FORBIDDEN BROADWAY Coming to Broadway This Summer- Page 2

[reed23]

Posted: 3/1/24 at 4:23pm

LucyEth2 said: "Saw an industry reading of this a while back when it was solely a parody of Sondheim shows and it was pretty toothless. Love the subtitle, but hope the scope of the show is broadened to include Broadway as a whole and all the shows of the past decade or more that are so ripe for parody. At his best, Alessandrini is a comic genius, IMHO, but this needs to be much sharper and tighter if it's going to survive on Broadway."

FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM was a separate show, distinct from FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, although it had some of the same elements and M.O... I was at that reading too – and about 6 months later, a revised version opened at a new place called "Green Fig," next to Green Room 42. I saw it the night Ben Brantley was there (not as a critic since he doesn't write for the Times anymore.) It seemed about 50% new from the reading, with lots of revision – and crowds were breaking down the doors to get in. 

The Broadway press release says "The production plans to parody shows featured in the current and recent Broadway seasons, including “Back to the Future,” “Company,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Into the Woods,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “The Notebook,” “Sweeney Todd” and “Water for Elephants.”  – so this sounds like a more traditional FORBIDDEN BROADWAY and not a recreation of FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM.

 

[Broadway1989]

Posted: 3/2/24 at 2:30am

reed23 said: "LucyEth2 said: "Saw an industry reading of this a while back when it was solely a parody of Sondheim shows and it was pretty toothless. Love the subtitle, but hope the scope of the show is broadened to include Broadway as a whole and all the shows of the past decade or more that are so ripe for parody. At his best, Alessandrini is a comic genius, IMHO, but this needs to be much sharper and tighter if it's going to survive on Broadway."

FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM was a separate show, distinct from FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, although it had some of the same elements and M.O... I was at thatreading too – andabout 6 months later, a revised version opened at a new place called "Green Fig," next to Green Room 42. I saw it the night Ben Brantley was there (not as a critic since he doesn't write for the Times anymore.) It seemed about 50% new from the reading, with lots of revision – and crowds were breaking down the doors to get in.

The Broadway press release says "The production plans to parody shows featured in the current and recent Broadway seasons, including “Back to the Future,” “Company,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Into the Woods,” “Merrily We Roll Along,” “The Notebook,” “Sweeney Todd” and “Water for Elephants.” – so this sounds like a more traditional FORBIDDEN BROADWAY and not a recreation of FORBIDDEN SONDHEIM.

No way this going to sell well with this packed seasons. Oof!

 

Updated On: 3/2/24 at 02:30 AM

[WldKingdomHM]

Posted: 3/2/24 at 2:40pm

Wish they do forbidden Hollywood and update it. Soundtrack gets me everytime 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 3/2/24 at 3:45pm

This line lives rent free in my head:

(Bernadette voice) Anything you do, let it come from you

(Len Cariou voice) Sweeney Todd Part Two

[Kad]

Posted: 3/2/24 at 3:54pm

I generally think opening this on Broadway is a mistake, but I think it’s particularly a mistake to be lampooning the current season. Why would the general public pay these prices to see a parody of shows they haven’t yet seen or even heard of? 
This is already such an incredibly niche show and on Broadway it’ll be competing against… well, the actual shows.  

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 4/9/24 at 9:34am

Performances to begin earlier than scheduled - previews now beginning July 25

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 12:40pm

They have canceled their Broadway run due to the “crowded landscape.”

[Kad]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 12:43pm

Call_me_jorge said: "They have canceled their Broadway run due to the “crowded landscape.”"

Not terribly surprising.

[BJR]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 12:50pm

Uh the landscape this spring/summer has been famously crowded with new productions, and that was known when they announced.

In short, they didn't sell many tix.

[Kad]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 12:51pm

BJR said: "Uh the landscape this spring/summer has been famously crowded with new productions, and that was known when they announced.

In short, they didn't sell many tix."

I think it's more likely that investors pulled out.

[bigbelterbaby]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 12:59pm

I have to assume Oh Mary announcing its transfer had something to do with this decision. As that will be the hot comedy ticket for the summer. Does anyone know if they started casting? If no big names were attached it likely wouldn’t sell. I think most people especially for a revue type show wait to buy tickets til the cast is announced. 
 

