A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
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The Play
This show has a tradition. It relies upon every "bit" and "gag" and comic situation that you can think of - devices that have been used in everything from Shakespeare to David Mamet. Why? Because they are part of the essence of humanity.
A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum has been around for 45 years now, but the comic traditions it embraces and celebrates date back to vaudeville, burlesque, and probably as far back as the first time one human being made another human being laugh.
There is a lot of talk and study about "classic" comedy today. An entire television network (TV Land) is devoted to keeping shows like “I Love Lucy ” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show ” alive for future generations. In fact, the book for FORUM was written by Larry Gelbart, who wrote for Sid Caesar on “Your Show of Shows” and later “MASH.”
Comedy - the comedy that is truly universal, has a grand lineage to it for a reason. The basic human foibles of greed, lust, pride, and so on have been its fuel since the beginning of time. And until human beings do away with those seven deady sins, comedy will be safe. As Mel Brooks said, "Funny is funny". And this show is FUNNY.
--Jim Hesselman
“A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum” Opens 2008 Season For UofL Theatre
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” a musical farce about ancient Rome, will be presented by the University of Louisville Theatre Arts Department on Jan. 30 – Feb. 3.
The production will be performed at 8 p.m. nightly at Thrust Theater at Floyd and Warnock streets, plus 3 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday, Feb.2 and 3.
Director Jim Hesselman said the play follows the bawdy pursuits of a slave named Pseudolus to win his freedom by helping his master woo the girl next door. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the play was a Broadway hit.
“The play has been around for 45 years now, but the comic traditions it embraces and celebrates date back to vaudeville, burlesque and probably as far back as the time one human being made another human laugh,” Hesselman said.
“The book for Forum, which was written by Larry Gelbart who wrote for Sid Caesar and later MASH, was based on the farces of the ancient Roman playwright Plautus,” Hesselman said. “The comedy is truly universal with the basic human foibles of greed, lust, pride and so on the fuel since the beginning of time.”
Hesselman, an actor, director and writer, earned his master of fine arts degree from UofL in 1992. He runs Theatre Island Productions and has acted in, written or directed more than 100 Derby Dinner Playhouse productions.
He also performed with the national tour of “Anything Goes” and the 20th anniversary tour of the original “Nunsense.” He directed “Urinetown” at UofL in 2007.
Ticket prices are $14 for the general public, $10 for UofL employees, senior citizens and students. Call the box office at 502-852-6814 for reservations or group ticket prices.
The Players
Catherine Baines (1/2 the Geminae), Louisville, KY, is a junior Theatre Arts major. Past credits include Eve in The Diaries of Adam & Eve, Elizabeth in Laundry and Bourbon, and Solange in The Maids for Studio Theatre.
Kate Brueggemann (Panacea), Crestview Hills, KY, is a senior Political Science major. She most recently performed as Sarah in Company for Studio Theatre. She is the Executive Vice-President of the Student Government Association.
Sarah Carleton (Protean), Darlington, PA, is a second-year MFA student in Performance. Past credits at UofL include Esperanza in Cage Rhythm, Seeker in Refractions, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Past productions elsewhere include Quilters and Everyman.
Drew Cash (Protean), Hardinsburg, KY, is a sophomore Humanities major. Past credits at UofL include Tiny Tom in Urinetown, Paris in Romeo and Juliet, and DeRecha in Virtual Reality from Power Plays. Past productions elsewhere include Bye, Bye Birdie and You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.
Erik Anthony DeCicco (Pseudolus), Jacksonville, FL, is a third-year MFA student in Performance and a member of the Repertory Company. He earned his BA in English and a BFA in Performance at Jacksonville University. Past credits at UofL include Robert in Company, Bobby Strong in Urinetown, Daniel in Night Sky, Kaden in As Bees in Honey Drown, and Dr. Bradman in Blithe Spirit. He also directed the Studio Theatre production of Lonestar, was the assistant director for Interrogating the Nude, and performed as Skip Snip in Little Shop of Horrors for Paddlewheel Productions in Jeffersonville, IN. This is his thesis performance.
