A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was first presented by Harold Prince at the Alvin Theatre, New York City, on May 8, 1962, with the following cast:
(In order of appearance)
| PROLOGUS | Zero Mostel |
| THE PROTEANS | Eddie Phillips, George Reeder, David Evans |
| SENEX, a citizen of Rome | David Burns |
| DOMINA, his wife | Ruth Kobart |
| HERO, his son | Brian Davies |
| HYSTERIUM, slave to Senex and Domina | Jack Gilford |
| LYCUS, a dealer in courtesans | John Carradine |
| PSEUDOLUS, slave to Hero | Zero Mostel |
| TINTINABULA | Roberta Keith |
| PANACEA | Lucienne Bridou |
| THE GEMINAE | Lisa James, Judy Alexander |
| VIBRATA | Myrna White |
| GYMNASIA | Gloria Kristy |
| PHILIA | Preshy Marker |
| ERRONIUS, a citizen of Rome | Raymond Walburn |
| MILES GLORIOSUS, a warrior | Ronald Holgate |
Production Directed by George Abbott
Choreography and Musical Staging by Jack Cole
Settings and Costumes by Tony Walton
Lighting by Jean Rosenthal
Orchestrations by Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin
Musical Direction by Harold Hastings
Dance Music Arranged by Hal Schaefer
The following songs were cut prior to the New York opening: “Invocation,” “Love Is in the Air,” “The House of Marcus Lycus” (the complete version), “Your Eyes Are Blue,” “I Do Like You,” “There’s Something About a War,” “Echo Song,” and “The Gaggle of Geese.”
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum gave its first performance at the Shubert Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut, opening on March 31, 1962 and closing on April 7th after 8 performances and 1 preview. The show then moved to the National Theatre, Washington, D.C., opening on April 11th and closing on April 28th after 22 performances. Previews began in New York City on May 2, 1962, and the show opened on May 8th and closed on August 29, 1964 after 964 performances and 7 previews.
AWARDS
Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Producer of a Musical
(Harold Prince), Best Book of a Musical (Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart), Best Direction of a Musical (George Abbott), Best Actor in a Musical (Zero Mostel), Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Musical (David Burns). Also received Tony nominations for Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Musical (Jack Gilford) and Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Musical (Ruth Kobart).
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was first presented in London by Harold Prince, Tony Walton and Richard Pilbrow, by arrangement with Send Manor Trust Ltd., at the Strand Theatre on October 3, 1963 for 762 performances, with the following cast:
(In order of appearance)
| PROLOGUS | Frankie Howerd |
| THE PROTEANS | Ben Aris, George Giles, Malcolm Macdonald |
| SENEX, a citizen of Rome | “Monsewer” Eddie Gray |
| DOMINA, his wife | Linda Gray |
| HERO, his son | John Rye |
| HYSTERIUM, slave to Senex and Domina | Kenneth Connor |
| PSEUDOLUS, slave to Hero | Frankie Howerd |
| LYCUS, a dealer in courtesans | Jon Pertwee |
| TINTINABULA | Norma Dunbar |
| PANACEA | Christine Child |
| THE GEMINAE | Marion Horton, Vyvyan Dunbar |
| VIBRATA | Faye Craig |
| GYMNASIA | Sula Freeman |
| PHILIA | Isla Blair |
| ERRONIUS, a citizen of Rome | Robertson Hare |
| MILES GLORIOSUS, a warrior | Leon Greene |
Production Directed by George Abbott
Musical Numbers originally staged by Jack Cole re-staged by
George Martin
Settings and Costumes by Tony Walton
Lighting by Jean Rosenthal
Orchestrations by Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin
Musical Direction by Alyn Ainsworth
Dance Arrangements by Hal Schaefer
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was revived by the Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles (Robert Fryer, Managing Director) at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, California, October 13–November 20, 1971 for 47 performances, with the following cast:
| PROLOGUS | Phil Silvers |
| SENEX, a Roman citizen | Lew Parker |
| DOMINA, his wife | Nancy Walker |
| HERO, his son, in love with Philia | John Hansen |
| HYSTERIUM, slave to Senex and Domina | Larry Blyden |
