South Orange Performing Arts Center and long-time Forbidden Broadway producer, John Freedson, also a South Orange resident, will present the collection of musical parodies of Broadway shows hatched by Gerard Alessandrini, this Saturday, March 28th at 8PM. Tickets are $28-$48 and can be obtained by visiting www.sopacnow.org or by calling the box office at 973-313-2787(ARTS). With its first appearance in New York's Upper West Side in 1982, Forbidden Broadway is now New York's longest running musical comedy revue. It is updated regularly, sparking repeat views of the performance by theatergoers looking for even more laughs.
After national and international tours, Forbidden Broadway has become such a success that it has inspired other "Forbiddens"--spoofs of Hollywood, Vegas and more. Apart from its hilarious parodies, Forbidden Broadway also provides an entertaining informal history of American musical theater. It has also stood as a showcase for unknown actors who have since gone on to star on Broadway, as well as in movies and television, serving as one of the previews of tomorrow's stars.
South Orange resident, producer John Freedson has been associated with Forbidden Broadway for most of its 30-year history, with credits on both sides of the stage as an actor, director, and producer. With his producing partner Harriet Yellin, he has sent Forbidden Broadway and Forbidden Hollywood across the country and around the globe, winning the Jefferson Award for Best Direction for the Chicago production of FH. He is proud to have produced the Special-Tony®-Award-winning New York company and touring company since 1994, in addition to co-producing 8 Forbidden Broadway CD’s for DRG records. John is also producer of the national tour of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.
As a composer/ lyricist, he wrote three hit children's musicals: A Swan is Born, Aesop's Follies and Country Mouse/City Mouse, which toured with the New England Theatre Guild. His voice has been heard on numerous radio and television spots and jingles, several Forbidden Broadway CD's and Disney's Aladdin. Originally from Reading, PA, Mr. Freedson attended the Boston Conservatory and is a graduate of Brandeis University.
Forbidden Broadway, the hilarious spoof of past and current Broadway favorites, will be playing, Saturday, March 28th at 8PM at the South Orange Performing Arts Center, 1 SOPAC Way. Tickets: $28-$48. Call 973-313-2787 or visit www.sopacnow.org.
PHOTO: Producer John Freedson / Brad Ellis (Pianist on Glee) next to Joan Rivers, and Michael McGrath (Tony Award-winner for Nice Work if You Can Get It) at far left and John Freedson in the center.