Brytanie Holbrook (Vibrata), Ronda, North Carolina, is a freshman Theatre Arts major. She most recently performed as Henry, Emily, and Prior 2 in Angels in America, Part 1,“Millennium Approaches” at UofL. Past credits at YPAS include Sylvia in The New Works Festival, Goddess in The Tempest, Mrs. Paroo in The Music Man, and Mrs. Nevielle in She Stoops to Conquer.
Kate Holland (Domina), Bowling Green, KY, is a senior Theatre Arts major. Past credits at UofL include Joanne in Company, various characters in Angels in America, Part 1, “Millennium Approaches”, Little Sally in Urinetown, and Princess in Romeo and Juliet. She performed in School Play with the Rep Company in Russia. Other productions elsewhere include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Once upon a Mattress, Singin’ in the Rain, and Big River. She has also performed with the Storytelling Drama Troupe in Bowling Green, KY.
Justin Hornback (Hysterium), Elizabethtown, KY, is a junior History major. He most recently performed as Old Man Strong and Mr. McQueen in Urinetown at UofL. Past credits elsewhere include Jimmy Smith in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Charles Thomson in 1776 at Hardin County Schools PAC, Man 1 in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, and James Keller in The Miracle Worker at the Hardin County Playhouse.
James Isaac (Hero), Louisville, KY, is a junior Theatre Arts major. Past credits include Man Ray in Interrogating the Nude, various characters in Refractions, Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet, and Florizel in The Winter’s Tale. He is a member of the improvisation troupe, The Indicators, and has been active in Studio Theatre productions. Outside of UofL he has performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Batboy, The Impossible Years, Carousel, and Tartuffe, among others.
Doug James (Senex, Dance Captain), LaFollette, TN, is a third-year MFA student in Performance. He earned his BA in Theatre at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Past credits at UofL include The Inspector in Interrogating the Nude, Officer Barrel in Urinetown, Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet, Autolycus in The Winter’s Tale, and Roy Bryant in The Face of Emmett Till. Past credits elsewhere include the Principal in Footloose at Riverstage, Andrew Carnes in Oklahoma!, Jack in Sing Down the Moon, and Pozzo in Waiting for Godot at the Clarence Brown Theater. He was most recently an understudy for A Tuna Christmas at Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Tiffany LaVoie (Gymnasia), East Tawas, MI, is a first-year MFA student in Performance. She earned her BA in Theatre Performance at Western Michigan University. She most recently performed as the Angel, Man in the park, and Crazy woman in Angels in America, Part 1, “Millennium Approaches”. Past credits elsewhere include Juliet in Measure for Measure, Alice in Alice in Wonderland, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, and French Princess in Love’s Labour’s Lost.
Meredith McBride (Philia), Louisville, KY, is a junior Theatre Arts major. Past credits at UofL include Amy in Company for Studio Theatre and CO and Woman in Cage Rhythm. Past credits elsewhere include Sister Mary Amnesia in Nunsense, Miss Wilcox in George Washington Slept Here, Tigger in Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh, and she performed in several productions with Whodunnit Inc. She has also worked in various films in Louisville and Cincinnati.
Corey Music (Miles Gloriosus), Painstville, KY, is a sophomore Theatre Arts and English major. Past credits at UofL include Peter in Company, Adam in Diaries of Adam and Eve, Senator Fipp and Male Cop in Urinetown, and Sampson in Romeo and Juliet. Past productions include A Christmas Carol, Peter Pan, Legend of Jenny Wiley, The Music Man, Beauty and the Beast, and Jesus Christ Superstar at Jenny Wiley Theatre.
Justin Rich (Protean), Sellersburg, IN, is a freshman Theatre Arts and Spanish major. He most recently performed as the Distinguished Gentleman and Constable Public in Interrogating the Nude at UofL. Past credits elsewhere include Romeo in Romeo and Rosalyn, Jesus in Godspell, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Charlie Brown in You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown at Silver Creek High School. He was recently named the winner of the 2007 Indiana State Monologue competition.
Daniel Smith (Marcus Lycus), Louisville, KY, is a Junior Theatre Arts major. Past credits at UofL include David in Company and Hot Blades, Harry in Urinetown. Past credits elsewhere include Chorus in Carousel, Disciple in Jesus Christ Superstar, Jack in Into the Woods, and the Jester in Madrigal Dinner.
