If there is a trump card over satire, it would have to be satire that is smart, witty, and honest. Those qualities, along with superb musical talent, intuitive comedic timing, and sharp direction, encompass the production of "Forbidden Broadway: Alive and Kicking!" at the Davenport Theater. The long running Off-Broadway parody has kicked off its nineteenth edition, with veteran director Gerard Alessandrini and seasoned music director David Caldwell continuing to pack the punches while bringing the hits as they mock some of Broadway's most popular and profitable productions.

With satire aimed at "The Bridges of Madison County", "Pippin", "Book of Mormon", "Rocky", the beloved "Cabaret" and many more, this rendition of "Forbidden Broadway" is certainly alive and kicking. Newcomer Mia Gentle shines, using her powerful voice and varying range in parodies of Patina Miller, Cinderella, Idina Menzel, Pale Diana Ross, and almost every female character from "Les Misérables". Both Gentle and her co-star accomplished voiceover artist Carter Calvert flourish during the "Sound of Music" number, with their unforgiving honesty and sarcastic portrayal of Carrie Underwood's country-star performance as the Austrian Maria von Trapp. They also jump at the opportunity to mock both pop culture and Idina Menzel at once: Alessandrini's use of Gentle's vocal prowess on the "Let it Blow" parody of the insanely popular "Let it Go" from the Disney film "Frozen" was pure gold.

Both women of "Forbidden Broadway: Alive and Kicking!" brought the heat in their portrayals of adored Broadway icons; in particular, Calvert's ode to the erratic yet spectacular ways of Liza Minnelli was spot on and gut-wrenchingly funny to even the most casual theater fan. Calvert's version of "So What?" is so hilarious that you almost forget the sadness of seeing Minnelli reduced to the secondary role of Fräulein Schneider, where the character's key song is a tribute to her own dwindling options in life.

Not to be out shined or upstaged, Scott Richard Foster and Marcus Stevens matched their female counterparts in witty banter and satirical repertoire, roasting legends like Sylvester Stallone, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, Woody Allen, and more. Stevens' bit on Mandy Patinkin may quite well be one of the funniest moments in theater this year. Scott Richard Foster's comedic ability was certainly appreciated on the "Bridges of Madison County" sketch, which summarized the play's major flaws and potholes; his warm bravado and satirical ability shone in "Once".

The beauty of "Forbidden Broadway" is that instead of picking on the little guys, or going for the easy targets, Alessandrini, George, and the rest of the team choose to go after the majors: inattentive greedy corporations, outdated and overused concepts, and pretentious yet deluded elitist theater fans. It is a true testament to the talent of Gerard Alessandrini that "Forbidden Broadway" has evolved to stay both relevant and hip for more than 30 years and through almost 20 renditions. His ability to stay fresh and avoid the typical satire trope of trying too hard make "Alive and Kicking!" a gem for everyone to see.