Broadway Backwards 3

The Great White Way's hottest hoofers and most dazzling gypsies came together for Broadway Backwards 3, a one night only benefit for The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transsexual Community Center. It was an enjoyable evening of gender bending musical theatre, as male performers took on numbers usually sung by their female counterparts and vice versa.

Among the talents 'flipping the script' for the night were Anthony Rapp, Liz Calloway and Gary Beach. The show opened with a vibrant Sandy Duncan, and the show's ensemble cast performing the humorous "Broadway Backwards" song. What followed was 2 hours of sly, subversive humor and talented singers belting it out to the back row. Among the "highlights; "Everybody Ought To Have A Maid" from "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"; "Maybe This Time" from "Cabaret"; and from "South Pacific,"
I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" which the male ensemble totally rocked. Neil Patrick Harris and his sexy boyfriend David Burtka took on "Take Me or Leave Me" from Rent," with amusing results. Act One closed with "Kiss the Girl," performed by "The Little Mermaid"'s charming Sierra Boggess, as "A Chorus Line"'s provocative Jessica Lee Goldyn danced hypnotically. Act Two standouts included the legendary Lainie Kazan doing "The Gal That Got Away" and the closing number, "Suddenly Seymour" from "Little Shop of Horrors."

Seth Rudetsky, the evening's host kept things moving with his high speed, hilarious patter ("I feel like Joey Heatherton on the Bob Hope USO Tour"). He also pointed out that while there are plenty of gays in the theater, same sex love stories are seldom actually on stage. At one point, delicious Julie Halston joined him for some patter, amazed at her own ability to consistently land musical comedy roles: "It's fantastic - it just shows how far we've sunk".

"Broadway Backwards 3" was a fabulous night of same sex song and dance, and all for a good cause. Bring on "Broadway Backwards 4"!