FORBIDDEN BROADWAY Opens at York Little Theatre 9/4

York Little Theatre will present Gerard Alessandrini's cabaret -style comedy musical, Forbidden Broadway: greatest Hits, which is a loving lampoon of Broadway's greatest moments, and pays tribute to its hit musicals and top performers.

Forbidden Broadway began in 1982 at a supper club and became New York's longest-running Off-Broadway show, running for 27 years, spawning international tours, and a string of cast albums. Nothing is sacred in this show as Alessandrini affectionately satirizes even the most beloved of shows with ingenious parody lyrics and zany concepts. Wicked, Les Mis, Chicago, Annie, Cats, Hairspray, A Chorus Line and Phantom of the Opera are among the shows mocked and Liza Minelli, Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Michael Crawford, and Mandy Patinkin are among the targets of the lovingly directed barbed satire.

Audiences do not have to be Broadway savvy to understand the humor. Most of the jokes explain themselves and this show takes entertaining seriously. Forbidden Broadway is directed by YLT Artistic Director, Eric Bradley Long who says, "This is the show to see if you want to laugh."

The cast, which has to be outrageous and willing to look ridiculous, includes local performers Wendy Donham, Joe Durika, Bob Filer, Jessica Hackman , Giulio Marchi, Kyle Weary, Becky Wilcox and Desiree York. Long adds that they must also be "fiercely talented, highly versatile, and thoroughly enjoy themselves while on stage."

Performances are at 8 p.m. on September 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18 and 19; and at 3 p.m. on September 6, 13 and 20. Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits is sponsored by The Markets at Shrewsbury and Almost Like Home Self Storage. Ticket prices are $10 - $20. More information and tickets are available by calling the box office at 717-854-5715, 11 - 6, Monday through Friday, or visiting www.ylt.org.

York Little Theatre is a nonprofit community theatre which values and nurtures the irreplaceable role of the arts and is dedicated to engaging and enriching its entire, diverse community in the dramatic arts through a broad range of professionally directed, entertaining, stimulating, and sometimes provocative performances.

York Little Theatre is located at 27 South Belmont Street, York PA at exit 19A of I-83, just south of Market Street. York Little Theatre is a proud member of The Cultural Alliance of York.