NRACT's  Forum  Is  Two  Hours  of  Nonstop  Laughter

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre stars (from left) Alec Donaldson as Marcus
Lycus, Gregory Toft as Hysterium, Natasha Gore as Senex, and Jed Dixon as Pseudolus (photo by Lyle Turner, Turner Photography Inc.)

I had the good fortune of being invited to North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre's Thursday-night preview of the world-class musical comedy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. (Fortunate, I say, because my weekend was fully booked; and it has been a few decades since I last saw a production of this show.) The Verdict: Director Judy Long should be proud of this production. Although a "preview" is technically a "rehearsal," I was able to detect no problems or errors.

The Musical:

Forum's original 1962 Broadway production won several Tony Awards®, including Best Musical; and it had revivals in 1972 and 1996. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, Forum also had a successful 1963 run (and 1986 revival) in London's West End. AND: it was adapted for a 1966 musical comedy film (directed by Richard Lester).

Patterned after ancient Roman comedies by the likes of Plautus and Terence, Forum is a comedic feast of puns, mistaken identity, disguises, satirical commentary, and farcical sight-gags -- all taking place in the traditional three-house neighborhood.

Dominic MacAulay stars as Miles Gloriosus at NRACT (photo by Lyle Turner, Turner Photography Inc.)

The Cast:

Crucial to any production of this play is the role of Pseudolus, "the lyingest, cheatingest, sloppiest slave in all of Rome," who goes to great comedic lengths to earn his freedom. NRACT scores a slam-dunk with Jed Dixon. Dixon nails the physicality and the facial expressions; he has the right voice; and (most importantly) his sense of timing is impeccable. Additionally, Dixon's Pseudolus "plays well with others," supporting the other characters in "their scenes" without ever "stealing the scene."

Pseudolus is "owned" by Senex (Natasha Gore) and Domina (Cassie Ford), a middle-aged couple with problems. As their names suggest, Senex is an old man, and Domina is a dominating lady. Gore and Ford are well-matched in these roles.

Senex and Domina have a "head slave" named Hysterium (Gregory Toft) who, as his name suggests, is prone to becoming hysterical when the chips are down. Toft plays this well.

How does Pseudolus hope to earn his freedom? Senex and Domina have a son, Hero (Joshua Faggion) who has fallen in love with Philia (Krystin Wingfield); and Pseudolus offers to help bring them together.

Problem Number One: Philia "belongs" to Marcus Lycus (Alec Donaldson), who operates the brothel next door to Domina and Senex; and she has been "sold" to Miles Gloriosus (Dominic MacAulay), a self-important braggart soldier who is due to arrive in town at any moment.

Problem Number Two: Hero's parents are not okay with Hero getting involved with the girl next door.

Pseudolus runs to the rescue! (And comedy ensues.)

North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre's Oct. 28-Nov. 13 production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
stars Krystin Wingfield and Joshua Faggion as Philia and Hero (photo by Lyle Turner, Turner Photography Inc.)

Joshua Faggion's "out-Romeos Romeo" as he whines and pines after Philia. Krystin Wingfield's Philia (whose name suggests love but is actually Latin for addiction) is the picture of purity and innocence. Wingfield and Faggion have a smooth chemistry, and they play together well.

Alec Donaldson's portrayal of Marcus Lycus is spot-on, as is Dominic MacAulay's of Miles Gloriosus.

And let's not forget Erronius (Alison Lawrence), who lives in the third house of the three-house set. All I have to say is this: If NRACT offers an award of Best Actor in a Cameo Role, Lawrence is a shoo-in.

The show has an "ensemble" consisting of Kevin Aponte, Devin Lackey, Taylor Hamlet, Hannah Hedrick, Shannon Helton, Justin Jones, Nunna Noe, Bridget Patterson, Lisa Pfuhl, Nicky Taylor, and Rachel Walter. Even though I am unable to discern the "who's who," here's what I do know:

A trio of "Proteans" function as Pseudolus' "helpers" as he tells the story; they morph nicely into multiple roles.

The others are "merchandise" at Marcus Lycus' brothel. They "strut their stuff" with aplomb -- singing, dancing, gyrating, etc. And, yes, they all pass visual inspection.

Alec Donaldson (left) and Jed Dixon star as Marcus Lycus and Pseudolus in A Funny Thing
Happened on the Way to the Forum (photo by Lyle Turner, Turner Photography Inc.)

The Tech:

In the absence of a program on preview night, I cannot credit designers, so let it suffice to say that choreography, costumes, set, sound, and lighting are all on point.

The Bottom Line:

If you are looking for two hours of nonstop laughter, this show is for you. And don't be surprised if you leave the theater singing:

Something familiar
Something peculiar
Something for everyone -- a comedy tonight!
Something appealing
Something appalling
Something for everyone -- a comedy tonight!

North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre will stage A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, with
music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, on Oct. 28-Nov. 13

Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove, and Larry Gelbart's A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (In Person at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4-6 and 11-13), directed by Judy Long, with music direction by Mary Kathryn Walston, and starring Jed Dixon as Pseudolus, Krystin Wingfield as Philia, Joshua Faggion as Hero, Natasha Gore as Senex, Cassie Ford as Domina, Gregory Toft as Hysterium, Dominic MacAulay as Miles Gloriosus, Alec Donaldson as Marcus Lycus, and Alison Lawrence as Erronius, plus an Ensemble that includes Kevin Aponte, Devin Lackey, Taylor Hamlet, Hannah Hedrick, Shannon Helton, Justin Jones, Nunna Noe, Bridget Patterson, Lisa Pfuhl, Nicky Taylor, and Rachel Walter (North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre in Raleigh). TRAILERS: https://www.facebook.com/NRACT/videos. 2022 SEASON: http://www.nract.org/shows. THE PRESENTER/VENUE: https://www.nract.org/, http://www.facebook.com/NRACT, http://instagram.com/nract_raleigh, https://twitter.com/NRACT_raleigh, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2ifc8evvO-kGDgGFXq3Fww. DIRECTIONS: https://www.google.com/maps/. ACCESSIBILITY: https://www.nract.org/accessibility. COVID REQUIREMENTS: http://www.nract.org/news-events. THE MUSICAL: http://www.sondheimguide.com/forum.html, https://www.mtishows.com/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-forum, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-forum-1102, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060438/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Funny_Thing_Happened_on_the_Way_to_the_Forum. THE SCRIPT (excerpts): https://books.google.com/books. STEPHEN SONDHEIM: https://www.sondheimsociety.com/, http://www.sondheimguide.com/, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/stephen-sondheim-12430, http://www.iobdb.com/CreditableEntity/2008, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0814227/, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Stephen-Sondheim, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Sondheim. BURT SHEVELOVE: https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/burt-shevelove-4626, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0792938/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Shevelove. LARRY GELBART: https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/larry-gelbart-7147, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312205/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Gelbart. TICKETS: $22 ($20 students and teachers, seniors, and active-duty military personnel), plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets. INFORMATION: 919-866-0228 or ops@nract.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre.

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