A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Dix Hills Center for the Performing Arts

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 Pseudolus and Miles Gloriosus by the ancient Roman playwright Plautus (251–183 BC), A Funny Thing 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, theslamming 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 play, Zero Mostel.

Authors

• Burt Shevelove
• Larry Gelbart
• Plautus
• Stephen Sondheim

Tony Awards and Nominations for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum