Pittsburgh Public Theater Presents A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM

Pittsburgh Public Theater continues Ted Pappas' grand finale season with A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. This riotous musical comedy features music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Burt Shevelove & Larry Gelbart, and direction & choreography by Ted Pappas. Forum runs January 25 - February 25, 2018 at the O'Reilly Theater, Pittsburgh Public Theater's home in the heart of Downtown's Cultural District. For tickets call 412.316.1600 or visit ppt.org. The production is Presented by PNC.

To create their sly mix of Broadway and Burlesque, book writers Shevelove and Gelbart mined the archives of ancient Roman funnyman Plautus, the father of contemporary farce. The plot includes mistaken identity, pratfalls, innuendo, cross-dressing, double takes, and punchy punch lines. Add to this the exuberant music & lyrics of Sondheim, whose opening number, "Comedy Tonight," is legendary. Returning for Pittsburgh Public Theater's production is Music Director F. Wade Russo, who will conduct a live orchestra.

Because Forum is set in Rome 200 years before the Christian era, everyone is allowed to behave with pagan abandon. The story revolves around the slave Pseudolus (Jimmy Kieffer), who is promised his freedom if he can help his master Hero (Jamen Nanthakumar) to woo the virgin Philia (Mary Elizabeth Drake). The household of Hero includes his parents Domina (Ruth Gottschall) and Senex (Stephen DeRosa), and their slave Hysterium (Gavan Pamer). Next door is procurer Marcus Lycus (Jeff Howell) and his captivating courtesans: Tintinabula (Stephanie Maloney), Panacea (Monica Woods), Vibrata (Jessica Walker), Gymnasia (Elyse Collier), and the Gemini Twins (Brooke Lacy and Andrea Weinzierl). Also hilarious are the pompous warrior Miles Gloriosus (Allan Snyder) and Erronius (James FitzGerald). The Proteans (Jonathan Blake Flemings, Andrew Pace, and Mark Tinkey) help to tell the outrageous tale.

The design team for Forum is James Noone (Scenic), Martha Bromelmeier (Costumes), Kirk Bookman (Lighting), and Zach Moore (Sound). Carol Schuberg is the Associate Choreographer, Pamela Brusoski is the Production Stage Manager, and Phill Madore is the Assistant Stage Manager.

Ted Pappas first staged A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum for Pittsburgh Public Theater 20 years ago as a guest director. Now he's chosen it as the last musical he will direct as the company's Producing Artistic Director. "Everyone is looking for a good laugh these days," he says, "and no musical provides more belly laughs, line for line, than Forum."

Performance Schedule

Tuesdays at 7 pm.

Wednesdays thru Saturdays at 8 pm.

Saturdays at 2 pm (except Jan. 27 & Feb. 3) plus 2 pm on Thursday, Feb. 22.

Sundays at 2 & 7 pm.

Press Night is Thursday, Feb. 1. Opening Night is Friday, Feb 2.

Ticket prices: $30 - $75. Tickets for students & age 26 &A.P. Younger: $15.75.

Discounts for groups of 10+ are available by contacting Casey Helm at 412.316.8200 ext. 704 or chelm@ppt.org.

Ticket prices are subject to change.

For tickets call 412.316.1600, go to ppt.org,

or visit the O'Reilly Theater Box Office

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