“Forbidden Broadway” was first seen at Palsson’s Supper Club on New York’s Upper West Side in January 1982. An unemployed actor, Gerard Alessandrini, wanted a showcase for his talents. He decided to assemble some of the musical parodies of Broadway shows he had written since childhood into a nightclub act. Critics and audiences were wowed and it has since become New York’s longest running musical comedy revue

Updated regularly over the past two decades, “Forbidden Broadway” has had many different editions, countless revisions, three New York City performance spaces, several national and international tours and thousands of special performances. It has outlasted most of the shows it has spoofed over the years, even one of its prime targets—the “now and forever” musical “Cats.”

The 2003 season brings the revue’s 20th Anniversary Edition on tour across the country—a sort of “Forbidden Broadway’s” Greatest Hits—combining many of audience favorites parodies from the past with current material spoofing still-running productions. From classics like “Oklahoma!” to newer “victims” like “The Lion King” and “The Producers,” this newest version of “Forbidden Broadway” still goes for the jugular.

Using lightning fast changes of madcap costumes, wacky hairpieces and barbed lyrics set to familiar show tunes, creator Alessandrini and his ensemble of four singing actors create a cabaret world where no theatrical production or star is safe from the slings and arrows of outrageous parody.

In addition to poking fun at musical theatre (the revue’s tag-line is “See 31 Broadway shows in 97 minutes”), the revue also roasts many of the stars and personalities on The Great White Way with wicked impersonations of Liza Minnelli, Carol Channing, Barbra Streisand, Ethel Merman and many more.

Creator Gerard Alessandrini says: “We strip a show of its million-dollar lights, sets and hype, and tell the audience in so many words (and lyrics): ‘This is the essence of what you paid $100 to see on Broadway. Isn’t that ridiculous? Laugh at yourself as well as at them.’”

“Forbidden Broadway” has won countless Drama Desk, Obie and Outer Critics Circle awards in addition to two Ovation Awards in Los Angeles. The New York Times calls it “absolutely hilarious” and it was hailed as “one of the year’s 10 best” by TIME.