Forbidden Broadway

August 23 - September 2, 2023

7:30 pm nightly

no show Sunday, August 27

Directors: Chris Hopkins-Hile &

Jeff Hile

Musical Director: Rachel Elbin

Opening August 23 for a 10-night run at the Red Barn Theatre is the popular hit musical comedy revue, Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits. Artistic directors Chris Hopkins-Hile and Jeff Hile of Cumberland and musical director Rachel Elbin of Cameron have assembled a multi-talented cast of eight who are guaranteed to get you humming, tapping your toes, and laughing simultaneously. The brainchild of Gerald Alessandrin, this show parodies some of theatre’s greatest songs, stars, and songwriters. Among the shows audiences will hear music from are Fiddler on the Roof, Mama Mia, The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Les Miserables, Spamalot, Annie, Rent, Hairspray, Cats, Chicago, and more.

Although each Hardscrabble Player portrays multiple roles throughout the production, each actor has their own particular favorite. Paul Chase (Rice Lake) is enjoying playing The Phantom; Sheila Shaffer (Shell Lake) Ethel Merman; Emma Marek (Chetek) the Ventriloquist Dummy; Rachel Westberg (Chetek) A Cat; Brandon Brown (Rice Lake) Jean Val Jean; Shannon Brown (Rice Lake) Elphaba; and Beth Halverson (Barron) Liza Minnelli.

The art of the talented Hiles will be showcased in the Red Barn Gallery. Their work can also be viewed at the Dancing Bird Studio in Cumberland.