See Who’s Starring in Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song Off-Broadway
Previews of the Gerard Alessandrini revue will begin August 30 at Theater 555.
Chris Collins Pisano and Jenny Lee Stern in Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole A Song
Carol Rosegg
Casting is now complete for the latest edition of Gerard Alessandrini’s Forbidden Broadway, which had originally been announced for Broadway, and will now begin previews Off-Broadway August 30 at Theater 555.
The newest edition of the musical parody, titled Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole A Song,
will officially open September 19.
The cast will be led by the previously reported Chris Collins-Pisano and Jenny Lee Stern with
musical director Fred Barton on piano. The three will be joined by the newly announced AJ Holmes (Kimberly Akimbo, Book of Mormon) and Sasha Hutchings (Hamilton, Oklahoma!).
Created, written, and directed by Alessandrini, with choreography by Gerry McIntyre, Merrily We Stole a Song will parody current Broadway shows, including Hell’s Kitchen, Stereophonic, The Outsiders, The Great Gatsby, Back to the Future, The Wiz, and the recent Merrily We Roll Along. Attendees can also expect sendups of Roger Bart, Patti LuPone, Daniel Radcliffe, Ariana DeBose,
Jeremy Jordan, and the the 2024 Tony Awards as well as selections from Alessandrini’s recent Forbidden Sondheim.
In an earlier statement Alessandrini said, “I am thrilled that this latest
incarnation of the show that I had been preparing for more than a year,
can now open Off-Broadway, where Forbidden Broadway has felt at
home for over 40 years. The exciting new Broadway season has inspired
me to create a barrage of theatrical zingers, and I’m thrilled to have
the opportunity to present this edition in New York after all.”
The series debuted in 1982 at New York’s 130-seat Palsson’s Supper
Club. The revue has gone on to play in over 200 cities around the world.
The show has spawned multiple iterations with Alessandrini continually
updating the material to reflect Broadway’s current slate; a few
evergreens remain. For his work on Forbidden Broadway in all
its forms, Alessandrini and the show received a Tony Honor for
Excellence in the Theatre and several Drama Desk Awards. Alessandrini’s
spoof of Hamilton, entitled Spamilton, played New York and continues to tour the country.
The upcoming production will also feature set design by Glenn Bassett, costume design by Dustin Cross, lighting design by Joan
Racho-Jansen, sound design by Andy Evan Cohen, hair and wig design by Ian
Joseph, production supervision by Peter R. Feuchtwanger, production stage management by Brian Westmoreland, and casting by Michael
Cassara.
Forbidden Sondheim: Merrily We Stole a Song played several performances at Manhattan’s Green Fig Cabaret Theater in November 2023.
The show is produced by John Freedson, Harriet Yellin, and Eric Krebs.
Tickets for all previews are
priced $30. After opening tickets will be $79, with premium seats
available for $99. Visit Theater555.venuetix.com.