Jennifer Thompson (1/2 the Geminae), Louisville, KY, is a sophomore Theatre Arts major. Past credits at UofL include Jenny in Company and Billy Jo Bill UGC Executive #1 in Urinetown. She was a feature dancer in Footloose for Paddlewheel Productions in Jeffersonville, IN.
Melony A. Tisdale (Tintinabula), Kingstree, SC, is a first-year MFA student in Performance. She most recently performed as a Corrections Officer in Cage Rhythm at UofL. Past credits include Gilmer in Godspell, Lutibelle Jenkins in Purlie Victoriou, Tasha in Home for Christmas at Fayettville State University, and Student in Fame at Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
James Tompkins (Erronius) is Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at the University of Louisville. He received his BA from Lake Forest College and his MA from the University of Washington. He received a two year French Government Grant which earned him the coveted "Diplome" from the Ecole Jacques LeCoq. His first teaching assignment was at the Academy of Dramatic Art, started by John Fernald, while he acted professionally at MeadowBrook Theatre. At the invitation of The British Government he taught in London, England at the leading theatre schools: The Webber Douglas Academy; The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art; The Central School of Speech and Drama; Arts Educational; The City Literary Institute and; The Drama Studio of London. Returning to the U.S. he taught at The Ohio State University.
Professional acting credits include: Stage One: the Louisville Children's' Theatre; The Oregon Shakespeare Festival; A Contemporary Theatre in Seattle and; Provincetown Playhouse on the Wharf. He has choreographed for the Louisville Ballet Apprentices, The Kentucky Opera and other companies in the area. For The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival he has directed and written his own Commedia plays. For the Louisville Repertory Company he has directed, choreographed fights and coached movement. Most recently he performed the role of the "Beggar" in The Beggar's Opera for the UofL Opera Program.
He has served extensively on the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, the third largest state arts funding council in the U.S. In the summer of '05 he served as the Arts Representative on a U.S. State Department peace mission to India Pakistan and Bangladesh. Other international teaching credentials include The National School of Drama in India and most recently The National Academy of Performing Arts and the National College of Arts in Pakistan. The national winner of the English Speaking Union Kentucky State Shakespeare Competition Senior Division was chosen while he served as a judge this last spring.
Megan Myers McKinney (Scenic Design) is a third-year MFA student in Design. She earned her BA in Theatre at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She also received training as a scenic artist at Cobalt Studios in White Lake, N.Y. She recently designed costumes for Interrogating the Nude at UofL. Past scenic design credits include As Bees in Honey Drown, Romeo and Juliet, and Cage Rhythm.
Zhanna Goldentul (Costume Design) is the resident Costume Designer for the Theatre Arts department. Her recent designs for the department include: Angels in America, Part 1 “Millennium Approaches”, Cage Rhythm, Romeo and Juliet, Blithe Spirit, A Midsummer’s Nights Dream, In the Blood, The Seagull, and Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. She is a graduate of the Theatrical Art College in Moscow. Goldentul has designed costumes at The Louisville Children’s Theatre Stage One for Sleeping Beauty, and Hanzel and Gretel in 2002. From 2000 – 2005 Goldentul worked as the Designer/Consultant, KY Opera, “Music, Words, Opera” Showcase. Zhanna has been a member of the United Scenic Artists' Union since 1993. She is currently working on her Graduate Degree in the Fine Arts Department.
Michael F. Hottois (Lighting Design) has recently designed lighting for Angels in America, Part 1 “Millennium Approaches”, Cage Rhythm, Interrogating the Nude, My Secret Language of Wishes, Blithe Spirit, The Winter’s Tale, In the Blood, A Doll House, The Face of Emmett Till, Night Sky, Home, School Play, and The Threepenny Opera. Last summer he designed The King and I and The Music Man and Ain’t Misbehavin’ and Always, Patsy Cline this summer for the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse in New York. His credits as a scenic artist include the films Boris and Natasha and Closetland, as well as Soul of the Game for HBO. Michael is also a member of United Scenic Artists Union, Local 829.
