Forbidden  Broadway's  Greatest  Hits  Is  a  Delightful
Evening of Fun and Fluff at Theatre in the Park

Theatre in the Park's production of Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits, which opened on Thursday, Feb. 16th, is a delightful evening of fun and fluff. Any long-term fan of musical theater is sure to be entertained.

I had a wonderful time at the opening-night performance of Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits; and based on their raucous laughter and applause, the rest of the audience did too. The cast and crew were solid and the director, Freddie Lee Heath, kept the pacing of the performances just right.

The delivery of the show is done as a series of musical numbers, each inspired by a classic Broadway show. The wonderful ensemble cast breezed through the numbers, dances, and costume changes with ease. The cast members were not performing named characters, rather parodies of famous characters and actors from classic shows.

Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits at Theatre in the Park pokes fun at Les Misérables (photo by Catherine Davis Photography)

Forbidden Broadway is a collection of satiric parodies of popular Broadway shows. Its first edition opened Off-Broadway in 1982. The book and lyrics were written and conceived by Gerard Alessandrini. The original run lasted for more than 2,000 performances, and Alessandrini has rewritten the show more than a dozen times to include parodies of newer Broadway shows.

I'll admit that I was a bit concerned as the audience was entertained by a half-hour of show tunes by pianist and musical director Diane Petteway. Her playing was wonderful; but while the songs were all standards, most were pretty old. I generally am an advocate for people bringing their kids to show to give them the opportunity to fall in love with theater. This show however, is better suited for those who have already fallen in love with musical theater.

Rhonda Lemon was one of the brightest stars of Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits (photo by Catherine Davis Photography)

My favorites in the cast were probably Tina Morris-Anderson and Tedd Szeto; but that did not diminish the others, including Rhonda Lemon, Rose Higgins Martin, Molly Hamelin, Jay Davenport, Connor Lewis, Andrea Amthor Twiss, and Alexander B. Fernandez. As a matter of fact, my three viewing companions all had different favorite performers and performances.

There is added difficulty for the actors to perform in a persona other than their own. Cast members channeled Broadway legends, Carol Channing, Mandy Patinkin, Idina Menzel, Barbra Streisand, Harvey Fierstein, and many others. For example, Rhonda Lemon and Andrea Twiss did a number called "Chita/Rita," in which they portrayed Rita Moreno and Chita Rivera having a singing-and-dancing disagreement as they both play Anita from West Side Story.

The all-star Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits production at Theatre in the Park gives
Andrea Amthor Twiss a chance to sparkle (photo by Catherine Davis Photography)

If I were to choose a star of the show, I'd have to choose Diane Petteway. She played virtually nonstop for 2½ hours, accompanying every number flawlessly.

I spoke with Theatre in the Park executive director Ira David Wood III during intermission, and he was enthused by the enjoyment that the audience displayed. I would absolutely recommend this show to anyone who is a fan of musical theater. My son and daughter-in law were in attendance; and even though they were in their early thirties and born after many of the shows parodied opened on Broadway, they got every bit. They also have been heavily exposed to musicals for decades.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but leave the little ones at home and have an adult evening of clever and corny humor. You deserve it!

Theatre in the Park's rendition of Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits is a wild-and-crazy romp (photo by Catherine Davis Photography)

FORBIDDEN BROADWAY'S GREATEST HITS (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17-19 and 23-26), created and written by Gerard Alessandrini and directed by Freddie Lee Heath, with music direction by Diane Petteway, and starring Alexander B. Fernandez, Andrea Amthor Twiss, Connor Lewis, Jay Davenport, Molly Hamelin, Rhonda Lemon, Rose Higgins Martin, Tedd Szeto, and Tina Morris-Anderson (Theatre in the Park in the Ira David Wood III Pullen Park Theatre in Raleigh). TRAILER: https://www.facebook.com/theatreintheparkraleigh/videos/1866096927108455. 2023 SEASON: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/whats-on/season-2023.html. THE PRESENTER/VENUE: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/, https://www.facebook.com/theatreintheparkraleigh, https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/10561032/theatre-in-the-park/, https://twitter.com/TheatreInPark, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6csRm6S7ViHeBuRSlV_fqg. DIRECTIONS: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/visit/how-to-find-us.html. PARKING: https://www.theatreinthepark.com/visit/parking.html. COVID REQUIREMENTS (scroll down): https://www.theatreinthepark.com/welcome.html. FORBIDDEN BROADWAY/FORBIDDEN BROADWAY'S GREATEST HITS: https://forbiddenbroadway.com/, http://www.iobdb.com/, https://www.theatricalrights.com/show/forbidden-broadway-greatest-hits/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbidden_Broadway. TICKETS: $25-$31, plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets. GROUP SALES (10+ tickets): Call 919-831-6058 or click here. INFORMATION: 919-831-6058 or info@theatreinthepark.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: Theatre in the Park.

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