FORBIDDEN BROADWAY Coming to Broadway This Summer

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 5:52pm

Broadway Journal

"Forbidden Broadway, Merrily We Stole a Song  is scheduled to run at the Hayes Theater July 29 to Nov. 4, according to an investor pitch deck. The title is a play on Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along, which evolved from 1981 flop to this season’s boffo revival, which is on the cusp of recouping its $13 million capitalization."

Updated On: 2/29/24 at 05:52 PM

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 5:55pm

Super excited for this if it pans out!  I meant to go when they were playing at the Green Fig, but didn't get a chance to.  And it seems like they kept costs low so it should be able to survive without a huge amount of ticket sales (though I wonder at how they're going to price them), which is good considering it's a fairly niche market, though I wonder how many new Merrily fans might be persuaded to come based on the title alone.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 5:57pm

From the thread I had started:

Capitalization is $2.8 million and "it should break even at a weekly published box office gross of about $347,000."

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 6:33pm

Oof.

[jpbran]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 6:55pm

REALLY curious to see how this performs with summer & fall ticket buyers. Even with low-ish financial requirements, still seems like a gamble not being off-broadway somewhere smaller/more cabaret-like. 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 8:52pm

Throw some theater names in it maybe it’ll sell but the Cottage didn’t really do gangbusters and it had some high profile names attached. 

[Kad]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 10:07pm

This seems like a sure fire way to lose money, but hey it’s not mine 

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 10:15pm

With cheap-looking costumes and props and no sets, who’d wanna shell out more than $40 to see this?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 10:17pm

I must be the only one who got GIDDY when I saw this thread lol

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 2/28/24 at 11:18pm

Oh I’m thrilled. Was hoping this would make an appearance again in this “revival” of for profit off Broadway. 

[reed23]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 1:07am

FORBIDDEN BROADWAY has played mid-to-large theatres for decades successfully on the road... 

I'm curious about the guest-star idea – whether that happens and with whom... 

40-odd years ago when it began, it played largely in evening wear, with an occasional hat or glove – more like the small revues of yesteryear like "An Evening With Elaine May and Mike Nichols." Some years later it added major costumes by the legendary Alvin Colt, who had done some Broadway skits like the original ON THE TOWN, GUYS & DOLLS, LI'L ABNER, SUGAR... It'll be interesting to see how they balance the inherent smallness of the show (always its secret weapon) and to what extent they dress it up.

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 1:05pm

Confirmed in the New York Times; Previews begin July 29 ahead of an August 15 opening at the Hayes

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 1:42pm

Hopefully they can get some people back from the shows early days, especially Chloe Webb. I’ve wanted to see her live my whole life. 

[pair-o-dice]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 1:44pm

Would love to see Michael West again.  Loved him in the Sondheim show a few months ago, but he's always been one of their best, most versatile, and most commanding stage presence in my opinion. 

And, if they don't have Christine Pedi in the show, what's the point?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 2:22pm

It would be great if this took some real swings at individuals and shows who deserve a kick in the pants. Be biting and daring. Broadway is incredibly roastable –– especially in the current era where a lot of shows feel self-serious and some of Broadway's people want to seem Good and Important. FB often goes for the cheap joke (the sun comes up/I think about food) and has become tamer over the years...but Gerard might not be the one who should be writing some of those critiques.

I have no idea how this will sell in an era where we rely on tourist dollars from people who won't have seen a lot of the shows being lampooned. The "loyal theatergoer" crowd won't sustain it beyond week 2. Even clearing the previously-mentioned $315K a week could be a tall order. But these producers capitalized The Cottage and Kite Runner as tours concurrently with their Broadway productions, so the aim is to make the money back on the road via guarantees and sales.

Hopefully alum Jennifer Simard will be involved (whether that's as a guest performer or in the full-time cast).

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 2:27pm

They would be wise to cast this with known Broadway performers who have a surprising ability for mimicry. Bringing back former alumni is not going to sell tickets on Broaday. Let alumni be part of the revovling guest star cast.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 3:37pm

QueenAlice said: "They would be wise to cast this with known Broadway performers who have a surprising ability for mimicry. Bringing back former alumni is not going to sell tickets on Broaday. Let alumni be part of the revovling guest star cast."

There's virtually no difference in drawing power between someone like Michael West compared to people like Chris Fitzgerald or Andy Karl or Adam Godley or Judy Kaye or Bonnie Milligan. "Known" Broadway performers are known only to a tiiiiiiny group of people, and as much as I like them I'm not going out of my way to pay $150 to see them if there's a $40 option available.

