Review: FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: GREATEST HITS at Music Box Lounge Hot Springs

I had never even heard of Forbidden Broadway until Music Box Lounge in Hot Springs decided to put on Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits, but now I want to see every rendition of it. Seriously. Where has this show been all my theatre-loving life?

Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits is basically a musical theatre fan's playground, bringing together spoofs of Broadway shows, stars and theatrical traditions. It takes the things we Broadway fans love—the divas, big voices, iconic characters, recognizable musical styles and gloriously dramatic tendencies—and has a little fun with all of them.

And apparently, I am exactly the audience for this kind of nonsense.

 Directors Levi Wilson and Steven Mitchell have assembled a small but mighty group of performers who throw themselves completely into the madness. Christi Goode Day, Trae Warner, Ashley Reynolds and Mitchell take on a revolving door of Broadway characters and personalities, accompanied by Music Director Emily Joy, the production's sole musician on piano.

Being introduced through the Greatest Hits version may have been the perfect way for me to discover Forbidden Broadway. One minute I was recognizing a show or performer I knew, and the next I was wondering what Broadway sacred cow they were going to come after next. The answer, I quickly learned, is pretty much all of them.

 Christi Goode Day magically morphs from one character to the next, and lands the joke every time. She took on Ethel Merman with all the larger-than-life vocal power and personality you would expect, then turned around and became Annie with that unmistakable wide-eyed optimism (and cigarette)! Then there was the poor little kid from Les Misérables. Apparently, no Broadway icon—or child—is safe from Forbidden Broadway.And then I can't forget how absolutely precious she was in the Hello, Dolly! number, with Mitchell and Warner backing her up. She embraced that grand leading-lady energy while the guys added their own personalities behind her. 

And then Day came out as Liza Minnelli. How am I supposed to pick a favorite after that?

Day went all in on Liza, embracing the recognizable mannerisms and larger-than-life show-business personality. Apparently, the stage wasn't big enough to contain her, because she even came out into the audience. In the intimate Music Box Lounge, bringing Liza directly to us was perfect. There was nowhere to escape Liza—and why would you want to?

Trae Warner brings an infectious energy to the group and isn't afraid to push the comedy as far as it needs to go. His Spamalot number was a standout. The musical already embraces the absurd, and Warner seemed more than happy to take that silliness and run with it.

Warner and Mitchell also proved they were willing to do whatever the material demanded when Hairspray entered the parody lineup and the two indulged in a little cross-dressing. They fully embraced the costumes, physical comedy and larger-than-life personalities.

 Ashley Reynolds was absolutely hysterical in “Glossy Fosse.” Taking aim at the unmistakable Bob Fosse style, Reynolds threw herself into the exaggerated movements and attitude. Her facial expressions and total commitment had me watching her every move. The more seriously she treated the ridiculousness, the better the number became. She does dramady with flair as well, leaning into the continuous Les Mis numbers.

It was also fun watching Reynolds and Day battle it out during “Chita-Rita,” spoofing Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno and their connections to West Side Story. Rivera originated Anita on Broadway, while Moreno famously portrayed Anita in the film, and Forbidden Broadway turns that shared character into a wonderfully theatrical rivalry. Reynolds and Day leaned into the competition as their respective divas fought for supremacy.

Now, I'm not sure I've ever seen a show that had so many costume changes, but the cast committed to every one of them. Reynolds was beautiful in everything she wore, but the different Les Misérables outfits really sold the characters for me.  Day was positively wicked in her Wicked outfit, Warner's Cats costume was a sight to behold, and Mitchell's Phantom of the Opera transformation was dramatically funny. Sometimes they didn't even have to say anything. They would simply walk out, and the costume had already started the joke. I also loved the cute hippie outfits for the group number “Rant.” With the show jumping from one Broadway world to another, the costumes immediately establish what is being parodied and give the performers another tool for creating their characters.

I had a blast at this show, however, I was definitely not the only one having a great time.

 Harper Grace, the youngest audience member that evening, was visiting from Louisiana, and she became a little bit of entertainment herself. She had plenty to say about what was happening onstage, and her running commentary was priceless. There is something delightful about hearing a child's completely unfiltered reactions to all the ridiculousness happening in front of her, and I found myself enjoying her responses almost as much as what was happening onstage. That audience interaction is part of the charm of seeing this show in a venue as intimate as Music Box Lounge. There isn't much distance between the people performing and the people watching, which gives the whole evening a communal energy.

And while the four performers are working overtime changing characters, costumes and personalities, quite possibly the real star of Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits is sitting at the piano.

 Music Director Emily Joy never leaves her post except for intermission. She is the sole musician for the entire production, and saying she has a lot of music to play would be a serious understatement.

This score gives her a literal beating.

After the show, Joy showed me her fingers, and I could see just how unforgiving this score is on her. While the cast gets to run backstage, change costumes and prepare for the next character, Joy stays planted at that piano, moving from parody to parody and musical style to musical style with barely a chance to breathe.

And she makes it look easy. It isn't.

 The performers may get the wigs, costumes, characters and punchlines, but Joy is underneath every one of those moments, providing the musical foundation that allows the comedy to work. I am always a fan of live music in theatre, but this is something else entirely. There is no orchestra surrounding Joy and no other musician there to pick up the slack. It's Emily, her piano and a score that apparently has no mercy.

 Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits has two more performances September 12 and 19 at Music Box Lounge in Hot Springs. If you are a musical theatre fan—especially the kind who can laugh at the shows and performers you adore—this is one you will want to experience. As for me, I walked into Music Box Lounge having never heard of Forbidden Broadway, and I walked out wondering where I could see the next one.

Reader Reviews

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Don't Miss a Arkansas News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...