Forbidden Broadway’ Cleans up Its Act Review by Yale Alexander Their Red Dresses at Each Other

‘Forbidden Broadway’ Cleans Up Its Act Review By Yale Alexander their red dresses at each other. My partner In the theatrical wasteland known as Ft. didn’t even know who Chita and Rita were, Lauderdale, it’s a sad commentary that the and he still laughed hysterically. closest real taste of Broadway locals will get Ms. Connors has her big moment with is Gerard Alessandrini’s “Forbidden her impersonation of the “ageless” Carol Broadway” series of spoofs. This is no Channing. To the tune of “Hello, Dolly”, criticism of the show, in fact, it’s a high her two chorus boys carry her around, compliment. Despite the fact that we get a beseeching her not to tour with “Dolly” ever circus parade of road shows, it is only again. Ms. Connors had the voice and hand “Forbidden Broadway” which will give you gestures down perfectly. Speaking of voice a sense of what it’s really like to see a show and hand gestures, though, it is Ms. on “The Great White Way”. Kreiezmar who wins that competition “hands For those of you unfamiliar with the down”. She has a deservedly long spot in spoofs, which I’ll assume is most of you, the show where she displays her uncanny “Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act” is impersonation of Liza Minnelli. Ms. a ruthless send-up of the overblown, over- Kreiezmar, a native Floridian by the way, budget musicals playing now and forever on naturally resembles Ms. Minnelli. However, Broadway. More specifically, though, it’s a when she gets into full Liza drag, it’s just rip-and-tear-fest of the overblown plain spooky. She outdoes any drag queen personalities starring in those shows. In stark you’ve ever seen. Without exaggeration, Ms. contrast to its victims, “FB” is a pared-down Kreiezmar could do an entire show as Liza, production, with only four performers, one and easily carry the material. As Liza accompanist, and sometimes awkwardly, herself would say, “She’s terrific! only ONE MICROPHONE. They, to credit (giggle)”. their extreme cleverness, use this to The Amaturo Theater at The Broward hysterical advantage during a parody of “Les Center is a lovely space, and with clever Miserables”. adjustments to the show, the cast used it well. With only the addition of a few props But this show was originally conceived and and wigs, the four performers, Danica performed in a tiny cabaret space, and Connors, Eric Gutman, Gina Kreiezmar and sometimes that does show. As funny as it Kevin B. McGlynn, manage to impersonate was, I think some of the laughs were lost most, if not all, of your favorites. All four because of the large space. I realize that in were marvelous, but the ladies were touring, ideal spaces are hard to come by, standouts. They both shine in their duet of but I think that commerce being the priority, the perennial “FB” favorite, “Chita and both the show and the audience suffer in the Rita”. In this hysterical number, the ladies balance. That said, compared to the Kevin B. McGlynn, Eric Gutman, Gina Kreiezmar and Danica play off peoples’ continual confusion of overblown shows blowing into town, Connors of Forbidden Broadway Clean Up Its Act at the Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno. The face off “Forbidden Broadway Cleans Up Its Act” Broward Center for the Performing Arts March 27 thru April 8 in identical bad, black curly wigs, whipping was a refreshing breeze.