"Forbidden Broadway" at the Theatre Memphis Next stage spoofs musical theater, including "Cats," starring Jonathan Christian as a Cat.
Lovers and haters of stage musicals will find much to cheer about in Theatre Memphis' "Forbidden Broadway."
The spoof of the tunes, people and plays of the Great White Way punctures the frequent pretentions and overwrought productions that are, nonetheless, hugely popular.
Happily, the team at Theatre Memphis doing the needling is tops. With Jason Spitzer at the helm, you are assured of a thorough understanding of the quality of wit and performance required.
"Forbidden Broadway" at the Theatre Memphis Next stage spoofs musical theater, including "Cats," starring Jonathan Christian as a Cat.
All of the five performers are talented.
Jonathan Christian's take on Mandy Patinkin was hilarious and uncannily dead-on. No less terrific was his skewering of certain phantoms and cats known to take the stage.
Thank you Randi Sluder for your brassy Ethel Merman, your aging drunken Annie and your well-employed gift of comedy skills.
No less an actress is Emily F. Chateau, who has been impressing here since she was on this same Next Stage in "Boston Marriage." She has a remarkable stage presence and gift for timing backed by a terrific voice. Her Liza Minelli was ruthless and she was hilariously "Wicked."
Kudos also to the inspired Neal Figueroa who was all the Carol Channing you'd ever need and for that matter, all the Cameron Mackintosh you could ever stand.
And Julie Jacobson made her "Miserables" our delight and brought hilarity to "West Side Story" as Chita (feuding with Chateau's Rita).
Holding it all together at the keyboard was music director Jason Bell, keeping up the fast pace.
Satire can be tough to pull off, but "Forbidden Broadway" goes at it with undisguised glee and great skill. With such a solid cast tossing such delicious barbs, this is one entertainment that is among the best cabaret-style offerings Theatre Memphis has served up.
Bravo!
"Forbidden Broadway"
Thursdays 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 8 p.m., Sundays 2 p.m. through Jan. 31. Theatre Memphis' Next Stage, 630 Perkins Ext. Tickets $15-$28. Call 682-8323 or online at theatrememphis.org.
- |
Comments » 0
Be the first to post a comment!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.