tickets are $49 and are available by visiting thegreenroom42.venuetix.com  There is cabaret-style seating at the Green Fig, no minimum, with drinks and dinner available

Photo Credit: Maryann Lopinto

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