Garry Brown (Sound Design) is the Production Manager and the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the UofL Theatre Arts Department. Recent sound designs include Refractions, King Hedley II, Blithe Spirit, In the Blood, The Face of Emmett Till, Home, Bee-Luther-Hatchee, Troilus and Cressida, and Middle Passage: A Healing Ritual.
Kara McCoil (Stage Manager), Murray, KY, is a junior Humanities major. Past credits at UofL include Stage Manager for Company and Assistant Stage Manager for Urinetown and Cage Rhythm. Past productions elsewhere as stage manager include Hank Williams: Lost Highway, The Jungle Book, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Alice in Wonderland at the Playhouse in the Park, Murray, KY. She currently has an assistantship as a scenic carpenter in the Scene Shop and is the Master Carpenter for this production.
Zachary Gilbert (Assistant Stage Manager), Louisville, KY, is a sophomore Theatre Arts major. Past credits at UofL include Assistant Lighting Designer for Angels in America, Part 1, “Millennium Approaches” and Master Electrician for Cage Rhythm, Interrogating the Nude and Urinetown. He also works for the Kentucky Opera as the assistant lighting designer and Music Theatre Louisville as the master electrician and lighting designer.
Jessica Potter (Assistant Stage Manager), Louisville, KY, is a junior Theatre Arts major. Past credits at UofL include Stage Manager for Cage Rhythm, Assistant Stage Manager for Urinetown, and Gabby Lady in Unwrap Your Candy for Studio Theatre. She was the assistant stage manager for Uncharted Realms at the Louisville Ballet and MacBeth for Specific Gravity Ensemble. She is currently one of the Properties Managers for the Scene Shop.
The Director
Jim Hesselman (Director) is a 1992 MFA graduate of the Theatre Department and happy to be returning to the UofL stage after directing last season's production of Urinetown. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, he has made his home in the Kentuckiana area for over twenty years. He is an actor, director, writer, now teaching theatre at Indiana University Southeast. Last September Jim published his first book with Back Stage Books: How I Lost 10 Pounds in 53 Years, a memoir with actress, singer, comedienne, Kaye Ballard. He has acted, written, and/or directed over 100 productions at Derby Dinner Playhouse in Clarksville where his latest production, Murder at the Howard Johnsons is currently playing to sold out houses. He has also performed all over the country, including almost two years on the road playing Billy Crocker opposite Days of Our Lives diva Gloria Loring on the national tour of Anything Goes and Father Virgil in the Twentieth Anniversary tour of the original Nunsense starring Kaye Ballard, Lee Meriwether, Georgia Engel, Mimi Hines, and Darlene Love.
Offstage, he has been Producing Artistic Director of the Shawnee Summer Theatre in Bloomfield, IN and of Music Theatre Louisville. He also runs his own production company, Theatre Island Productions, with his partner, Cary Wiger. As a playwright, he has written over twenty children's productions, a gospel musical called Celebrate, and co-written the gospel musical comedies, Peace in the Valley, Peace Like a River and Sing Hallelujah! All three are enjoying new productions this season around the country.
The Stage
Thrust Theatre
2314 S. Floyd Street
Louisville, KY 40292
This U of L Theatre Arts Productions will be performed on the intimate stage of the Thrust Theatre. Built in 1992 and seating 164 patrons, the Thrust offers a variety of staging opportunities and interaction with the audience.
The building housing the theatre is also the location of the Department's main office, faculty offices, classrooms and rehearsal rooms, and the costume shop.
The Thrust Theatre is located in the HPES/Studio Arts building on the corner of Warnock and Floyd, catty-corner from McDonald’s. Metered street parking is available on Floyd St. Free parking is available in university lots located along Floyd St. after 7:30 p.m. weekdays and all day on weekends.
Click here Map of Thrust Theatre
The Ticket
Box Office
HPES / Studio Arts Building
Corner of Floyd and Warnock Streets
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
10 am – 3 pm
(502) 852-6814
Ticket Price
General Public - $14
Students - $8
Senior Citizens - $10
U of L Faculty/Staff -
Additional Information
To make ticket reservations, please contact the Box Office Manager, Debbie Hudson, at 852-6814. Accepted methods of payment include Visa & Mastercard.