Theater Review – April 26, 2025

HYSTERICAL “FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: THE NEXT GENERATION” A TPTC GEM

“FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: THE NEXT GENERATION”
The Phoenix Theatre Company, Hardes Theatre
Phoenix AZ

By Chris Curcio
Theater Critic

Mix delicious double-entrees, dashes of thoughtful hyperbole, hysterical song spoofs that cleverly mock popular musicals, plus stylistically lampoon a bevy of stars and you have the irreverent fun that make the Gerald Alessandrini-created “Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation” a delightful mockery of musical comedy norms.

The flawless and smartly staged The Phoenix Theatre Company (TPTC) staging is blessed with an unbelievable quartet of performers who make this a joyously fun entertainment.  Alessandrini has been crafting these take-offs on popular Broadway musicals for years.  Every so often he has enough new shows to create some new spoofs while bringing back winning slams from past versions.  What evolves is comedy mayhem that finds the funny bits in well-known shows.

For example, we look at the many “Cabaret” revivals as we discover the diverse ways popular entertainers’ trademark this show as their own.  Familiar staging slams are sparked by such trend-setting directors as Bob Fosse, Susan Stroman, and Gower Champion.

You have familiar tunes made popular in each new hit show with clever lyrics that make fun of often serious-themed musicals.  With this latest version, a crop of relatively new creations like “Dear Evan Hansen” and the multiple revivals of “Hello, Dolly” get exposed.  Alessandrini mocks Stephen Sondheim’s carefully crafty lyrics from “Follies,” “Into the Woods,” and Sweeney Todd.”  All the familiar shows are dissected into truly amusing gems including such long running classics like “The Lion King” and the current TPTC hit “Jersey Boys.”

Add a four-person ensemble of expert farceurs who bring out every bit of the show’s dicey humor.  The two women not only sing hysterically but Breona Conrad brings superb impersonations of such musical theater stars as Carol Channing and Idina Menzel to marvelous clowning.  Conrad is an especially delightful Ethel Merman who can’t understand the need for sound projection in contemporary shows. Rachel Policar sashays around as the gravelly-voiced Bernadette Peters flinging her hair and doing Peters’ weird mouth configurations as she sings her songs.

The two men – William Selby (who also staged the fast-moving production) is a great Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” and lithe Seth Tucker has marvelous fun with the several performers who have played the MC in the many revivals and original “Cabaret” productions.  Steve Hilderbrand handles a mean piano accompaniment.

Hopefully, I haven’t spoiled the show by mentioning some of the funny bits but I’ve left a lot of unstated references so discovery will prove enjoyable to audiences lucky enough to see “Forbidden Broadway: The Next Generation” which continues through June 22, 2025.  To order tickets, call The Phoenix Theatre Company box office at 602-254-2151 or order tickets online at www.phoenixtheatre.com.

Grade: A