Broadway hits done the 'forbidden' way

Poking fun at revered works and personalities is a difficult undertaking, but not when you are as gifted as Gerard Alessandrini from Manhattan and Joel Trinidad of Upstart Productions in Manila. 

An unemployed Gerard put together a collection of Broadway hits and stars in a cabaret style revue billed Forbidden Broadway over 30 years ago. This included The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, Cats, Hairspray, Rent, Annie Get Your Gun, The Lion King, The Music Man, Miss Saigon and West Side Story and personalities Julie Andrews, Carol Channing, Elton John, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cameron Mackintosh, Liza Minnelli, Rita Moreno, Stephen Sondheim and Barbra Streisand, among others. We are told Gerard has done 15 revisions and hasn’t stopped since. The local producer is apparently given a list of titles to pick from.

At the RCBC theater stage, we encountered a piano, a platform and nothing much else, certainly much larger than its original version in 1982 at a small Midtown NY diner. Watching Forbidden Broadway was sheer joy for us. It brought back wonderful memories of shows we had actually forgotten we had seen. With costume changes every few minutes, the piano plays non-stop. Actor-vocal coach-musical director Onyl Torres, deft and masterful, is a major component on stage.

Actors spoof Les Misérables to the crowd’s delight

The cast of four, Liesl Batucan, Caisa Borromeo, OJ Mariano and Lorenz Martinez, were handpicked by director Joel. They are amazing in their multiple roles. The show began with a spoof of Chicago, poking fun at the over sensuality of the choreography and costumes. Parody after parody followed, not in a malicious manner but with a gentle tongue in cheek, in keeping with the show’s light-hearted tone. We saw a clueless Carol Channing, wide eyed and raspy voiced just as we remembered her; an over indulgent and agitated Liza Minnelli that freaked us out as she flitted across the stage in a manic “big star” sort of way. Sondheim was a reoccurring theme for having complicated plots and unmelodic songs. After the show, we inquired if anyone had complained with their presentation. Apparently none. These giant names on Broadway possibly enjoyed the parody as much as we did.

The show has had 9,000 performances in the US, London, Tokyo, Singapore and Sydney. It has won awards from Tony, Drama Desk, Obie and Outer Critics Circle. On press night, we were treated to Noel Trinidad, the director’s dad as guest. On other nights, someone whispered guests could include Lea Salonga, Aiza Seguerra, Nyoy Volante, Jett Pangan, Janine Desiderio and Cherie Gil, but remember this is just tsismis, meaning unreliable. Remaining shows are tonight at 8 and on May 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27 with 3 p.m. matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are available at Ticket World with tel. nos. 891-9999, 215-0788 and 0917-5378313.

Zsa Zsa and daughters live

Zsa Zsa Padilla jams with daughter Zia Quizon at Venice Piazza

Another show we enjoyed was Zsa Zsa Padilla & Zia Live at the Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill. Other shows are set tomorrow May 19, 7 p.m. at the Eastwood Mall, and on May 20, 4 p.m. at Lucky Chinatown Atrium. The free concerts in park-like locations are truly treats for their casual atmosphere and accessibility to the guests.

Although shy in public appearances, Zia Quizon showed off her multiple talents. She performed the crowd pleaser Mambobola and Ako na Lang which the crowd had already memorized. “Kung sinu-sino pang tinatawagan mo, nandito lang naman ako; At kung saan-saan ka pa naghahanap, nandito lang naman ako” from her six-song album for PolyEast. She demonstrated her knowledge at the guitar in a duet Time After Time with mom, the ageless Zsa Zsa, we recall with nostalgia from days at Tavern on the Square. 

Zsa Zsa took to the stage and captivated the audience once again with renditions of Someone Like You, The Way You Look and the invincible Hanggang (from the PolyEast album Unchanging Love). “Hanggang saan, hanggang kailan, hanggang kailan kita mahal, hanggang ang buhay ko’y kunin ng Maykapal.” This inveterate defender of the OPM asks the crowd if she should do a follow-up album and they applauded approvingly.

The night couldn’t have ended without a surprise as Karylle from the audience joined mom and sister on stage.

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