9 / 10
Forbidden Broadway is a goof, but a virtuosic and stylish one, with infectious comic verve and lyrics that range from wittily inspired to boldly dumb (rhyming “earplugs” with “queer drugs”). It’s Mad Magazine with jazz hands; Saturday Night Live with people who can actually sing and dance; the antidote to hate watching; and a much-needed immunization for the season.
6 / 10
This mix works best when past and present exist side by side (by side), such as when Danny Hayward performs the song “Wilkommen” from “Cabaret.” He is first an elegant Joel Grey in 1966 (“You would adore/Our catchy score/and beg for more”), then strips off his tuxedo to portray Alan Cumming in suspenders and black cap (“My show was dark/As a black hearse/But scream in pain/Eddie Redmayne/Is even worse”), then strips even further and sticks on a stupid party hat and yellow kitchen gloves (“I’m Eddie Redmayne/And I have no charm/I will repulse you/Sniff my underarm – and lick it.”) As in most of the funniest parodies in the show, it’s the costumes designed by Dustin Cross and wigs by Ian Joseph most likely to provoke a laugh-out-loud reaction.
There are only five more performances left to see Gerard Alessandrini's FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song Off-Broadway at THEATER555. The Tony award-winning musical parody or Broadway shows and stars will be performed Friday, November 1st at 8PM, Saturday, November 2nd at 3PM and 8PM and Sunday, November 3rd at 3PM and will take its final bow on Sunday, November 3rd at 7:30 PM.
Lorna Courtney, Tony Nominated actress in & Juliet, recently stopped by to celebrate her birthday and laugh at herself alongside audiences in FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song. Ms. Courtney met the cast after the show, still laughing. Check out photos here!
Gerard Alessandrini’s FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song will play its final New York performance at Theater555 in November. FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole a Song skewers the latest deluge of Broadway offerings. Learn how to purchase tickets.
In this exclusive video, watch as we check in with all four stars (Chris Collins-Pisano, Danny Hayward, Nicole Vanessa Ortiz and Jenny Lee Stern) along with Alessandrini and music director Fred Barton to find out more about the show's enduring legacy, which actors are the easiest and hardest to parody, and so much more!
A new initiative is launching at Forbidden Broadway, offering discounted $30 tickets for select Off-Broadway shows for theatergoers aged 30 and under, aiming to make theater more accessible to younger audiences. Learn more!
Gerard Alessandrini’s beloved tradition is back this season with Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song, which opened just last week at THEATER555. In this video, he chats more about the Forbidden Broadway legacy and check out highlights from Merrily We Stole a Song!
Gerard Alessandrini’s FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song opened on Thursday, September 19th. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out photos from opening night here!
FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: MERRILY WE STOLE A SONG is making its triumphant Off-Broadway return tonight! Read reviews for the award-winning musical parody of Broadway shows and stars.
Gerard Alessandrini’s FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song, opens Off-Broadway at THEATER555 (555 West 42nd Street) on Thursday, September 19th. Check out photos from the production!
Christine Ebersole recently stopped by to check out a preview of the Off-Broadway production of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song. Check out a photo of Ebersole with the cast!
Gerard Alessandrini’s FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song, begins previews this Friday. Learn how to purchase tickets.
The cast has been announced for the Off-Broadway premiere of Gerard Alessandrini’s FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song, which opens on Thursday, September 19th. Learn more about the cast here!
FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: Merrily We Stole A Song will offer $30 tickets for all preview performances at Theater555. Learn how to purchase tickets.
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical | Jenny Lee Stern |
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lyrics | Gerard Alessandrini |
