Playhouse welcomes Rust Belt’s ‘Forbidden’
Rust Belt Theater Company presents “Forbidden Youngstown” on Friday and Saturday at Youngstown Playhouse.
It’s one of two productions it will stage there for the remainder of 2025.
Rust Belt, a theater founded by Robert Dennick Joki and devoted to staging locally written shows, lost its home for the last several years when Youngstown’s Club Switch closed abruptly in May because of a landlord dispute.
This is the 13th edition of “Forbidden Youngstown,” a musical comedy revue that spoofs theater culture in general and in the Mahoning Valley in particular.
The show is updated regularly, and new this year is a parody of “The Sound of Music” titled “The Hills Have Eyes” as well as songs that lampoon “Hamilton” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”
The cast includes Lisa Torrence, PK Lankford, Haley Comet, Rachel Clifford, Rachael Kerr, Caitlyn Murphy, Vicci Sfikas, Caitlin Cole, Sarah Whitlatch, Jessica Patoray and Joki.
It will be staged at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Moyer Room at the Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane, Youngstown.
Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by calling or texting 330-507-2358.
Rust Belt also will stage its popular holiday show, “How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas” in the Moyer Room for a two-weekend run starting Dec. 5.
For the last two years, Rust Belt staged the show at both the Playhouse and Club Switch.
According to Joki, “We are very grateful to our friends at the Playhouse for offering their space. It allows us to complete our 16th season.”