Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song

By Joseph Cervelli

Creator, writer and director Gerard Alessandrini rightly received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Drama League for keeping his "Forbidden Broadway" series going for four decades. His creativity in lampooning so many shows over the years is quite astounding. Yes, some of his shows are better than others and while all cannot be a laugh riot from beginning to end there are more moments of hilarity than misses. 

His current one "Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song" playing at Theater 555 has a few more misses than I would have thought but that does not mean you should not make a visit to see this mostly joyous romp.

The opening although you are not quite sure if it is or not because the house lights are on and a very rigid "usher' played by an intimidating Jenny Lee Stern warns the audience to sit in their seats and stop blocking the aisles. All sung to "Sit Down Your Blocking the Aisles" a take off of the song from "Guys and Dolls." While she is doing this cast member Chris Collins-Pisano portraying an audience member is not quite listening trying to get more Playbills. At first, you are not quite sure if this is part of the act but when you realize she is turning into Patti LuPone with her admonishment of audience members who do not turn off their phones you know the show has begun. 

As for the best numbers the top of the list is Danny Hayward's superb take on the three actors who played the unforgettable role of the Emcee in "Cabaret." There is a quieter but slightly menacing Joel Grey who originated the role. Then he becomes the sleazy but brilliant Alan Cumming. Lastly, the disastrous turn currently played by Eddie Redmayne. He accurately depicts him as an almost laughable Emcee dressed  like a clown and captures Redmayne's ineffectual performance. A shame because Redmayne is an excellent actor. 

Stern again scores with a Betty Boop portrayal of Bernadette Peters. A little worn but it works. 

Nicole Vanessa Ortiz is superb portraying Audra McDonald in the upcoming "Gypsy." 

Chris Collins-Pisano almost steals the show in his portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln dressed in the same gown as Cole Escola from the screamingly funny "Oh, Mary." 

There is a great scene in which cast spoofs Ariana DeBose who starred as Anita in the recent film version "West Side Story" by singing "A Girl Like That Who Ruined the Tonys." This, of course, refers to her disastrous turn as host this past year. Unfortunate, because DeBose was a highlight the previous times she hosted. 

Collins-Pisano impersonating Ben Platt at the Palace by wearing the robe the singer did at his concert at the Palace was hilarious. 

There were a number of let downs. As good as Stern is do we really need another "Ladies Who Lunch" doing a superior but dated take off of LuPone. And her Hillary Clinton (one of the producers of "Suffs") goes nowhere.

Hayward and Collins-Pisano are funny in an unfunny skit "Back to Back to the Future" in which they visit Oscar Hammerstein's home and see Sondheim (Stern) as a youngster who is more interested in the DeLorean rather than writing music.

Ortiz is delightful in her impersonation of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba from the upcoming film "Wicked" though the sketch is not as funny. 

A big plus having this play Theater 555 is that it is a larger stage which works much better than other venues the show has played in the past. Dustin Cross's costume design and Glenn Bassett's set design are all spot on.

Even a less than stellar "Forbidden Broadway" is better than none and there is enough here to please everyone. 

Tickets are available at Theater 555 555 West 42nd Street. 

PHOTOS: CAROL ROSEGG