Rialto Chatter: A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM Coming Back to Broadway?

Cabaret just returned to Broadway last night, but according to a recent Deadline report, more revivals are on the way. Jeremy Gerard writes that a A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum revival is in the works, as well as the long-rumored My Fair Lady.

Gerard writes: "Two major Broadway revivals are in the works from veteran producers: My Fair Lady and A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. I don't do casting forecasting, so in the spirit of the Macy's Santa in Miracle On 34th Street, I'll send you to the competition. Send your choices to my friend Michael, care of the Post."

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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 (251-183 BC), 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 plot displays many classic elements of farce, including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken identity (frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from the line that vaudeville comedians often used to begin a story: "A funny thing happened on the way to the theater".

The musical's original 1962 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. The most recent Broadway revival starred Nathan Lane, who won the 1996 Tony Award for his performance.