PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
FORBIDDEN BROADWAY at Stageworks:
The only way to see 20 Broadway shows in one night!
Forbidden Broadway
By Gerard Alessandrini
Directed by Billy Kimmel
Previews: June 24-25, 2009
Opens: June 26, 2009
Closes: July 12, 2009
June 7, 2009 – Stageworks/Hudson presents the critically acclaimed musical comedy FORBIDDEN BROADWAY by Gerard Alessandrini. The show makes its regional premiere at Stageworks/Hudson’s Max and Lillian Katzman Theater, 41 Cross Street, Hudson, New York. FORBIDDEN BROADWAY opens on Friday, June 26 and runs Wednesdays through Sundays through July 12. Preview performances are June 24 and 25.
The regional premiere of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY is directed by Billy Kimmel.
Stageworks’ 15th Anniversary Season begins in June with the explosively funny brainchild of Gerard Alessandrini, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY. Hailed as “hilarious and brilliantly wicked” by the New York Times, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY irreverently—and lovingly—pokes, prods, teases and lampoons the Great White Way’s most famed musicals and celebrities. Stageworks is one of the first regional theaters to produce this celebrated off-Broadway panoply of parodies spoofing Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin, Liza Minnelli and many more, from Fiddler to Hairspray.
“You don’t need to be a musical theater buff or up on all the newest shows to enjoy Forbidden Broadway,” comments Laura Margolis, the artistic director of Stageworks. “Forbidden Broadway stands on its own as a ‘one of a kind’ experience and it is simply hilarious—plus, where else can you sample 20 Broadway shows in one fell swoop?”
FORBIDDEN BROADWAY had a wildly successful 25-year run off-Broadway. The show and Alessandrini have collected many awards, including the Tony Honors for Excellence in Theatre, the Obie Award, and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical Revue.
Stageworks has recruited four actors at the top of their game to play the 40-plus roles comprising this campy, laugh-a-minute romp that takes the audience from the glitter of A Chorus Line to the wilds of The Lion King in the style of Broadway’s best. Director Billy Kimmel, who also performs in the production, has appeared in FORBIDDEN BROADWAY in New York and on tour. Kimmel is joined by actors Stephen Joshua Thompson, Molly Marie Walsh and Molly Parker Myers to impersonate, sashay and belt out parodies of the Broadway favorites near and dear to our hearts. Talk-backs with the cast will occur directly after the performances on July 2 and July 9.
The Stageworks 2009 Mainstage season is made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and the Shubert Foundation.
Gerard Alessandrini (Creator and Author) is best known for writing and directing all the editions of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY and FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD, in New York, Los Angeles, London and around the world. Gerard was also a member of the original cast of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY in 1984. Gerard is from Needham, Massachusetts and the Boston area, where he graduated from the Boston Conservatory of Music. In 1982, he created and wrote FORBIDDEN BROADWAY, which has spawned 15 editions, eight cast albums and a 25-year run in New York. Television credits include writing comedy specials for Bob Hope and Angela Lansbury on NBC, Carol Burnett on CBS and "Masterpiece Tonight" on PBS, a satirical revue saluting Masterpiece Theater. As a performer, he can be heard on four of the eight FORBIDDEN BROADWAY cast albums and on the soundtracks of Disney's animated classics "Aladdin" and "Pocahontas." Directing credits include many industrials for Canada Dry and Mobil, etc. In 1998 he directed a production of Maury Yeston's musical IN THE BEGINNING. In the summer of 2001 he co-directed a revival of Irving Berlin's last musical MR. PRESIDENT, which Gerard also updated and "politically corrected." Gerard is the recipient of an Obie Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, two Lucille Lortel Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Drama League, and three Drama Desk Awards for Best Lyrics for FORBIDDEN BROADWAY. Most recently, FORBIDDEN BROADWAY received additional Drama Desk Awards for Best Musical Revue for FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 2001 and FORBIDDEN BROADWAY SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT.
BILLY KIMMEL (Director, Choreographer, Leading Player) is a veteran of the stage and has spent over 30 years working as a professional singer, dancer and actor. Broadway credits include: ANNIE (Swing); Off Broadway: FORBIDDEN BROADWAY 20TH ANNIVERSARY, SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT and RUDE AWAKENING (Leading Player), THE NEXT TO THE LAST REVUE (u/s, choreographer); Regional: GUTENBERG THE MUSICAL (Doug), BRIGADOON (Charlie), CRAZY FOR YOU (Bobby), FOREVER PLAID (Jinx), MY FAIR LADY (Freddie), ANYTHING GOES (Steward), I LOVE A PIANO (Jim) Tour: ANNIE 30TH ANNIVERSARY (Swing), FORBIDDEN BROADWAY (Leading Player). Billy is also an accomplished director and choreographer. Credits include: THE NEW NO FRILLS REVIEW working with Tony award winning lyricist Martin Charnin, Stageworks/Hudson’s PLAY BY PLAY: OPPOSITES, Phipps Center for the Performing Arts, 3M Innovations, Target, Wal-Mart, Lyric Theatre, Jon Hassler Theater, Knotts Camp Snoopy, Lakeshore Players, Double JJ Resort, Valleyfair, Idlewild Park, Silverwood Park, The Design Group, Mall Of America, Alpine Industries, Ecoquest International, Winsor Concepts and JC Penny Co. In 2002 he directed the area premiere of the musical HONK at the Jon Hassler Theater. The show garnered critical acclaim as one of the best shows of 2002 and was revived in 2003 for an encore. Billy has also held many executive positions in the entertainment field. President of On Stage Entertainment productions, Live Entertainment Manager for Valleyfair Amusement Park, Entertainment Director for the Design Group events management company. Currently Billy splits his time between New York City and his home in the Hudson Valley continuing work in the entertainment industry. Recently, Billy launched www.ActorSublet.com, the premier subletting website serving the performing arts community throughout the United States.
MOLLY PARKER MYERS (Leading Player) lives in the Hudson Valley where she works as an actor and singer. She has has performed at Mabou Mines, La MaMa, The Looking Glass Theater and Brooklyn Fireproof. Her most recent regional credits include SWEENEY TODD (Mrs. Lovett), THE SOUND OF MUSIC (Elsa) and THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (Princess Puffer).
STEPHEN JOSHUA THOMPSON (Leading Player) has toured nationally with SESAME STREET LIVE (Cookie Monster). Regional appearances include INTO THE WOODS (Jack), SHENANDOAH (John Anderson), CATS (Rum Tum Tugger), CABARET (Emcee), BABES IN ARMS (Gus Fielding) and YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN (Linus Van Pelt). Stephen holds a BFA from Wright State University.
MOLLY MARIE WALSH (Leading Player) recently toured nationally with DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (Christine/Jolene U/S). Her regional theater appearances include WHITE CHRISTMAS at Theatre Under the Stars, OKLAHOMA! at Media Theatre, 42ND STREET at the Walnut (Annie u/s) and New Bedford Festival Theatre (Anytime Annie), TONY N' TINA'S WEDDING (Sister Terry/Celeste) in Philadelphia, and GEORGE M! at Theatre By the Sea (Agnes). She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she was seen in CRAZY FOR YOU, TOMFOOLERY, AMERICAN CLOCK, and GRAND HOTEL.
KURT PERRY (Music Director) is both an actor and a musician. His recent acting credits include: WORKING (Ralph Werner/Dave Miller/Ensemble), JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (Simon Zealotes), THE MUSIC MAN (Mayor Shinn), MY FAIR LADY (Henry Higgins) and MAN OF LA MANCHA (Sancho Panza). As a musician, his credits include FORBIDDEN BROADWAY in Indianapolis this past spring (music director), HELLO, DOLLY!, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, SOMETHING’S AFOOT, GREASE, URINETOWN, TITANIC, LES MISERABLES (School Edition) and THE LAST FIVE YEARS. Kurt is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana and a graduate of Indiana State University.
