The Muny’s is presenting A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, July 5-11. The Muny is located at 1 Theatre Dr, St. Louis, MO 63112. Click here to purchase tickets.
The cast features Peter Scolari as Pseudolus, John Tartaglia as Hysterium, Ali Ewoldt as Philia, Mark Linn-Baker as Senex, E. Faye Butler as Domina, Jason Kravits as Lycus, MarRick Smith as Hero, Nathaniel Hackmann as Miles Gloriosus, Whit Reichert as Erronius and Marcus Choi, Justin Keyes and Tommy Scrivens as Proteans. Justina Aveyard, Molly Callinan, Emily Hsu, Khori Michelle Petinaud, Katelyn Prominski and Lainie Sakakura round out the comedic ensemble.
Helmed by Gary Griffin, with choreography by Alex Sanchez and music direction by Brad Haak, Forum’s design team includes scenic design by Timothy R. Mackabee, costume design by Mara Blumenfeld, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, wig design by John Metzner, with production stage manager Cody Renard Richard.
Considered one of Broadway’s greatest farces, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum follows Pseudolus, a crafty slave, as he aids his master in winning the hand of Philia, a slow-witted, but sweet courtesan, in exchange for his freedom. This musical romp through Rome includes scheming neighbors, secrets behind every toga and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. This is one Muny spectacle guaranteed to make even the Greek gods keel over with laughter.
Broadway/NY: Bronx Bombers, Wicked, Lucky Guy, Hairspray, Sly Fox, Magic Bird, Out of this World, Ziegfeld Follies of 1937 (Encores!), World premieres of A.R. Gurney’s Family Furniture at The Flea, Daniel Sullivan’s Inspecting Carol, Ken Ludwig’s Fox on The Fairway(George Street Playhouse). Winner Best Actor, Berkshire Theater Festival for The Foreigner. Music Man at Ogunquit Playhouse, Forum at Bay Street Theater. TV: Film Critic’s Award nomination, and 2016 Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actor for Girls (HBO), Gotham, Odd Mom Out, Madoff (ABC Films), Newhart (Three-time Emmy nominee), Bosom Buddies, The West Wing, ER, Family Ties, White Collar, King of Queens, Reba, Ally McBeal, Earth to the Moon (HBO), Stop the World (Showtime). Film: That Thing You Do, Polar Express, Suburban Girl, Camp Nowhere, The Ryan White Story.’
Broadway: Avenue Q (Tony nomination), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Shrek the Musical. John created, executive produced and starred in his own preschool series Johnny and the Sprites for Disney Junior (8 Emmy nominations) and performed on Sesame Street(PBS Kids) for 13 seasons. As a director: The Wizard of Oz, Tarzan and Shrek (The Muny), Dinosaur Train Live and Sid the Science Kid Live (national tours), Claudio Quest (NY Musical Festival, Best of the Fest), Lord Tom (York Theatre), Shrek the Halls (DreamWorks Theatricals), Because of Winn Dixie (Arkansas Repertory), amongst others. Current projects include playing Kip on Jim Henson’s Word Party and Hank on Julie’s Greenroom, as well as creator, co-executive producer and star (Splash) of Jim Henson’s Splash and Bubbles (PBS Kids). www.johntartagliaproductions.com
Broadway: On the 20th Century, You Can’t Take It With You, Relatively Speaking, Losing Louie, A Year with Frog and Toad (Toad), A Funny Thing Happened… (Hysterium), Laughter On The 23rd Floor, Face Value, Doonesbury. NY City Center Encores!: The Pajama Game. NY Shakespeare Festival: All’s Well That Ends Well, Othello, The Death of Von Richthofen…, The Laundry Hour, Alice In Concert. OffBroadway: Almost An Evening, Chesapeake (Drama Desk and OCC nominations), A Flea In Her Ear, The Miss Firecracker Contest. Film: Manhattan, My Favorite Year, Noises Off, How Do You Know. TV: Perfect Strangers, Showtime’s Laughter on the 23rd Floor, Bluebloods, The Good Fight, The Good Wife, Law & Order, Law & Order: CI, Miami Vice, Moonlighting and others. Mr. Linn Baker is a co-founder/co-director of New York Stage and Film.
