Customer Reviews

Forbidden Broadway: Unoriginal Cast Recording, Volume 2 (1991 Revue Compilation)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Being a Sondheim fan, I'm particularly fond of this album because Alessandrini & company cleverly spoofed his work many many times. And not being a Sarah Brightman fan, I love that they refer to her singing voice as "a nightingale on lsd..." Though in recommending this particular CD, I do have to emphasize the Les Miz sequence, which is so funny that I'd buy the CD if those were the only songs on it.

This is one of my favorite CDs. Alessandrini and company's parodies are very funny, though possibly offensive to serious Sarah Brightman fans who may not like the wonderfully squeaky voice they give her. Lampooned are: Les Miserables, Madame Butterfly, Annie, Patti LuPone, Madonna, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sarah Brightman, Stephen Sondheim and his musicals, and the state of Broadway in general, among others.

Although I bought the CD for the Les Mis sequence, the other songs are equally good. Be forewarned that if you know nothing about Broadway, the "below-the-belt repartees" will be lost on you, but you still get to listen to good singers and an excellent piano player.

Next on the shopping list: Volume 4!

Lots of people are very quick to make fun of Broadway and musical theatre in general; but Gerard Alessandrini's FORBIDDEN BROADWAY revues point out that musical theatre can also lampoon itself, too. This disc features highlights from several of the early FORBIDDEN BROADWAY revues.

Patti LuPone is mercilessly skewered by Toni DiBuono in "Anything Goes/I Get a Kick Out of You". In "Liza One-Note", Linda Strasser gives an hilarious rendition of Liza Minnelli who proudly exclaims "all of my fans snort cocaine!". In "The Ladies Who Screech", Roxie Lucas does a superb Elaine Stritch during her COMPANY days. Mary Martin, the Broadway darling who somehow always managed to escape the poison pen of critics, is showcased by Roxie Lucas in "Never Never Panned". And "Chita-Rita" plays out the fictional rivalry between Chita Rivera and Rita Moreno, who are still confused for each other because they both played Anita in WEST SIDE STORY.

There are also hilarious roastings for "La Cage aux Folles", "Les Miserables", "Phantom of the Opera", "M. Butterfly", Stephen Sondheim, and Madonna. Highly-recommended for those who love a good laugh.

16 years after it was made, and after I dunno how many listenings, this CD still makes me laugh OUT LOUD at least 5 or 6 times every time I put it on. A deep and longstanding knowledge of musical theatre helps a lot, but some of it would be funny regardless. The piano playing is strong and versatile, the vocal performances are uniformly inspired, and Gerard Alessandrini -- well, let's just say the guy's way with a twisty lyric (complete with internal rhymes) would put him in the Sondheim category if he were working in a more 'serious' genre.

Highlights -- the Elaine Stritch impression and lyrics of "Ladies Who Screech"; the spot-on harmonies and style (and hilarious faux british accents) of "Teeny Todd (the smaller version of Sweeny)", and ... oh yeah, that Les Miserables sequence. (For my money, the "Bring It Down" parody of "Bring Him Home" -- with its despairing, impossibly lovely tenor voice agonizing, "God, it's high ... pity me, change the key" -- is one of the single funniest pieces of music ever recorded.)

Enough said. If you love Broadway, and you need more laughter in your life, get this CD now -- and keep it handy.

(sorry, I haven't heard Vol. 5 yet) This one has some HILARIOUS classics that are great tunes on their own right (never mind that they parody others): "Fugue for Scalpers," "Patti Lupone", the "les Mis" sequence. Funny, funny, funny stuff. A great addition to your music library. GO GET IT

With his rapier-sharp wit and amazing parody skills, Alasandrini has done it again. Volume 2 of his Forbidden Broadway series is imaginative, cunning, and completely hilarious. In the second CD of the series, the tremendously talented cast takes to spoofing some of the following: Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, M Butterfly, Mandy Patinkin, La Cage Aux Folles, Mary Martin (again), Sweet Charity, Chita Rivera/Rita Moreno, and many, many others.

Joining the cast on the piano is Phillip Fortenberry, by far the most talented pianst to appear on any of the Forbidden Broadway albums.

The vocal talents, not to mention the comedic timing, of the cast, along with the amazing parody lyrics, make this album a must have for anyone who loves the theatre. However, a word of caution: Many of the jokes and barbs of Forbidden Broadway are lost on those who aren't very familiar with the state of life on "The Great White Way."

I love volume II of Forbidden Broadway. It has kept me laughing for months!

As much as I love a good Original Broadway Cast album, I am even more tickled by these send ups. Even shows I am not familiar with are enjoyable as skewed by this group of talented mimics.
Totally worth your time and a very reasonable price.

My overall impression: if you want to start with an excellent "FB" CD, I'd say this is the perfect place to begin. Laughs galore to be had (so don't listen to it late at night if you're trying to keep quiet).

This is the CD/musical that put Toni DiBuono's career on the map. Having earned (and deservedly so) the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for her work in the show, you can see why I think Broadway has ignored her talents far too long. It doesn't hurt that she vocally blends perfectly with her now-husband Michael McGrath (most recently known as Patsy in Broadway's "Monty Python's Spamalot"), who also puts in a stellar performance here.

I can't even point out which songs are the best, because they are all perfect in their own right! Although I have to say "Annie II", "Patti LuPone/I Get a Kick Out of Me", "Madonna's Brain" the hilarious "Les Miserable Sequence", and "Chita/Rita" are the most memorable songs for me.

I cannot descredit any of the other performers, of course; everyone is simply brilliant, and Gerard Alessandrini is a comic genius! It's no wonder the "FB" legacy has lasted so many years (20+) now. Here's to more "Forbidden" fruits in the future!