There's also an element of "punching up" to Forbidden Broadway, which could be lost if the cast is too established: underdogs lampooning more successful people.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 3:47pm

That's a fair argument, Ermengarde, but I also don't see bringing back alumni who did the show thirty years ago (like Michael West and Christine Pedi) being the way to make the show feel fresh. It will certainly be interesting to see how the producers position this, as the show was at its best Off Broadway when it was incredibly niche in its jabs.  Are they going to play off of the show's nostalgia and try to appeal to New Yorkers? Go more general and try to grab tourists?

[fosterfan2]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 6:19pm

Has Christina Bianco ever been in this? She is SO good at mimicry!

[reed23]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 7:18pm

fosterfan2 said: "Has Christina Bianco ever been in this? She is SO good at mimicry!"

Christina Bianco got a Drama Desk nomination when she appeared in FORBIDDEN BROADWAY GOES TO REHAB in 2008; she also headlined FORBIDDEN BROADWAY in London when it moved to the West End for a limited run in 2014.

 

Updated On: 2/29/24 at 07:18 PM

[pair-o-dice]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 8:49pm

Personally, I think their best bet is to make it a Greatest Hits sort of thing and celebrate their legacy. That way tourists can enjoy it. Plus the current crop of stars aren't nearly as fun to mimic as the older bigger personalities.  And how many people are going to appreciate a Christian Borle impression vs a Nathan Lane one?  And in terms of casting former cast members - Imagine being so linked to a project for decades, being on several cast recordings, being a clear fan favorite for years, etc and NOT being asked to do the major leagues?!?  

[reed23]

Posted: 2/29/24 at 9:17pm

pair-o-dice said: "Personally, I think their best bet is to make it a Greatest Hits sort of thing and celebrate their legacy. That way tourists can enjoy it. Plus the current crop of stars aren't nearly as fun to mimic as the older bigger personalities. And how many people are going to appreciate a Christian Borle impression vs a Nathan Lane one? And in terms of casting former cast members - Imagine being so linked to a project for decades, being on several cast recordings, being a clear fan favorite for years, etc and NOT being asked to do the major leagues?!?"

FORBIDDEN BROADWAY'S GREATEST HITS is a version of the show that has played literally hundreds of venues across the country (and around the world) through the years. One of the show's clever tactics from the very beginning was to send up the latest thing – for the inside crowd – while mixing in send-ups of the most well-known, beloved Broadway personalities for those who aren't necessarily hip to the latest stuff – so there was something for everyone. I saw several versions which made me realize something else – if an audience member didn't know who Ethel Merman was, for instance, the send-up was still funny on its face, AND they learned who Ethel Merman was – sort of a "laugh-and-learn" process.

I agree, the casting will be VERY interesting. They have a much bigger pool of talent to draw from than ever before (with the Broadway salaries and clout). 

 

[LucyEth2]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 11:44am

Saw an industry reading of this a while back when it was solely a parody of Sondheim shows and it was pretty toothless.  Love the subtitle, but hope the scope of the show is broadened to include Broadway as a whole and all the shows of the past decade or more that are so ripe for parody.  At his best, Alessandrini is a comic genius, IMHO, but this needs to be much sharper and tighter if it's going to survive on Broadway.

[aburnedhill]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 11:57am

Someone ring up Alix Korey .

[reed23]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 4:23pm

LucyEth2 said: "Saw an industry reading of this a while back when it was solely a parody of Sondheim shows and it was pretty toothless. Love the subtitle, but hope the scope of the show is broadened to include Broadway as a whole and all the shows of the past decade or more that are so ripe for parody. At his best, Alessandrini is a comic genius, IMHO, but this needs to be much sharper and tighter if it's going to survive on Broadway."

FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM was a separate show, distinct from FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, although it had some of the same elements and M.O... I was at that reading too – and about 6 months later, a revised version opened at a new place called "Green Fig," next to Green Room 42. I saw it the night Ben Brantley was there (not as a critic since he doesn't write for the Times anymore.) It seemed about 50% new from the reading, with lots of revision – and crowds were breaking down the doors to get in. 

The Broadway press release says "The production plans to parody shows featured in the current and recent Broadway seasons, including “Back to the Future,” “Company,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Into the Woods,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “The Notebook,” “Sweeney Todd” and “Water for Elephants.”  – so this sounds like a more traditional FORBIDDEN BROADWAY and not a recreation of FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM.