Review Roundup: FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: ALIVE AND KICKING at 47th Street Theatre

After a three-year absence, Gerard Alessandrini's Forbidden Broadway returns to the 47th Street Theatre with a brand new edition, Forbidden Broadway: ALIVE AND KICKING. The show, which opens tonight, September 6, will run for a limited engagement through January 6, 2013. This production will mark Forbidden Broadway's 30th Anniversary, as well as its 21st edition.

Forbidden Broadway; ALIVE AND KICKING returns with Gerard Alessandrini's take on Porgy and Bess, Once, Evita, Anything Goes, Follies, Spiderman, Newsies, Book of Mormon, Nice Work if You Can Get It, and Death of a Salesman, among others.

Let's see what the critics had to say...

Ben Brantley, The New York Times: In an age that prizes bargains and shortcuts, Gerard Alessandrini's rejuvenated "Forbidden Broadway," which arrives packing polished brass knuckles, is a godsend. It returns to New York, where it was born 30 years ago, after a three-year absence. And its timing is impeccable...Because when it comes to considering the stars that ply their trade in its immediate neighborhood, this "Forbidden Broadway" is the meanest that I can recall. As directed by Mr. Alessandrini and Phillip George, the agile, hard-hitting, four-member cast - Natalie Charlé Ellis, Scott Richard Foster, Jenny Lee Stern and Marcus Stevens (with the essential David Caldwell on the piano) - not only tickles but also pierces the Achilles' heels of veterans like Matthew Broderick, Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone, and newcomers like Elena Roger ("Evita") and Steve Kazee ("Once").

Jennifer Farrar, The Associated Press: The 21st edition, subtitled "Alive and Kicking" is definitely alive with mirth, cleverly jabbing at the latest trends in Broadway shows with barbs to spare for theatre luminaries who are familiar targets from past FB shows…while [Gerard] Alessandrini finds much to criticize about the current state of Broadway musicals, his love of theatre clearly shines through despite his joy in skewering many of the current offerings.

Linda Winer, Newsday: Rest assured, however, that the opening number rises from the mist with just the right combination of musical honor and wondrous hokum. Not all the sketches are prime Alessandrini, but enough are treasures that make it hard to resist ruining the jokes by repeating them for you. Suffice it to say that the new cast -- Natalie Charle Ellis, Scott Richard Foster, Marcus Stevens and, extra specially, Jenny Lee Stern -- is another gifted quartet of ridiculous chameleons.

Matt Windman, AM New York: After a painful three-year hiatus, "Forbidden Broadway," Gerard Alessandrini's much beloved Off-Broadway revue parodying Broadway musicals with songs and sketches, has returned. The Broadway community needs to be able to laugh at itself - and so do the theatergoers. "Forbidden Broadway" is rather like a good-spirited antidote for both flops and successes that are taken too seriously.

Check back tomorrow for more reviews!

Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg