Jenny Lee Stern as Patti Lupone in Forbidden Broadway
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
rich@dallasvoice.com
The day before this interview, Jenny Lee Stern got some of the biggest news in her career: The Forbidden Broadway cast member was just named a Drama Desk nominee for her work in the revue. Now with that and two other nominations in tow, Forbidden Broadway heads to Dallas with some big clout and a fun time.
The show, Forbidden Broadway: Merrily We Stole a Song, opened Thursday at the Wyly with a quick run through Saturday.
And like any star who gets word of their nomination, Stern was doing the least acclaimed-star thing at that moment: “I was in TJ Maxx looking for a new carry-on bag,” the lesbian mother of three said. “I’m not really someone who follows the trades. I mean my regular life as a civilian is so intense, it’s hard to pay attention to stuff like this. So I was fully caught off guard.”
Stern’s nomination was for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical. Show creator Gerard Alessandrini also received a nomination for Outstanding Lyrics, and the show itself landed a nomination in the category for Outstanding Revue.
Not a bad haul for what Stern calls a big surprise.
“This is a huge shock, because our show closed in November. So we would have been off the radar. But it’s a huge honor, and I’m incredibly humbled and excited — not just for me but for the show,” the actor said. “And for Gerard to get a nomination means a lot and shows the love for his work.”
Forbidden Broadway is an entity unto itself, and it has been poking fun at all the popular musicals since 1982. In this iteration, the revue gives parodies of big Broadway hits like Hell’s Kitchen, Gypsy, The Outsiders, The Great Gatsby, Suffs, The Wiz and Merrily We Roll Along. And then it gives its audience caricatures of icons like Patti LuPone, Ariana DeBose and Jeremy Jordan.
Plus, there’s a few nods to Steven Sondheim as well.
“Gerard really has his finger on the pulse of what’s going on in New York, but, also, we’re on the road with more of a hybrid show,” Stern said.
Meaning they can’t just bring all of new Broadway to the masses. The touring show incorporates classic songs from Annie, Wicked, The Lion King and others for a bit of familiarity as well. And Stern confirms that even if you haven’t seen a musical, the comedy in Forbidden Broadway is for everyone.
“The characters are just so fun and it’s just a good time. Plus, people will recognize most of these songs,” she said. “But the greatest thing about our show is it’s like 15 shows in one, and [it’s] the best parts” of those 15.
Stern has done five versions of FB in the past 13 years. What keeps her coming back is Alessandrini’s clever work. But there may be something else, too: As its tenure has grown, getting spoofed by Forbidden Broadway is kind of a big deal.
“Gerard has such a specific skill set. He changes these lyrics but keeps the structure — and we’re talking like Sondheim-structure,” she said. “He wrote Spamilton, and it was crazy that he took hip-hop into his own. But also, it’s such an homage to theater, and he’s a lover of that.
She went on to talk about running into Robyn Hurder, currently starring in Smash.
“Right before COVID, we spoofed Moulin Rouge, and I was on the street at a stoplight, and she was right next to me,” Stern said. “When I told her about the show, she was so surprised and happy that we were doing the show she’s in.”
Forbidden Broadway may be a parody, but it’s no joke. Stern stressed that it’s all done with love and respect. “This is a send-up not a cut down,” she declared.
For tickets visit ATTPAC.org.