The design team includes Phil Elman (Set Design), Frank DenDanto III, (Lighting Design) and Deepsikha Chatterjee (Costume Design). The stage manager is Jennifer Schilansky and Assistant Stage Managers are Joelle Jameson and Genée Coreno.
About Stageworks/Hudson
Stageworks has established a reputation for its ambitious programming and adventurous productions. The company is especially known for producing the bold, risk-taking work of new dramatic voices. Central to its vision is Futures, an integrative program designed to move Stageworks to the forefront of new play development. Stageworks is both the experiment and the resource to infuse the whole life of the theater with a creative process that produces new ways of expressing, interpreting and sharing the human experience.
Stageworks is a member of Theatre Communications Group, the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and Perform Columbia. It is the recipient of a Proctors Regional Arts Award inaugurated by Proctors Theatre in 2008 to honor the outstanding work of performing arts organizations. For four consecutive years, Stageworks was distinguished in Metroland Magazine as “Best Theater Company.” Stageworks is recipient of the Crystal Apple Award from the Chamber of Commerce for providing a positive effect both culturally and economically on the quality of life in our community.
Plays are for everyone, whether written by students, established authors or emerging dramatists. Theater illuminates, expresses and interprets the human experience and profoundly serves as a global stage for social exchange and enrichment. Stageworks complements its main season with a series of programs to encourage and engage young people, traditional theatergoers and new audiences. Stageworks continues to actively take a leadership role in establishing the Hudson Valley as a cultural destination by exploring and expanding its reputation for developing new theatrical works, forms and programs.
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FACT SHEET
Calendar of Events
Previews: June 24 and 25.
Opening: Friday, June 26
Closing: Sunday, July 12
Performance Calendar
Wednesday at 7:30 pm: June 24, July 1, July 8
Thursday at 7:30 pm: June 25, July 2, July 9
Friday at 8:00 pm: June 26, July 3, July 10
Saturday at 8:00 pm: June 27
Saturday 7:00 pm: July 4, July 11
Saturday Matinee at 2:00 pm: July 11
Sunday Matinee at 2:00 pm: June 28, July 5, July 12Talk Backs with the cast post-performance: July 2, July 9
Cast
Billy Kimmel
Molly Parker-Myers
Stephen Joshua Thompson
Molly Marie Walsh
Production Team
Laura Margolis, Artistic Director
Billy Kimmel, Director
Kurt Perry, Music Director
Deepsikha Chatterjee, Costume Designer
Frank DenDanto III, Lighting Designer
Phil Elman, Set Designer
Jennifer Schilansky, Stage Manager
Joelle Jameson and Genée Coreno, Assistant Stage Managers
Tickets
For tickets or information, contact Stageworks by mail at 41-A Cross Street, Hudson, NY 12534 or call the box office at (518) 822-9667. For further information, visit the website at www.stageworkshudson.org.
Stageworks/Hudson's Mainstage Season Subscriptions are on sale now. Subscribers receive the Stageworks Dining Card offering special discounts at fine restaurants including: Baba Louie’s Pizza, Ca’ Mea Ristorante, Carolina House, DA│BA Restaurant, Haley’s Indian Restaurant, Lippera’s at the Chatham House, Mexican Radio, Pi Café, The Red Dot, Swoon Kitchenbar, Vico Restaurant, and Wasana’s Thai Restaurant. Subscribers also receive a Theaters Supporting Theaters Gift Card with special ticket offers.
Prices for the four-play, Mainstage Subscription season are:
$54 for the Preview series
$72 for the All Shows Limited series
$87 for the All Shows (unlimited) series
$98 for the New Ultimate Flex Pass (4-ticket pass)
Single ticket prices are:
$18 for preview performances
$24 for Weekdays, Matinees and Sundays
$29 for Friday and Saturday evening performances.
Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more and there are special rates for students and seniors.
Visit Stageworks’ home page for more details at www.stageworkshudson.org.
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