Cast and Creative Team Set for A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM at Signature Theatre

Signature Theatre has revealed the cast and creative team for the classic musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. The production will be directed and choreographed by Signature Theatre Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner (Signature’s Ragtime, Into the Woods), with music direction by Jon Kalbfleisch (Signature’s Ragtime, Sweeney Todd). The production stars Erin Weaver (Signature’s Private Jones, Into the Woods) as Pseudolus with Cameron Loyal (Broadway’s Bad Cinderella, National Tour of My Fair Lady) as Miles Gloriosus, Mike Millan (Signature’s Which Way to the Stage, Off-Broadway’s Titanique) as Hysterium, Tracy Lynn Olivera (Signature’s A Little Night Music, Round House Theatre’s Next to Normal) as Domina, and Kuhoo Verma (Hulu’s Plan B, Off-Broadway’s Octet) as Philia. Performances run October 29, 2024 – January 12, 2025 in Signature’s MAX Theatre. Tickets start at $40 and are available online.

“I am excited to direct and choreograph A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum this holiday season, marking the 35th production of a Stephen Sondheim musical over the course of Signature’s 35-year history,” said Signature’s Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner. “Sondheim’s madcap musical comedy pulls from many influences – the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus to vaudeville to sketch comedy. Come and experience one of the funniest musicals ever written with a remarkable cast of brilliant comedians, including DC’s own incomparable Erin Weaver as Pseudolus. We promise to employ every device we know in our desire to divert you.”

“It has been over twenty years since Pseudolus et al. graced the stage at Signature,” said Signature's Managing Director Maggie Boland. “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is Stephen Sondheim at his uproarious best – the wordplay is smart, the situations are farcical, and following an evening of stunning surprises and cunning disguises, it all leads to a happy ending, of course! Join Signature this holiday season for a wonderful night of mayhem and hilarity.”

It’s a comedy tonight in Sondheim’s zany, hysterical, Tony Award-winning musical romp. In one of the greatest musical comedies of all time, three households reside next to each other in ancient Rome. Just outside their doors, the exploits of a quick-thinking Roman slave, a braggart soldier, a beautiful courtesan, a lovesick young man and others devolve into uproarious chaos in a fast-paced, witty and monumental escapade. With mistaken identities, wily ruses, madcap chases, a love story, and a happy ending of course, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’s audacious and irreverent spectacle has something for everyone.

The cast of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is rounded out by Christopher Bloch (Signature’s The Bridges of Madison County, Into the Woods) as Senex, Sherri L. Edelen (Signature’s Into the Woods, Gypsy) as Erronius/Vibrata, Zachary Keller (Studio Theatre’s John Proctor is the Villain, Flint Repertory Theatre’s Spring Awakening) as Hero, Nolan Montgomery (Signature’s HAIR, The Bridges of Madison County) as Gymnasia, Kaylee Olson (Broadway’s Spamalot, National Tour of Bullets over Broadway) as Tintinabula, Lawrence Redmond (Signature's Ragtime, Into the Woods) as Marcus Lycus, Ryan Sellers (Round House Theatre’s The Tempest, Signature’s Pacific Overtures) as Protean/Geminae, Harrison Smith (Signature’s Sweeney Todd, Keegan Theatre’s Merrily We Roll Along) as Protean, Emily Steinhardt (Signature’s Private Jones, International Tour of A Chorus Line) as Panacea, and Hank von Kolnitz (National Tour of A Christmas Story, Signature’s Private Jones) as Protean/Geminae. Dylan Arredondo (Signature’s Daphne’s Dive), Rebecca Madeira (Signature’s Sweeney Todd), and Alicia Osborn (Signature’s Grand Hotel) are understudies. Graciela Rey (Olney’s Fiddler on the Roof) and Quincy Vicks (Imagination Stage’s A Year With Frog and Toad) are swings.

The creative team for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum includes Scenic Design by Jimmy Stubbs (Berkshire Theatre Festival’s Pipe Dream, Huntington Theatre Company’s The Band’s Visit), Costume Design by Erik Teague (Signature’s Ragtime, RENT), Lighting Design by Jason Lyons (Broadway’s Hand to God, Signature’s HAIR), Sound Design by Eric Norris (Signature’s Soft Power, HAIR), and Wig Design by Anne Nesmith (Signature’s Soft Power, HAIR). Casey Kaleba is the Fight Choreographer, Chelsea Pace is the Resident Intimacy Consultant & Choreographer. Music Preparation is by Scott Ninmer. Ben Bokor is the Copyist. Casting is by Jorge Acevedo. New York Casting is by Whitley Theatrical, Benton Whitley, CSA & Micah Johnson-Levy, CSA. Kerry Epstein is the Production Stage Manager, Genevieve Dornemann and Stefania Giron Zuluaga are the Assistant Stage Managers, Clancey Yovanovich is the Associate Director, Zack Callis is the Assistant to the Director, Daniel Powers is the Associate Choreographer, William Yanesh is the Associate Music Director, Channing Tucker is the Assistant Costume Designer, and Levi Manners is the Assistant Sound Designer.

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