"A Funny Thing" Cast Signed (X10) Program Todd Mueller COA

Description

Up for auction
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" Cast Signed (X10) Program. Signers are; Carl Ballantine, Carl Lindstrom, Chad Block, Larry Gelbart, John Hansen, Barbara Brown, Keita Keita, Lauren Lucas and two others.
This item is authenticated By Todd Mueller Autographs and comes with their certificate of authenticity.
ES-3496G
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
of the
ancient Roman
playwright
Plautus
(251–183 BC), specifically
Pseudolus
,
Miles Gloriosus
, and
Mostellaria
, the musical 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, the slamming of doors, cases of
mistaken identity
(frequently involving characters disguising themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social class. The title derives from a line often used by
vaudeville
comedians 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 Author (Musical).
A Funny Thing
has enjoyed several Broadway and
West End
revivals and was made into a successful
film
starring the original lead of the stage musical,
Zero Mostel
.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
opened on
Broadway
on May 8, 1962, at the
Alvin Theatre
, and then transferred to the
Mark Hellinger Theatre
and the
Majestic Theatre
, where the show closed on August 29, 1964, after 964 performances and 8 previews. The show's creators originally wanted
Phil Silvers
in the lead role of
Pseudolus
, but he turned them down, allegedly because he would have to perform onstage without his glasses, and his vision was so poor that he feared tripping into the orchestra pit. He is also quoted as turning down the role for being "
Sgt. Bilko
in a toga". (Silvers eventually played the role — wearing his glasses — in a 1972 revival. In the film, he played Marcus Lycus.)
Milton Berle
also passed on the role. Eventually, Zero Mostel was cast.
During the out of town pre-Broadway tryouts the show was attracting little business and not playing well.
Jerome Robbins
was called in to give advice and make changes. The biggest change Robbins made was a new opening number to replace "Love Is in the Air" and introduce the show as a bawdy, wild comedy. Stephen Sondheim wrote the song "Comedy Tonight" for this new opening. From that point on, the show was a success. It was directed by
George Abbott
and produced by
Hal Prince
, with choreography by
Jack Cole
and uncredited staging and choreography by Robbins. The scenic and costume design was by
Tony Walton
. This wardrobe is on display at the Costume World Broadway Collection in Pompano Beach, Florida. The lighting design was by
Jean Rosenthal
. Along with Mostel, the musical featured a cast of seasoned performers, including
Jack Gilford
(Mostel's friend and fellow blacklist member),
David Burns
,
John Carradine
,
Ruth Kobart
, and
Raymond Walburn
. The young lovers were played by Brian Davies and Preshy Marker.
Karen Black
, originally cast as the ingenue, was replaced out of town. The show won several
Tony Awards
: Best Musical, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Burns), Best Book, and Best Director. The score, however, was coolly received; it was Sondheim's first musical on Broadway in which he wrote both the music and lyrics, and did not earn a nomination for Best Original Score.