| PSEUDOLUS, slave to Hero | Phil Silvers |
| LYCUS, a buyer and seller of courtesans | Carl Ballantine |
| ERRONIUS, an old man | Reginald Owen |
| MILES GLORIOSUS, a warrior | Carl Lindstrom |
| TINTINABULA, a courtesan | Ann Jillian |
| PANACEA, a courtesan | Gloria Mills |
| THE GEMINAE, courtesans | Trish Mahoney, Sonja Haney |
| VIBRATA, a courtesan | Keita Keita |
| GYMNASIA, a courtesan | Charlene Ryan |
| PHILIA, a virgin | Pamela Hall |
| THE PROTEANS | Marc Breaux, Marc Wilder, Joe Ross |
Directed by Burt Shevelove
Choreography by Ralph Beaumont
Settings by James Trittipo
Costumes by Noel Taylor
Lighting by H. R. Poindexter
Orchestrations by Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin
Musical and Vocal Direction by Jack Lee
Dance Music Arranged by Hal Schaefer
Additional Dance Music by Richard De Benedictis
Production Associate, Robert Linden
For this revival a new song, “Farewell,” was written for Nancy Walker (DOMINA); “That’ll Show Him” was dropped; “Echo Song” was added for PHILIA and HERO.
This production was subsequently presented in New York City by David Black, in association with Seymour Vail and Henry Honeckman, and produced by Larry Blyden at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Prior to its Broadway engagement, the revival played at the McVickers Theatre, Chicago, February 28–March 25, 1972, and opened in New York on March 30, 1972 and closed August 12, 1972 after 156 performances and 3 previews.
Lizabeth Pritchett replaced Nancy Walker as DOMINA; Lauren Lucas replaced Ann Jillian as TINTINABULA; Bill Starr and Chad Block replaced Marc Breaux and Marc Wilder as two of the PROTEANS; musical and vocal direction was by Milton Rosenstock. The song “Pretty Little Picture” was dropped.
AWARDS
Tony Awards: Best Actor in a Musical (Phil Silvers) and Best Supporting or Featured Actor in a Musical (Larry Blyden). Also received a Tony nomination for Best Direction of a Musical (Burt Shevelove).
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was revived in London by Richard Pilbrow, Pamela Hay and Norman Rothstein for Theatre Projects Associates, in association with David Bulasky and Geoffrey Young, at the Piccadilly Theatre, November 14, 1986 for 49 performances, with the following cast:
| PSEUDOLUS, slave to Hero | Frankie Howerd |
| SENEX, a citizen of Rome | Patrick Cargill |
| DOMINA, his wife | Betty Benfield |
| HERO, his son | Graeme Smith |
| HYSTERIUM, slave to Senex and Domina | Ronnie Stevens |
| LYCUS, a buyer and seller of courtesans | Fred Evans |
| ERRONIUS, an old man | Derek Royle |
| MILES GLORIOSUS, a warrior | Leon Greene |
| PHILIA, a virgin | Lydia Watson |
| THE PROTEANS | Max Cane, Richard Drabble, Chris Eyden |
| THE GEMINAE | Julie and Tracy Collins |
| GYMNASIA | Elizabeth Elvin |
| TINTINABULA | Claire Lutter |
| VIBRATA | Sharon Stephens |
| PANACEA | Billi Wylde |
Directed by Larry Gelbart
Choreography and Musical Staging by George Martin
Settings and Costumes by Tony Walton
Lighting by Robert Ornbo
Musical Direction by Godfrey Salmon
The motion picture of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was produced by Melvin Frank Productions and released through United Artists in October of 1966, with the following cast:
| PSEUDOLUS | Zero Mostel |
| LYCUS | Phil Silvers |
| HYSTERIUM | Jack Gilford |
| ERRONTUS | Buster Keaton |
| HERO | Michael Crawford |
| PHILIA | Annette Andre |
| DOMINA | Patricia Jessel |
| SENEX | Michael Hordern |
| MILES GLORIOSUS | Leon Greene |
| GYMNASIA | Inga Neilsen |
| VIBRATA | Myrna White |
| PANACEA | Lucienne Bridou |
| TINTINABULA | Helen Funai |
| THE GEMINAE | Jennifer and Susan Baker |
| FERTILLA | Janet Webb |
| HIGH PRIESTESS | Pamela Brown |
| GUARD | Alfie Bass |
Others: John Bennett, John Bluthal, Ronny Brody, Peter Butterworth, Frank Elliott, Andrew Faulds, Bill Kerr, Roy Kinnear, Beatrix Lehmann, Jack Max, Jon Pertwee, Frank Thornton
Directed by Richard Lester
Screenplay by Melvin Frank and Michael Pertwee
Musical Direction and Incidental Music by Ken Thorne
Production and Costumes Designed by Tony Walton
Director of Photography, Nicolas Roeg, B.S.C.
