UB Department of Theatre and Dance to Present "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum"

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo Department of Theatre and Dance will present a student production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" on Oct. 16-19 and Oct. 23-26 in the Black Box Theatre in the Center for the Arts on the UB North (Amherst) Campus. Media sponsor for this production is WBFO FM 88.7.

The production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is based on the book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gilbert, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and is directed by Lynne Kurdziel-Formato. "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" was the first production to boast music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

The story, which takes place in Ancient Rome, is set in motion when a middle-aged couple, Senex, and Domina, leave for vacation. Their slave-in-chief, Hysterium, is left to take care of the household, while their only son, Hero, is in charge of their other slave, Pseudolus.

The plot revolves around Pseudolus, who will do almost anything to gain his freedom. When Pseudolus is left in the care of his owner's young son who has fallen madly in love with a beautiful courtesan, the fun begins. The young boy promises Pseudolus his freedom if he can arrange a marriage before his father returns. Pseudolus, of course, agrees. But not even the conniving slave can foresee the tangled web that he is about to weave.

Tickets for "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" are $15 for the general public and $6 for UB students. Tickets are available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Center for the Arts Box Office and at all Ticketmaster locations, including Kaufmann's. To charge tickets, call 852-5000; in Canada, call 1-416-870-8000. For group sales, call 645-6771. For more information, call 645-ARTS. The Center for the Arts is a Ticketfast location.