A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962)
Words & Music: Stephen Sondheim
Book: Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart
Based on the plays Miles Gloriosus, Pseudolus and Mostellaria by Plautus (251–183 BBE)
Premise: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a fast-paced farce set in ancient Rome and inspired by the comedies of Plautus. The story follows Pseudolus, a quick-witted slave who longs for his freedom, as he concocts an ever-more chaotic series of schemes to win the hand of a beautiful courtesan for his young master in exchange for emancipation. What begins as a simple bargain spirals into a whirlwind of mistaken identities, door-slamming confusion, outrageous disguises and escalating comic misunderstandings, all delivered with sharp wit and a wink at the traditions of classic farce.
Background: Originally developed in the late 1950s, Forum was conceived by producer/director George Abbott with a book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Sondheim, then still early in his career, was brought on to write both music and lyrics his first time taking on both after West Side Story and Gypsy (both lyrics only). Early drafts went through multiple revisions and out-of-town tryouts, with Sondheim writing and discarding several songs before landing on the now-iconic opening number “Comedy Tonight,” which set the perfect anarchic tone. After these refinements, the show opened on Broadway in 1962, directed by Abbott and starring Zero Mostel, and became Sondheim’s first Broadway hit as both composer and lyricist, running for over two years and cementing its reputation as a landmark American musical comedy.
Major productions/concert performances/recordings:
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2023 French Premiere
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2024 Signature Theatre
Broadway Production (1962)
Alvin Theatre, New York (Now Neil Simon Theatre): 8 May 1961–7 March 1964
Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York: 9 March–10 May 1964
Majestic Theatre, New York: 12 May–29 August 1964
Tryouts: 31 March–7 April 1962 (Shubert Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut)
1 preview, 8 performances
Tryouts: 11–28 April 1962 (National Theatre, Washington DC)
22 performances
Previews: 2 May 1962 (Alvin Theatre, 7 previews)
Opened: 8 May 1962
Closed: 29 August 1964
Performances: 964
Director: George Abbott
Producer: Hal Prince
Choreography and Musical Staging: Jack Cole
Settings and Costumes: Tony Walton
Lighting: Jean Rosenthal
Dance Music Arrangements: Hal Schaefer
Musical Direction: Harold Hastings
Orchestrations: Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin
Cast:
Prologus: Zero Mostel
The Proteans: Eddie Phillips, George Reeder (replaced by Ron Ross), David Evans
Senex: David Burns (replaced by Frank McHugh)
Domina: Ruth Kobart
Hero: Brian Davies (replaced by Harry David Snow)
Hysterium: Jack Gilford
Marcus Lycus: John Carradine (replaced by Erik Rhodes; Danny Dayton)
Pseudolus: Zero Mostel (replaced by Jerry Lester; Dick Shawn)
Tintinnabula: Roberta Keith (replaced by Ethel Martin)
Panacea: Lucienne Bridou (replaced by Barbara London)
The Geminae: Elisa James, Judy Alexander (replaced by Lisa Ackerman)
Vibrata: Myrna White (replaced by Sally Neal)
Gymnasia: Gloria Kristy
Philia: Preshy Marker
Erronius: Raymond Walburn (replaced by Horace Cooper)
Miles Gloriosus: Ronald Holgate
Musical Numbers:
Overture - Orchestra
Act One
"Comedy Tonight" – Prologus and the Proteans
"Love, I Hear" – Hero
"Free" – Pseudolus and Hero
"Lovely" – Hero and Philia
"Pretty Little Picture" – Pseudolus, Hero, Philia
"Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" – Senex, Pseudolus, Hysterium, Lycus
"I'm Calm" – Hysterium
"Impossible" – Senex and Hero
"Bring Me My Bride" – Miles Gloriosus, Pseudolus, and Company
Act Two
"That Dirty Old Man" – Domina
"That'll Show Him" – Philia
"Lovely" (reprise) – Pseudolus and Hysterium
Funeral Sequence – Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus, and Company
Finale – Company
Washington DC Tryout:
Act One
"Love Is in the Air" - Prologue, The Proteans
"Love, I Hear" – Hero
"Free" – Pseudolus, Hero
"The House of Marcus Lycus" – Lycus, Pseudolus and the Courtesans
"Your Eyes Are Blue" – Hero, Philia
"Pretty Little Picture" – Pseudolus, Hero, Philia
"Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" – Senex, Pseudolus
"That'll Show Him" – Philia
"Bring Me My Bride" – Miles, Pseudolus, Lycus, Courtesans and Soldiers
Act Two
"That Dirty Old Man" – Domina
"Echo Song" – Philia, Hero
"Lovely" – Pseudolus, Hysterium
Funeral Sequence and Dance – Pseudolus, Miles, Courtesans and Soldiers
"The Chase" – Entire Company
Recording:
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Original Cast Recording)
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LP [mono], 1962 [Capitol WAO 1717]
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LP [stereo], 1962 [Capitol SWAO 1717]
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LP [mono] reissue, 1967 [Capitol W 1717]
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LP [stereo] reissue, 1967 [Capitol SW 1717]
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LP, 1982 [Time-Life Records STL-AM12]
[with Company and A Little Night Music] -
Cassette, 1982 [Time-Life Records 4TL-AM12]
[with Company and A Little Night Music] -
Compact Disc, 1990 [Bay Cities BCD 3002]
Producers: Andy Wiswell, Dick Jones
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Compact Disc, 1993 [Angel ZDM 7 64770 2 2] (43:48 mins.)
Digital remastering: Bob Norberg
Liner notes: Marc Kirkeby
Selections: Overture (3:14), "Comedy Tonight" (5:00), "Love, I Hear" (2:51), "Free" (3:35), "Lovely" (3:08), "Pretty Little Picture" (2:52), "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" (3:50), "I'm Calm" (2:52), "Impossible" (2:33), "Bring Me My Bride" (3:22), "That'll Show Him" (1:49), "Lovely (reprise)" (2:56), "Funeral Sequence" (2:05), "Finale" (1:21)
