1965 - 1966
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
The plot of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum concerns the efforts of a wily slave, Pseudolus, to win his freedom by procuring the beautiful but vapid courtesan Philia (a virgin) for his master, Hero (also a virgin). Only these two walking anachronisms could sing "Lovely" and actually mean it. Pseudolus' plans are hindered somewhat by Hero's father, Senex, who is himself smitten by Philia, but Senex has to admit that with love, at his age, sometimes it's just "Impossible". This sentiment is echoed by his wife Domina in the haunting lovesong "That Dirty Old Man".
As if that weren't enough, Philia is betrothed to Miles Gloriosus, a macho warrior, whose ode to love is "Bring Me My Bride". By the way, Philia was purchased sight unseen from the local dealer in courtesans, Marcus Lycus, who guarantees that she is untouched by human hands (and that includes the eunuchs). Infinitely more accessible are his other courtesans Panacea, Vibrata, Gymnasia, Tintinabula and the Geminae. These lovely ladies are real crowd pleasers and nobody is more pleased than Pseudolus, who dreams of buying one when he is finally "Free". Poor faithful Hero only wants Philia and so the plot continues.
To put Philia out of the running, Pseudolus concocts a plot that she is suffering from the plague, and blackmails Hysterium into aiding and abetting. Macho Miles arrives to claim his bride. Panic, chases and life-threatening situations ensue. The entire fiasco is finally saved by Erronius, a doddering old man who has just walked around the seven hills of Rome seven times, and the evening ends with "something for everyone - a comedy tonight".
Director: Barry Stewart
Musical Director: Berthold Carrière
Choreographer: Richard Jones
Cast
Darrell Mesheau
Miles Gloriosus
Diana Wynne-Jones
Philia
Douglas Blake
A Protean
Fred Solomon
Lycus, a dealer in courtesans
Ian Fellows
Erronius, a citizen of Rome
Jennifer Dickson
Panacea
Jennifer Norton
Gymnasia
Kelly Crichton
Vibrata
Len Morin
A Protean
Linda Scovill
A Gemini
Margaret Mahaffy
A Gemini
Norman Osborne
Senex, a citizen of Rome
Paul Gaffney
Pseudolus, slave to Hero
Paul Gaffney
Prologus
Robert Gardiner
Hysterium, slave to Senex & Domina
Roushell Goldstein
Tintinabula
Tom Born
A Protean
Vi Galvin
Domina, wife of Senex
York Davis
Hero, son of Senex
Production
Christine Mcculloch Allan
Benevolent
Dorothy Gough
Assistant to the Director
Elizabeth C. Knight
Programme
Eugene David
House Manager
Faye Lavell
Ticket Manager
Gerald Browsky
Production Chairman
Jim Marshall
Photography
John Amyot
Set Designer
John Willard
Costume Designer
Ken Meyer
Publicity
Linda Scovill
Dance Captain
Lorna Rice
Accompanist
Marcel Carrière
Assistant to the Production Co-ordinator
Marylin Day
Prompter
Murray Smith
Stage Manager
Nancy Tuner
Lighting Designer
Nancy Turner
Production Co-ordinator