The South Orange Performing Arts Center presents “Forbidden Broadway” on Saturday.
As long as there is a Broadway, there will probably be “Forbidden Broadway.” This collection of skits poking fun at plays, past and present, debuted in 1982 and has continued to be presented — at various venues, and with the content constantly changing in order to always be current — more or less non-stop since then. A touring version comes to the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Saturday.
The latest New York incarnation of the show featured parodies of “Matilda,” “Aladdin,” “Les Misérables,” “Rocky,” “The Brides of Madison Country,” “Bullets Over Broadway” and more, as well as finding the humor in a ultrapopular movie (“Frozen”) and a controversial TV broadcast (the live “Sound of Music,” with Carrie Underwood).
Producer John Freedson, center, with Joan Rivers, far right, and others, in the late ’80s.
“Forbidden Broadway” producer John Freedson, who lives in South Orange and has been associated with the show for most of its 33-year history, shares this photo of himself, at center, in the late ’80s, with Joan Rivers, far right, “Glee” pianist Brad Ellis, next to Rivers, and Tony Award winner Michael McGrath, at far left.
The theater is at 1 SOPAC Way, and the show is at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $28 to $48. Visit SOPACnow.org.
Here is some footage from the recent London production of “Forbidden Broadway.”
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