Hangar Theatre Brings a Classic Musical Comedy to the Finger Lakes Tonight

The Hangar Theatre will present A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum as this season's musical from June 29 until July 15, 2017. The musical combines the classical Broadway fare, the comedy of ancient Rome, and a healthy shake of vaudeville. A witty and hilarious book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart is accompanied by upbeat and beautiful music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. With classic numbers like "Comedy Tonight" and "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" Forum turns the ancient Roman farces into a big, spectacular, Broadway musical you won't want to miss. A Funny Things Happened on the Way to the Forumwill be directed by the Hangar's Artistic Director Michael Barakiva and choreographed by Mimi Quillin. Join the cast, crew, and Hangar staff on opening night, Friday, June 30th at 8pm at the Hangar Theatre, located at 801 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850 in Cass Park.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum follows Pseudolus, a Roman slave who bargains for his freedom by assisting his master, Hero, in wooing the girl next door, Philia. The bawdy tale that ensues is complete with mistaken identity, slamming doors, and clever satire- promising "something for everyone".

In the role of the freedom seeking Pseudolus, making his Hangar Theatre debut, is Michael Goldstrom, has been seen on Broadway in Mambo Kings and off-Broadway in Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Kitty Kitty Kitty, Can-Can, and A Soldier's Tale (Carnegie Hall). Ithaca based actor Aundre Seals joins Golstrom as his fellow plebian, Hysterium. Seals' local credits include Peter and the Starcatcher, and Hand to God (Kitchen Theatre) and most recently as Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone at the Cider Mill Playhouse.

Herndon Lackey and Linda Marie Larson, both making their Hangar Theatre debuts, play the master and mistress of the house. Lackey's Broadway credits include Erich Geibel in LoveMusik, Hugh Dorsey in Parade, and Tom Davenport in Inherit the Wind. Larson, who has previously collaborated with director Barakiva on a regional production of The Clean House, has Broadway credits including Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Deuce, Jackie: An American Life.

The young lovers, Hero and Philia, are played by Ithaca College Theatre Arts alumni Jacob Shipley and Alexandra Nicopoulos both of whom are also making their Hangar Theatre debuts. Shipley was most recently Willmore in the Ithaca College production of The Rover and was previously seen at the Infinity Theatre Company in Baby and Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash and at the Mac-Haydn Theatre in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Les Misérables. Nicopoulus was most recently Joanne in the Ithaca College production of Company. Her other recent credits include Loves Labours Lost, Tis Pity She's a Whore, and Bat Boy: the Musical, all at 4615 Theater Company in Washington D.C.

Robyn Payne, who very recently made her Hangar debut as Jory in Disgraced earlier this month, will be playing the gender-swapped madam in the local house of ill-repute, Marcia Lycus, usually portrayed as Marcus Lycus. Chris White, who plays the Roman captain Miles Gloriosus, was most recently seen touring the country in Of Ebony Embers, a one-man play chronicling the trials of four Harlem Renaissance artists. Rounding out the cast is Ithaca native Greg Bostwick who was last seen on the Hangar stage in 2014 in Other Desert Cities.

Take your theatrical experience to the next level, enjoy free programming before and after our Mainstage performances. Join us for a pre-show discussion at our Prologue 45 minutes before every Mainstage performance. Post-show discussions happen every Tuesday at our Tuesday Talkbacks featuring an interactive discussion between the audience and the cast and crew of the production.

Tickets start at $22 and can be purchased online at www.HangarTheatre.org, by phone at (607) 273-ARTS (2787), or in person Hangar Theatre Box Office at the theatre (Mon-Sat between 12pm and 6pm) and one hour before curtain time. Hangar Theatre is located at 801 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850.

The Hangar Theatre is committed to making theatre accessible to the entire community though its Pay What You Can (PWYC) program. Patrons may pay what they can afford to see a show at the first Saturday matinee performance of each Mainstage production. A limited number of tickets are available for PWYC thanks to the generosity of our Mainstage PWYC sponsor Schlather, Stumbar, Parks & Salk, LLP.
Hangar Theatre gratefully acknowledges 2017 Partners in Flight sponsorship from CFCU Community Credit Union and Cayuga Radio Group. Premier sponsorship for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is provided by Tompkins Trust Company, and associate sponsorship provided by Ithaca Times.

The Hangar Theatreis dedicated to providing exceptional theatre experiences of high professional quality to enrich, enlighten, educate, and entertain the diverse audience in the Finger Lakes region and beyond. Strong educational and training programs are central parts of our commitment to the local and national artistic communities. Visit our website at www.HangarTheatre.org.

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