STAGE TUBE: On This Day 5/8- A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM
By: Nicole Rosky May. 08, 2012
Welcome to BWW's New Daily ON THIS DAY Series celebrating theatrical birthdays, openings and special events that took place on this day in theatre history!
Today in 1962, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum opened at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre), where it ran for 964 performances. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus, specifically Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus and Mostellaria, the musical tells the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl next door. The musical's original 1963 Broadway run won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Book. A Funny Thing has enjoyed several Broadway and West End revivals and was made into a successful film starring the original lead of the musical, Zero Mostel.
In celebration of this day, we bring you Zero Mostel's performance of 'Comedy Tonight'. Click below to check it out!
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