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Review - Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab - Spoofing Broadway One Last, and Hilarious, Time

New York Times

Giving Their Regards by Skewering the Shows
This is the liveliest, sauciest and saddest “Forbidden Broadway” in over a decade.

Newsday

Linda Winer on 'Forbidden Broadway' and 'Three Changes'

Star-Ledger

Roast of the town
Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab

Bergen Record

'Forbidden Broadway' returns to its wicked glory days

Variety

Review: Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab
Solid but unspectacular, "Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab," the final New York installment of the long-running satirical revue, proves why the show has become an institution and why, after 26 years, it's probably time for a break. When he's on, writer-creator Gerard Alessandrini still offers up vicious parody, but when he's coasting, he just repeats a basic set of gripes.

Back Stage

Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab reviewed by David Sheward
After the current edition of Forbidden Broadway closes in January, the long-running satirical revue of all things theatre will be taking a break for a while.

TheaterMania

Review: Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab
This final-for-now edition of the 27-year-old series of spoofs works best as a showcase for its four very talented performers.

CurtainUp

Review: Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab
Whether for the first or umpteenth time, leave it to the daily headlines to make you sober, and get thee into Forbidden Broadway's Rehab for a barrel of laughs.

As if the news that Forbidden Broadway will be closing down indefinitely in the New Year isn't enough to warrant a trip to this theatrical institution that has been lovingly spoofing Broadway for 27 years, the newest edition of this satirical treat, Forbidden Broadway Goes to Rehab is.

When talking about his decision to shut down "Broadway" in 2009, the show's creator, Gerard Alessandrini, has said that he's afraid that the shows slated for upcoming seasons may not be worthy of parodying. His fears are a cutting commentary about producers' choices, but as "Rehab" demonstrates, there's always something worthy of Alessandrini's wicked humor.

Take for instance Kristin Chenoweth – she's not been seen on Broadway in almost two seasons – yet, a barbed combination of "Popular" (form Wicked) and "Glitter and Be Gay" (from Candide marvelously mocks her television career, even as it showcases Christina Bianco's extraordinary range. Similarly, Alessandrini opens the show with a terrific swipe at the Internet's role in the theatrical community. Clad in close-cut black wig and black slip, Bianco, channeling Bebe Neuwirth, offers up a sultry reworking of "All That Jazz" (from Chicago) – "All That Chat."

There have been, of course, numerous openings since the last edition of "Broadway," and these, along with Equus and A Tale of Two Cities, which both are still just in previews, are all targets. Alessandrini proves that he can craft a deliciously malicious rap lyric when he takes on the Tony Award-winning In the Heights, accusing the show of being "West Side Story lite." Young Frankenstein, with Jared Bradshaw doing a gleeful turn as Shuler Hensley's monster, gets a positively scatological trouncing, and the revival of Gypsy that stars Patti LuPone takes its comeuppance with a hysterical sequence that features Gina Kreiezmar's spot-on impersonation of the star and a consistently impressive Michael West as her co-star Boyd Gaines.

Given the number of shows that continue to run on Broadway, it's not surprising that theatergoers who've seen the show in the past few years will recognize some segments of "Rehab." A parody of The Lion King, with some minor alterations, has returned, and so too has the late costume designer Alvin Colt's hilarious interpretation of the show's visuals and Disney's producing philosophy. If you think that you know what's going to happen when Kreiezmar launches into Alessandrini's reworking of the "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious " lyric from Mary Poppins, you're in for a glorious surprise as this sequence features a completely new song. Other sequences from previous incarnations of "Broadway:" "Jersey Goys" and "Liza One Note" (another terrific impersonation from Kreiezmar).

"Rehab" ends with a gorgeous and incredibly clever paean to composer-lyricist Stephen Sondheim in which Sweeney Todd, Dot from "Sunday in the Park…", and Little Red Riding Hood from "Into the Woods" urge the writer, who's just bemoaned the "state of the art," to "keep moving on" before they all launch into a revision of "Sunday:" "Sondheim." One can understand Alessandrini's need to launch new projects after 27 years, and even his views on future Broadway seasons, but the departure of Forbidden Broadway, particularly given the strength of "Rehab," is going to be keenly felt by theatergoers.

---- Andy Propst

Forbidden Broadway continues through January 15, 2009 at the 47th Street Theatre (304 West 47th Street). Performances are Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7:30pm with matinees on Wednesday at 2pm, Saturday at 4pm and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are $60-$65 and can be purchased by calling 212-239-6200 or by visiting www.telecharge.com. Further information is available online at www.forbiddenbroadway.com