Chris Collins-Pisano, Nicole Vanessa Ortiz, Jenny Lee Stern, John Wascavage
Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole A Song by Creator, Writer, Director Gerard Alessandrini. Choreography by Gerry McIntyre. Graphics & Onstage Projection Design by Glenn Bassett. Costume Design by Dustin Cross. Hair & Wigs by Ian Joseph. At Emerson Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston Street, Boston, February 8-9, 2025.
By Linda Chin
“Old farts” who may have seen the original Forbidden Broadway during its seven year run at the Park Plaza in the ‘80s and ‘90s, theatergoers of all ages – especially those of you who spell theatre with an -re instead of -er, and fans of the late composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim were treated to an evening of belly laughs as the Emerson Colonial Theatre brought the newest version of the Forbidden Broadway franchise, Merrily We Stole a Song, for a limited run this past weekend.
Written by Gerard Alessandrini (a native of nearby Needham, Mass), with musical direction and on-stage piano accompaniment by Fred Barton, a quartet of triple threat performers – Chris Collins-Pisano, Nicole Vanessa Ortiz, Jenny Lee Stern, John Wascavage – will dazzle and razzle with a roller-coaster ride of a revue (running time is 110 minutes without intermission).
We are reminded of this fact at the top of show by a staff member who made the usual pre-show announcements about recording devices, exits, etc. I admit I was only half-listening, not fully engaged (nor looking up – turning my cell phone off) until she used the word “spiel” to describe the canned info she was presenting, then continued with a witty repartee about being in the seat you have tickets for, no late admission, no intermission, and if you need to go to the bathroom – well, it’s too late. At that point I realized this was a very talented actor in an usher costume (Jenny Lee Stern) and the show had started. Chris Collins-Pisano continues to get the laughs rolling playing an audience member getting to his seat in one of the front orchestra rows.
Audience members are treated to songs from classics in the musical theatre canon – Annie, Cabaret, Cats, Wicked, to newer shows like Hells Angels, Mary Todd, The Outsiders, and Sondheim’s timeless masterworks (Company, Sweeney Todd, Merrily). Alessandrini uses the show Back to the Future as the clever plot device to transport us back and forth in time.
The number of numbers covered and actors portrayed (eg Audra MacDonald, Bernadette Peters, Ben Platt) is impressive. The choreography, costumes, lighting, changes are also seamlessly executed, save a sound glitch in one of the character’s mics at the performance I attended.
Each of the four cast members has a chance to shine. John Wascsvage delivers a divine performance in parodies of Joel Grey, Alan Cummings from the original, revival, revival of the revival, revival of the revival of the revival…of Cabaret. Chris Collins-Pisano delivers a pitch-perfect portrayal of Ben Platt. Nicole Vanessa Ortiz has a remarkable singing range, and raises the roof in songs by Audra and Alicia Keys. But it is Forbidden Broadway veteran Jenny Lee Stern whose versatility, physical acting, facial expressions, energy, and voice that delightfully and merrily “steals this show.”
