Flat Rock Playhouse Presents A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, Now thru 10/26

Flat Rock Playhouse and Eblen-Kimmel Charities presents the Tony Award winning musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, from today, October 2 - October 26 at the Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage. Part of its "Season of Laughter and Love," presented by the Cliffs Communities, the Playhouse is pleased to offer Broadway's greatest farce and one of the funniest musicals ever written, created by the legendary Stephen Sondheim and Larry Gelbart.

Taking place in Ancient Rome, the story follows the path of the crafty Roman slave, Pseudolus, as he attempts to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the beautiful girl next door. However, the road to freedom is a bit bumpy as he encounters mistaken identities, wild chases, and crazy characters.

The show features comedy styles developed during Broadway's and television's Golden Age, including slapstick and vaudeville. In fact, the title itself is derived from a line that vaudeville comedians often used to begin a story: "A funny thing happened on the way to the theater".

The foundation for the shows outrageous comedic presence is the set, which has been constructed to contain no right angles and to include jokes within its details. The details, including funny carvings on the outsides of buildings, humorous Roman statues, and an inebriated face in the rising and setting sun, compliment the madness displayed by the show's talented cast, which is full of returning Vagabonds.

The Director for this show is Acting Artistic Director, Lisa K. Bryant, who began her career with Flat Rock Playhouse as an Apprentice in 1994. Since then she has played a myriad of roles including intern, actor, teacher, writer, and Apprentice director. While at the Playhouse, Bryant has directed RENT, School House Rock Live!, Once On This Island, and her self-written play, Princess Reform School. This year, Lisa directed Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and the smash hit My Fair Lady.

Cast members are Nick Santa-Maria, Scott Treadway, Scott Cote, Jarid Faubel, Lilly Tobin, Sam Sherwood, Ralph Redpath, Preston Dyar, Linda Edwards, Betsy Bisson, Jane Bushway, Mary Claire King, Katie Zanca, Maddie Franke, Ethan Andersen, James Wells, and Dion Mills.

Music Director is Michael Sebastian. Scenic Designer is Dennis Maulden. Costume Designer is Ashli Arnold. Lighting Designer is Stephen Terry. Technical Director is Tony Lawrence. Sound Designer is Allen Sanders.

The Flat Rock Playhouse and Eblen-Kimmel Charities present A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, October 2 - 26 at the Playhouse Mainstage. Performances will be Wednesday through Saturday at 8:00pm; matinees Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2:00 pm. All tickets are $40 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-732-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

Discounts are available for seniors, AAA members, military personnel, students and groups. The Flat Rock Playhouse Mainstage is located at 2661 Greenville Highway in Flat Rock, NC.

In 1937, a group of struggling performers, led by Robroy Farquhar, organized themselves as the Vagabond Players. The Vagabonds worked in a variety of places over the course of three years, and in 1940 found themselves in the Blue Ridge region of Western North Carolina. The local and tourist community welcomed them with open arms when they presented their first summer season of plays in a 150-year-old grist mill they converted into The Old Mill Playhouse at Highland Lake. So successful was that summer, they returned in 1941. After WWII, the Vagabond Players reorganized, came back to the region and opened a playhouse in nearby Lake Summit. The Lake Summit Playhouse thrived during the post war years and soon the Vagabond Players were looking for a larger and permanent home. In 1952, the troupe of performers, and a newly formed board of directors, made an offer to buy an 8-acre lot in the Village of Flat Rock. This new home made the Vagabonds "locals" and a rented big top gave birth to Flat Rock Playhouse. As the beautiful Western Carolina region continued to grow, so did the Playhouse and in 1961, by Act of the North Carolina General Assembly, Flat Rock Playhouse was officially designated The State Theatre of North Carolina. What began as a few weeks of summer performances in 1940 is now a nine-month season of plays including Broadway musicals, comedy, drama, and theatre for young audiences. The Playhouse's dual mission of producing the performing arts and providing education in the performing arts includes a professional series; a summer and fall college apprentice and intern program; performances and cabaret series by the YouTheatre; year-round classes and workshops for students from kindergarten through adults. Flat Rock Playhouse now hosts over 98,000 patrons annually and is a significant contributor to the local economy and the Arts in North Carolina.

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