 

…

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 1:03pm

Bummer! I was really looking forward to this. Maybe they can just do a regular off Broadway engagement somewhere?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 1:10pm

I doubt investors pulled out: they probably weren't there to begin with.

As much as I might have liked to see this, it was always a baffling announcement from day one, and the point about the Broadway landscape is a big reach considering little has changed since this was announced 2 months ago.

Even Off-Broadway this wouldn't sell on the level of a Charles Busch play or a Marla Mindelle musical.

It was also never a show that would have been appropriate for stars to appear in. Anyone remotely famous would be viewed as "punching-down" on poor little Broadway, when usually the people performing in Forbidden Broadway are underdogs lampooning those more successful than them.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 1:13pm

TotallyEffed said: "Oof."

 

I rest my case.

[Jonathan Cohen]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 1:26pm

The crowded landscape argument is a little disingenuous when the same article says new Summer programming for the Hayes Theater will be announced soon. It's just too crowded for a show where it not belonging on Broadway is literally in the title.

[DiscoCrows]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 1:46pm

A shame for ShowTown Theatricals, the GM office on this who also had My Son’s A Queer and Room pull out. They’re a very new company and to have so many clients fall out from under them the past year is really rough. Best wishes to everyone involved.

[Impeach2017]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 1:54pm

Another one for the "postponed" file.  

[jagman106]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 3:11pm

I wonder if Mother Play will extend given its warm reception. I would imagine Parsons would want time off before starting rehearsals for Our Town, but it's possible for Mother Play to extend a few more weeks (not that would cut into much time that Forbidden Broadway would have been occupying the Hayes).

Updated On: 4/26/24 at 03:11 PM

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 3:34pm

“The show, written by Gerard Alessandrini, was to begin previews July 15 and to open Aug. 5 at the Helen Hayes Theater, and was to be capitalized for $3.2 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It is not clear if the producers had successfully raised all that money, and ticket sales, which began earlier this month, had been slow.”

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 3:48pm

DiscoCrows said: "A shame for ShowTown Theatricals, the GM office on this who also had My Son’s A Queer and Room pull out. They’re a very new company and to have so many clients fall out from under them the past year is really rough. Best wishes to everyone involved."

They were reported to be the cause of one of those shows falling apart! Still unfortunate, but luckily they got all their Broadway fees for Into the Woods (which recouped, extended, and toured) and Parade, they have Off-Bway successes in Oh Mary (Broadway bound) and Job, and they'll surely get paid for services rendered up to the point of cancellation for any of the "postponed" shows (unless they have an awful agreement with the producers).

These are perilous times in theaterworld and all the costs are rising while revenue is not.

Updated On: 4/26/24 at 03:48 PM

[macnyc]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 7:14pm

I’m so sorry to hear Forbidden Broadway won’t be going on as scheduled. Does that mean the Hayes will be vacant? It seems to me that the Hayes would have been perfect for Oh, Mary!, a much better match than the Lyceum. 

Updated On: 4/26/24 at 07:14 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 7:31pm

jagman106 said: "I wonder if Mother Play will extend given its warm reception. I would imagine Parsons would want time off before starting rehearsals for Our Town, but it's possible for Mother Play to extend a few more weeks (not that would cut into much time that Forbidden Broadway would have been occupying the Hayes)."

Most 2ST shows have a 1-2 week extension built in to the performance contact. 

[inception]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 8:35pm

macnyc said: "I’m so sorry to hear Forbidden Broadway won’t be going on as scheduled. Does that mean the Hayes will be vacant? It seems to me that the Hayes would have been perfectfor Oh, Mary!, a much better match than the Lyceum."

But the Hayes is primarily 2nd Stages subscription house & likely has things booked for Fall.  If Mary sells well it will continue to extend as long as it keeps selling.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 4/26/24 at 11:16pm

A show is budgeted for the house it is playing and producers have contracts with landlords.

The Helen Hayes suddenly being available changes nothing for Oh Mary.

[TheQuibbler]

Posted: 5/30/24 at 10:55am

Looks like it’s found an Off-Broadway home:

From Playbill: 

“The Broadway engagement of Gerard Alessandrini’s Forbidden Broadway may have been postponed, but the latest edition of the musical parody, Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole A Song, has found a home Off-Broadway.

Previews will begin August 23 at Theater 555 prior to an official opening September 12.”