It has been 25 years since MSU’s theater department has performed the musical, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Tonight and Saturday night, Theatre MSU will again perform it at 7 in the McComas Hall auditorium. Director Kevin Kern, who moved from L.A. last spring specifically to direct musicals, said that musical productions have been a long awaited addition.
“It had been a long time since our musical department and our theater department has worked together,” Kern said. Both the MSU chorus and an orchestra from the musical department will contribute to the songs in the performance.
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” was a 1966 adaptation of the classic Roman formula that involves a slave, his master, a gladiator and women. Co-written by Larry Gelbart, who wrote for “M*A*S*H,” it went to Broadway three times.
Played by student Will Cooper, the lead character, Pseudolus, is a slave trying to obtain freedom by matching his master, Hero, with a courtesan who he desires. Cooper said that throughout the play Pseudolus is trying to manipulate situations for his gain and pulls several pranks.
“My character messes with people; he uses them while orchestrating everything to get what he wants,” he said. “There are also some conflicting situations that involve mistaken identity,” Cooper said not revealing the extent.
Known for his humorous animation, Cooper says that the musical is like a play, except “louder and bigger.” Kern said that the play differs from traditional ones in that its structure is loose in terms of its silliness.
“One of the choir members comes out of the play and performs as an actor,” Kern said. “There are jokes made about the play in the middle of the play, and there is also communication with the audience.” Kern said that it was not a serious play.
“This play has the stock of characters from old Roman comedies,” he said. “It’s got the wacky slave, the two lovers trying to get together and the stocky army guy,” he said. Set in 1 B.C., Kern said the time could be anywhere between then and 2006.
“This has an undetermined time period,” said Kern, who directed the musical in L.A. “We have traditional costuming mixed with fedora hats and Chuck Taylor high tops.”
Cooper says that the dynamics of entertainment vary from the play to the musical. “You have to keep the audience enjoying every minute in a musical,” Cooper said. “Our cast is amazing. Our chemistry has evolved with practice.” Cooper plans to act in professional theater before he shoots for Broadway.
Like Pseudolus, Cooper says he is the sort of person that is always “running around.” Involved in the Famous Maroon Band, the choir and the ceaseless performing on stage, he barely has time to rest. He estimated that for about an hour a week, he will not be busy. “That’s one great hour,” he said.
One of the courtesan’s Gymnasia, lives in a house with other courtesans and Marcus Lycus. Jonette Wilburn, playing Gymnasia, calls her character the “sporty spice” of the group, dressing in red and black. “Marcus Lycus is sort of our pimp,” she said.
Wilburn said of the other courtesans: “There is a pair of Gemini twins. One is good, and one is bad. We have a genie, a fruit fairy and a Fosse dancer that wears a boa. We also have a cheerleader-stripper.”
Kern said he expects phenomenal performances from his students. He also expects a good turn-out. “The communication department has 450 majors,” he said. This constitutes a bulk of majors in the Arts and Sciences college. “So there is no reason why people won’t attend,” he sad.
“I want to put a lot of people back into the McComas theater,” Kern said. “We are as well equipped as any theater, and I want to have people to drive for an hour to see our plays, like they drive an hour to see a football game.”