Having some fun

Off-Broadway's longest-running and most popular musical comedy revue is headed for Chicago next month.

Gerard Alessandrini's "Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit" is a hilarious parody of all the most popular plays and musicals that have attracted so many crowds to "the Great White Way" in recent years.

Since these are all the same stage names I write about so often in this same column space, I'm curious to see what kind of fun this production will poke at each of the theater marquee mainstays included.

"Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit" leaves New York to play Chicago's Royal George Cabaret Theatre for a quick and limited 10-week run starting April 19 until July 1.

The reason we're getting to have this show for a couple months, considering it's been playing New York for 25 years, is due to an annual hiatus period required by its New York venue.

In 2006, Forbidden Broadway and its creator were even honored with a Tony Award honor "for keeping theatergoers in stitches for nearly 25 years by affectionately lampooning Broadway productions and personalities."

This current edition coming to Chicago is also the winner of the 2005 Drama Desk Award for Best Musical Revue, and is described as "a merciless spoof of the egregious crimes committed against the American theater and the cruelty that has victimized the theatergoing public."

Raked over the creative coals in this show are such Broadway hits as "Spamalot," "Doubt," "The Lion King," "Jersey Boys" and "Wicked," among others, and celebrities including Cherry Jones and Kathleen Turner.

Alessandrini has continuously updated his "Forbidden Broadway" since its debut a quarter of a century ago.

Tickets to preview performances (April 19-22) are $35. Tickets to regular performances range from $39 to $49.50. Call (312) 988-9000 or Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1500 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

His birthday night

Indianapolis Colts star quarterback Peyton Manning shows up tonight to celebrate his 31st birthday in New York trying his hand at comedy as the host of NBC's "Saturday Night Live."

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwi.com or 219.852.4327.

celebBirthdays

Fashion Designer Bob Mackie is 67. Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and bassist Dougie Thomson of Supertramp is 56. Comedian Louie Anderson is 54. Actor Robert Carradine and actress Donna Pescow are 53. Actress Kelly LeBrock is 47. DJ Rodney "Kool Kollie" Terry of Ghostown DJ's is 46. TV personality Star Jones Reynolds is 45. Actress Annabella Sciorra is 43. Singer-violinist Sharon Corr of The Corrs and actress Lara Flynn Boyle and rapper Maceo of De La Soul are 37. Actress Alyson Hannigan ("How I Met Your Mother," "Buffy The Vampire Slayer") is 33. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is 31. Actress Keisha Castle-Hughes ("The Nativity Story," "Whale Rider") is 17.