Review: FORBIDDEN BROADWAY at Artist Concert Series

By: Jan. 28, 2019
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Review: FORBIDDEN BROADWAY at Artist Concert Series

Artists Series Concerts of Sarasota launches its 2019 Venice series season with "Forbidden Broadway," the long-running Off-Broadway musical revue where legends past and present meet with nimble satire in a hilarious roast of some of the theatre's greatest stars and songwriters, The four-person parody, featuring a cast rich in Broadway and Off-Broadway experience, skewers such iconic shows as "Chicago," "Annie," "Les Miz," "The Lion King," and "Hamilton," and such celebrated performers as Liza Minnelli, Idina Menzel, Robert Goulet, and more.

The current cast includes "Forbidden Broadway" veterans Gina Kreiezmar, Kevin B. McGlynn, Jeanne Montano and William Selby. "No one can poke fun at show business quite like the actors and writers who live it every day," says Joseph Holt, artistic director of Artist Series Concerts. "Their skilled and mischievous insiders' perspective is a large part of the reason that 'Forbidden Broadway' is still going strong after all these years, and why a skewering by them has become a rite of passage for just about any Broadway show. Plus, it is just loads of fun! We guarantee audiences an afternoon of side-splitting laughs."

And they made good on their side-splitting laughs guarantee. This show has become a celebrated rite of passage for any Broadway production worthy to be skewered. The program is presented in a Vaudeville-like style, delivering a rapid series of musical sketches with a bit of lyric re-writing, and a tribute or shall I shall "roast" of some of the biggest names in the business. Iconic songs from any major musical become a target. For example "Music of the Night" from Phantom of the Opera becomes "Mucus of the Night", as the actor singing the part deals with the phlegm building in his throat. "My Favorite Things" from Mary Poppins morphs into "My Souvenir Things", as a cape clad Phantom opens his cape to reveal show "merch", all the goodies they tempt you with that they can slap the name of the show on! He slyly says, "It costs 100 dollars to get in the door and 100 more to leave". Ain't it the truth. (You should see all the Wicked merch I own)

The Lion King gets a jab for their costuming as actors wrap neck braces on while complaining about the neck-breaking, heavy headdresses they are taxed to wear throughout the show. Frankie Valli, Liza Minnelli and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda got some real laughs although the crowd seemed to be lost on the Idina Menzel, Queen Elsa of Frozen parody.

Performers Gina Kreiezmar, Kevin B. McGlynn, Jeanne Montano and William Selby kept the pace, delivered the laughs and thoroughly entertained the audience. The likeness to some of the performers they portrayed was uncanny as was the vocal prowess of each actor. Musical Director Catherine Stornetta on the piano was the glue that kept this wacky show together.

Artist Series Concerts 2019 Venice series continues with the Melodica Men, the duo that has taken the Internet by storm with their masterful arrangement of classical hits for the zany melodica, half keyboard, half harmonica (February 19, 11 a.m., with luncheon, at the Plantation Golf and Country Club); My Three Sons Vocal Quartet, featuring Stephen Ditchfield and sons David, Michael and Nate (March 7, 6 p.m., with dinner, at the Plantation Golf and Country Club); Stan Kenton All Star Big Band, a seventeen-piece orchestra comprised of some of Florida's best jazz musicians, performing hits by the legendary composer and band leader (March 17, 3:00 p.m., Venice Performing Arts Center); "Piano Pizzazz Meets Fiddle Finesse" featuring pianist Brian Gurl and Sarasota Orchestra violinist Carlann Evans (March 26, 11 a.m., with luncheon, at the Plantation Golf and Country Club).

For more shows and information on Artist Series Concerts visit www.ArtistSeriesConcerts.org.



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