The Gem Theater (Garden Grove, CA)
Inspired by the farces of ancient Rome, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is the story of a slave named Pseudolus who tries to earn his freedom by helping his master win the heart of the beautiful Philia. With a book by Burt Shevelove and the late Larry Gelbart (M*A*S*H) and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (Into the Woods), A Funny Thing... won several Tony awards during its initial Broadway run in 1962.
Event summary prepared by the Goldstar Editorial Team.
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The last date listed for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum was Sunday December 13, 2009 / 3:00pm. (view all dates)
Currently at The Gem Theater:
Nominated for over a half-dozen Tony Awards, the Biblical saga of Joseph and his coat of many colors comes to vibrant life in this delightful musical parable. Adding to the score by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by famed lyricist Tim Rice, One More Productions has placed their own spin on the story and offers this musical in glam rock concert style. Learn More
"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is one of my all time favorites. It was a fun night. The Gem Theatre was a great venue. I look forward to attending more productions at the Gem. Mahalo.
What an entertaining play. The actors were high energy, professional and humorous. The stage was creative and not necessary to change much to make a new environment. The customes were sleak, sexy and appropriate for the time period. My family enjoyed the connection the actors immediately made with the audience. It was great to have the director come out to say a few words to the audience. The intermission was nice too; coffee and dessert was available for a small fee. I liked the idea of the raffle. The seats were very comfortable; seating is easy to find. Small venue, but gorgeous.
I took my mother to see this and we both had a wonderful time. This is a small theater (only 150 seats or so) and there isn't a bad seat in the house. We went on a rainy Friday night and although the crowd was small the audience participation was great. I haven't laughed that much at a live performance in a long time!
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The Gem Theater sits at the end of Historic Main Street and is surrounded by quaint turn of the century shops that make it look as if you have stepped back in time.
The Gem Theater seats 172 guests, and has recently been redesigned to house a state of the art sound system that also includes private hearing devices for those with special needs. The theater also boasts a new lighting system, a re
Website: http://www.onemoreproductions.com/pg200_production.aspx
Book by Burt Shevelove; Larry Gelbart
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
The setting for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a street in ancient Rome, in front of three adjacent houses. First is the brothel of Lycus, who takes his profession of peddler of fresh very seriously. Next is the house of Senex, his wife Domina, and their son Hero. Last is the house of Erronius who continually bemoans the unsolved kidnapping long ago of his son and daughter.
Pseudolus, a slave in the household Senex and the property of Hero, is anxious to obtain his freedom. To do so, he will resort to all kinds of trickery, abetted reluctantly by fellow-slave Hysterium. (“I live to grovel,” he says complacently.) Pseudolus, who is a conniving and quick-witted rascal, has figured that the best way of bargaining for his freedom is to cater to the sex-hungers of the men of the household, especially Hero, who yearns for the beautiful Philia, a still virginal girl who is in basic training for a courtesan’s career in the bawdy house run by Lycus. Hero agrees to give Pseudolus his freedom if he can help him win Philia.
Hero’s aging father, however, lecherously wants to have a last fling and likewise has his eye on Philia. Thus, Pseudolus must also try to give him what he deserves. Finally, as the ultimate complication, Pseudolus is faced with the contracted fact that Philia has already been sold by Lycus to Miles Gloriosus, a soldier momentarily absent from Rome.
Forced to foil all the males who are after the lovely but dumb Philia, Pseudolus has to maneuver with resourcefulness and agility, and the action crosscuts from the chaste to the chase with dizzying speed. Guffaws keep erupting as the schemes of Pseudolus boomerang and get him ever deeper into a mire of deception, entangling everybody who comes near. When the vainglorious and licentious Miles Gloriosus returns to Rome and demands fulfillment of his contract for Philia, Pseudolus is in desperation and quickly declares that she is dead. To help him in this charade, he persuades Hysterium to don a wig and women’s clothes and pretend to be the corpse.
The very much alive Philia, hearing her contracted owner has returned, dim wittedly thinks that old Senex is the man who has purchased her, so Senex excitedly tries to escape his battle-ax of a wife, Domina, in order to enjoy his good luck. In preparation for the anticipated encounter, he oils himself with sweet ointments and begins issuing a gurgling mating call.
The ever-funny comic bit of mistaken identities kicks into high gear as there are suddenly three Philias: the real one, Hysterium in his fright-wig and women’s clothes, and Domina, who, in a similar wig, is attempting to snatch back her husband in the guise of the young courtesan. Suddenly everybody is chasing everybody else, mistakenly and hilariously, as the wily Pseudolus keeps the three unsuspecting Philias from confronting each other.
In the end it is discovered that the real Philia and Miles Gloriosus are long-lost brother and sister, the kidnapped children of Erronius. Since they are siblings, Miles Gloriosus voids his contract for Philia, and she is found of sufficient high birth to become Hero’s bride. And, of course, the scheming Pseudolus wins his freedom.
One More Productions is very excited to be able to bring to you such an exhilarating and creative production company. There will be some of the most electrifying performances in the works for you, performances that you will not be able to find anywhere else, but with One More Productions. OMP has assembled the most talented actors, vocalists, dancers, musicians, and technical artists in both the Orange County and Los Angeles areas to bring to you a stellar season. You are invited to become part of the family as they kick off their first musical season, housed at the beautiful Gem Theatre in Garden Grove, just minutes away from the 22 & 55 Freeways. Everyone at One More Productions is grateful for your continued support of their efforts. They look forward to sharing with you a new life in Orange County theatre and a new love for the arts!
at The Gem Theater
on March 25, 26th, and 14 more dates