Dances by George and Ethel Martin
MUSICAL NUMBERS
| Tibia Solo (Ken Thorne) | Instrumental |
| “Comedy Tonight” | Zero Mostel, Company |
| Search for Mare’s Sweat (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| “Lovely” | Annette Andre, Michael Crawford |
| Tintinabula’s Dance (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| Vibrata’s Dance (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| Roman Emissary (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” | Michael Hordern, |
| Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford, Phil Silvers | |
| Riot at the Funeral (Sondheim) | Instrumental |
| Domina Returns/Fanfare (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| “Bring Me My Bride” | Leon Greene, Company |
| Erronius Returns (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| Orgy Music . . . Roman Style (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| “Lovely” (Reprise) | Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford |
| In the Arena (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| The Dirge and Funeral Sequence | Leon Greene, Company |
| The Rescue of Philia (Thorne) | Instrumental |
| The Chase (Sondheim) | Instrumental |
| “Comedy Tonight”/Playout (Sondheim) | Instrumental |
The motion picture is available on video cassette: CBS Fox 4618
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was revived by Jujamcyn Theatres, Scott Rudin/Paramount Pictures, Viertel-Baruch-Frankel Group, Roger Berlind, and Dodger Productions at the St. James Theatre, April 18, 1996 (previews from March 18) - January 4, 1998 for 715 peformances and 35 previews, with the following cast:
(In order of appearance)
| PROLOGUS (an actor) /PSEUDOLUS | Nathan Lane |
| PROTEANS | Brad Aspel, Cory English, Ray Roderick |
| HERO | Jim Stanek |
| PHILIA | Jessica Boevers |
| SENEX | Lewis J. Stadlen |
| DOMINA | Mary Testa |
| HYSTERIUM | Mark Linn-Baker |
| LYCUS | Ernie Sabella |
| TINTINABULA | Pamela Everett |
| PANACEA | Leigh Zimmerman |
| THE GEMINAE | Susan Misner, Lori Werner |
| VIBRATA | Mary Ann Lamb |
| GYMNASIA | Stephanie Pope |
| ERRONIUS | William Duell |
| MILES GLORIOSUS | Cris Groenendaal |
SWINGS: Michael Arnold, Kevin Kraft, Kristin Willits
Directed by Jerry Zaks
Choreography by Rob Marshall;
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Musical Supervision by Edward Strauss
Set/Costumes by Tony Walton;
Dance Arrangements by David Chase
Whoopi Goldberg replaced Nathan Lane as PSEUDOLUS, and was subsequently replaced by David Alan Grier; Dick Latessa replaced Lewis J. Stadlen as SENEX and was subsequently replaced by Robert Fitch; Ross Lehman replaced Mark Linn-Baker as HYSTERIUM; Bob Amaral replaced Ernie Sabella as LYCUS; Holly Cruikshank replaced Leigh Zimmerman as PANACEA; Tara Nicole replaced Susan Misner as one of the GEMINAE; Pascale Faye replaced Mary Ann Lamb as VIBRATA and was subsequently replaced by Carol Lee Meadows; Kena Tangi Dorsey replaced Stephanie Pope as GYMNASIA. The song “Pretty Little Picture” was dropped.
AWARDS
Tony Award: Best Actor in a Musical (Nathan Lane)