By JESSICA NEU
What happens when Broadway meets Saturday Night Live? Four stellar actors at the Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park University tackle that question with Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits. Directed by Marcus Stevens, this long-running, acclaimed off-Broadway musical revue pokes fun at your favorite Broadway shows. The show has been updated over the years and brings its Greatest Hits version to the Pittsburgh Playhouse. No director, actor, concept, or plot is safe from Gerard Alessandrini’s witty, satirical script. Actors Eric Acosta, Marshall Benton, Autumn Papczynski, and Jamie Spurrell bring this show to life with the help of accompanist Douglas Levine on piano. All four actors take the stage with valor and do not lose momentum through the entire show. The ensemble takes turns ping-ponging back and forth, on and off the stage, to assume different roles of well-known, beloved musicals. Costume Designer Kalyn Paradis’ brilliantly crafted costumes were authentic and recognizable, yet easy to maneuver, as the ensemble had multiple quick changes as they fluidly moved from one character to the next. The ensemble’s ability to shift their cadence, expression, body language, and tone from one character to the next certainly spoke to their depth as performers, but their comedic timing made the show unforgettable.
Spurrell kicks off the hilarity with her nuanced Bebe Neuwirth impersonation in “Glossy Fosse.” Acosta and Benton serve as her Fosse back-up dancers. Spurrell likens Fosse’s slinky choreography to playing Twister, becoming entangled with your partner, and then attempting to dance.
Spurrell continues to shine as a sardonic Elsa who desperately tries to convince audiences that Frozen is “overblown” with ridiculous CGI effects, and a snowman who looks more like a clown. In Act 2, she flawlessly morphs into an eccentric Liza Minelli. Spurrell lovingly mocks the iconic diva for modulating her voice using only one note, but boy, did she bring the house down with that one note at the end of the number.
Papczynski lends some edgy grit to the beloved character of Orphan Annie. Not to be confused with the endearing child who is currently bemoaning her “hard knock life” at the Byham Theater, Papczynski portrays a grown-up Annie and begs studio execs to “revie me” to the tune of “Tomorrow” all while puffing on a cigarette. Papczynski also assumes the role of verbose Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda as the famous “I Want” song, “My Shot,” is transformed into “Big Shot.” However, Papczynski’s best moment came as she stood perched atop a milk crate, dressed as Elphaba, nailing Cynthia Erivo’s final note in “Defying Gravity” – although this time, the song was “Defying Subtly.”
Acosta’s versatility shines as he plays the awkwardly neurotic Evan Hansen as he belts out a parody of “Waving Through a Window.” He satirizes Ben Platt’s overacting and over-singing in the angsty-teenage drama. From Evan Hansen to the Phantom, Acosta proved that he can not only portray a wide-range of characters, but also execute their unique vocal ranges, demeanor, and mannerisms to create an accurate and hilarious parody.
Benton drew the biggest laughs of the night for his uncanny portrayal of Broadway legend Mandy Patinkin. Benton belted out that he was “somewhat over indulgent” to the tune of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” while adorning Patinkin’s trademark beard. He reminded us of the ridiculously high octave required to sing “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables in the perfectly executed “Bring it down.”
Benton also proved an exception to Tevye, the patriarch from Fiddler on the Roof. Instead of teaching the audience about “tradition,” Benton’s Tevye was an out-of-work actor in Manhattan singing about “rejection.” This hilarious number featured the rest of the ensemble, who sang about their own forms of rejection while dancing in formation to the iconic Fiddler choreography.
The ensemble numbers were standouts throughout the show as each performer complemented the other and came together to deliver a contagious level of humor and fun. All four actors assumed a different role from classic Stephen Sondheim musicals to unite for the side-splittingly funny “Into the Words.” The number mocked Sondheim’s propensity to construct musicals that have “more words than Wheel of Fortune.” It also involved audience participation where Benton counted us off with “1, 2, 8, 12” – a nod to Sondheim’s unique time signatures.
Each member proved their sketch comedy skills as they belted out “One Tour More” to the tune of Les Misérables’ “One Day More.” Cheekily walking in rotation to mimic the show’s revolving stage, each member took a turn singing about how washed-up and overplayed the classic show has become.
But is Les Miz overplayed? Are Sondheim’s musicals too wordy? Are the CGI effects in Frozen cheesy? Despite the show’s comedic revelry, Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits also contains its fair share of rhetorical questions that make you consider your favorite musicals in a bit of a different light. Is Rent too outdated? Is Mamma Mia considered “Euro trash,” but successful in America because our standards of “high art” are lower than those of other parts of the world? Was Book of Mormon appropriate? Should musicals be crass, lude and vulgar? Did Hamilton save Broadway when all the other shows opening at that time were dredged in mediocrity?
Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits is not just comedic gold; it is also a poignant, introspective look at some of Broadway’s most beloved musicals. Whether you are a Broadway savant or have simply seen a few film adaptations, this show has something for everyone. You will leave the Pittsburgh Playhouse smiling, and perhaps look at your favorite show a bit differently.
TICKETS AND DETAILS:
Forbidden Broadway: Greatest Hits by the Pittsburgh Playhouse Conservatory Theater Company in the Highmark Theatre has performances March 4 – 8, 2026.For tickets visit: https://playhouse.pointpark.edu
Categories: Arts and Ideas
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