[NEohioPAL] Berko review: FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Hanna Theatre)

[Roy Berko]

‘FORBIDDEN BROADWAY’ delights at Hanna

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

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Lorain County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News
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“That was fun,” “The ‘LES MIZ’ part was hysterical,”
“I didn’t get all the in-jokes but that didn’t matter,
I still loved it.”  Those were some of the comments I
overheard as I was exiting the Hanna Theatre after the
reviewer’s night of ‘FORBIDDEN BROADWAY—SPECIAL
VICTIMS UNIT.”

In January of 1982, out-of-work actor Gerald
Alessandrini, who needed a way to showcase his
talents, assembled some musical parodies, and made
them into a night club act.  The result was a critical
and audience praised production which morphed itself
into ‘FORBIDDEN BROADWAY,’ now the Big Apple’s longest
running musical comedy revue.  

Alessandrini nicely skewers shows, stars, playwrights,
lyricists, choreographers and producers.  He has an
endless supply of new material as each Broadway season
proceeds through its production year.   As long as
Broadway exists, there is potential for more
Forbiddens.  

Updated regularly, ‘FORBIDDEN BROADWAY’ has had
several editions, countless revisions, national and
international tours, and thousands of special
performances.

The show being staged in Cleveland, ‘FORBIDDEN
BROADWAY—SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT,’ is not as complete as
other productions of the script.  Thinking that local
audiences will not have seen the latest Broadway hits,
parts of the goings-on have been dropped.   The result
is delightful, but I wish that Alessandrini and
Director/Choreographer William Selby had had a little
more respect for North Coast audiences and given us
the authentic material.

Alessandrini supposedly centers this reincarnation on
a format of TV’s ‘LAW AND ORDER.”   The idea is that
heinous crimes are being perpetrated against hapless
victims
those who attend the Broadway theatre by
reviving old shows and keeping productions running
well beyond when they should have.

As does the TV show, FB-SVU starts out with Jerry
Orbach (Greg Violand) and B.D. Wong (Brian Marshall) 
investigating a murder.  In this case it’s the gunning
down of aged, cigarette-smoking Annie (Tricia Bestic),
while standing center stage in her classic red dress
and curly mop of hair, singing her signature tune
“Tomorrow.”  Well, in this case, it’s "I'm thirty
years old/Tomorrow, Tomorrow.”

Unfortunately, the concept of the investigation of
other crimes is never again specifically addressed as
the show goes merrily along with the Special Victims
Unit stars never again appearing.  But, this is a
review, not a well-written play, so this “minor”
oversight can be forgiven.

Most of the shows that are referred to have toured
Cleveland.  A segment from ‘LION KING,’ in which the
actors complain about the discomfort of the costumes
and masks, is delightful.  ‘BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,’ as
well as many other Disney shows, are mocked.  A fight
for who is a better actress centers on the two female
stars of ‘WICKED.’  Greg Violand convulses the
audience in his take on ‘MONTY PYTHON.’  Violand, in
great voice, also does a delightful bit mocking “THE
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.’  Brian Marshall is properly
miffed because night after night he has to portray a
feline, complete with flees, in ‘CATS.’   An argument
between Chita Rivera (Carmen Keels) and Rita Moreno
(Tricia Bestic), set to music from ‘WEST SIDE STORY,’
was an audience pleaser.  A segment from ‘RENT’ also
got extended laughter and applause.  

Outstanding individual performances abounded.  Violand
did a fun take on ‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’ entitled
‘FIDDLER WITH NO JEWS’ complete with a Harvey
Fierstein in drag take-off.   Marshall brought forth
an updated version of ‘CABARET,’ while Keels did a
great Julie Andrews shtick.  Bestic mocked Liza
Minnelli and Ethel Merman, while Keels skewered Sarah
Brightman.

The cast, composed of Cleveland performers, Tricia
Bestic, Brian Marshall, and Greg Violand and New
Yorker Carmen Keels is excellent.  They all have fine
voices and confident stage presence.   Director Selby
keeps the show moving swiftly along. 

Often referred to as “A Cleveland treasure with at
least three hands,” Marge Adler serves with wonder as
the Musical Director, Pianist, and part-time
performer.

Side note:  It would have been helpful if the songs
and/or shows were listed in the program in their order
of presentation.

Capsule judgment:  ‘FORBIDDEN BROAWAY-SPECIAL VICTIMS
UNIT’ will be a delight for all those familiar with
Broadway shows and personalities. But what about the
non-theatre regulars?   I asked the couple sitting
next to me, who confessed that they are not “theatre
people,” their views of the production.  Their answer?
 “We loved it!  We’re going to bring friends to see
it.”

‘FORBIDDEN BROADWAY—SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT’ is scheduled
to run until December 2  at the Hanna Theatre.  For
tickets call 216-241 6000, 800-766-6048 or go on line
to www.playhousesquare.com.


Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2002 through 2007, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info
      
Roy's theatre and dance reviews appear regularly on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.  His reviews also appear on www.coolcleveland.com


       
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