Jason Kravits is so pleased to be invited back to The Muny, where he played Bert Barry in last season’s 42nd Street. Broadway credits include The Drowsy Chaperone, Sly Fox and Relatively Speaking (an evening of one acts by Ethan Coen, Elaine May and Woody Allen). Recent NY: Hector in The Golden Apple (City Center Encores!). TV: ADA Richard Bay on ABC’s The Practice. Other credits include: Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Mick, Major Crimes, Madam Secretary, The Blacklist, Madoff, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Smash, Masters of Sex, Everybody Loves Raymond and the upcoming Disjointed. Creator/performer of “Off the Top!” – a solo, completely improvised cabaret, which heads to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival August. www.offthetop.nyc
National and regional credits: St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Court Theatre, Steppenwolf, Goodman Theatre, Martinique Drury Lane, Drury Lane Oakbrook, Northlight Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Congo Square, Paramount Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Maine State Music Theatre, Olney Theatre Center, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Marriott’s Lincolnshire Theatre, Victory Gardens Theater, Arena Stage, Baltimore’s Center Stage, Signature Theatre, Dallas Theater Center, Pasadena Playhouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Broadway Playhouse, Harmon Hall. National and regional tours: Mamma Mia!, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Nunsense, Nunsense II, Dinah Was, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope. Six Joseph Jefferson Awards, two Helen Hayes Awards, four Black Theater Alliance Awards, RAMI Award, John Barrymore Award, Excellence In The Arts Award, After Dark Award, Ovation Award, Kathryn V. Lampkey Award, Sarah Siddons Leading Lady Award, Black Excellence Award, Guy Adkins Award, 2016 Rosetta LeNoire Award, Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship, National Museum of Women in the Arts inductee. E.Faye has a CD entitled A Circle of Firsts and performs across the country in concert, cabaret, club and theatre venues with her orchestra, EFO. Coming Up: The Taming of the Shrew (Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). Proud AEA Member. Follow her @ www.e-fayebutler.com.
Ali Ewoldt played Maria in The Muny’s 2013 production of West Side Story and is thrilled to return to St. Louis! She is currently playing Christine in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Other credits include: Les Misérables (Cosette, Broadway revival), The King and I (Lincoln Center, Broadway revival), West Side Story (Maria, Broadway revival 1st national tour). Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks (Luisa). Other credits include: Lyric Opera of Chicago’s The King and I (Tuptim), McCarter Theatre’s A Christmas Carol (Fan/Mrs. Bonds) and concerts at Feinstein’s/54 Below, Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall and The Town Hall. TV/Film: The Michael J. Fox Show, Yield and Drama: The Web Series. Ali has a B.A. in psychology from Yale University. www.aliewoldt.com
Marrick Smith is thrilled to be back at The Muny. Broadway: Fun Home (Roy u/s) Off-Broadway: Wild Goose Dreams (Public Theater), Pretty Filthy (Civilians), The Underclassman (The Duke), Revolution (Minetta Lane), Fun Home (Public Theater). Regional: Fiddler on the Roof (The Muny). Film: The Lennon Report, One Stop Away, Uncovering Eden. Workshops: Teeth, Alice by Heart, Love’s Labour’s Lost. Playwright: Behind the Badge (NYC Fringe) Big thanks to The Fam, KMR and Wright Entertainment. @Marricksmith
Nathaniel Hackmann is thrilled to be coming back to the Gateway City and the historic Muny stage! He most recently played Gaston in Beauty and the Beast at The Muny and Variety Children’s Theatre, as well as on the national tour. Broadway/NY/tours: Les Misérables (Valjean, Javert u/s), Paint Your Wagon (Steve). Regional: Jekyll & Hyde (Jekyll/Hyde) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Adam), Oliver! (Bill Sykes), Sweeney Todd (Anthony), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Miles), Carousel (Billy), Ragtime (Tateh), Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf), Camelot (Lancelot), Sanders Family Christmas (Stanley), Bye Bye Birdie (Conrad). Proud member AEA. Twitter: @super_n8. Instagram: N8HACKMANN
Whit Reichert is delighted to return to The Muny, where he was last seen in Footloose (Cop and Cowboy Bob’s Quartet). Other Muny shows include Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Oscar) and South Pacific(Stewpot). Earlier this year, Whit appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird (Judge Taylor) at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and The Winter’s Tale (Old Shepherd) at The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis. A familiar face to St. Louis, he has been seen at Stages, The Black Rep, Variety Children’s Theatre, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis, The Actor’s Studio, Upstream Theater, 27 shows at The Rep and a new show this fall at Insight Theatre Company. Regionally, Whit has appeared in Anything Goes (Moonface Martin, Kansas City Starlight Theatre); Here’s Love (Kris Kringle, Fireside Theatre); Inherit the Wind, The Crucibleand Most Happy Fella for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; The Fantasticks (Hucklebee, Riverside Theatre); world premiere of Monk-y Business (Abbot Costello, Grand 1894 Opera House); The Music Man (Mayor Shinn, Casa Manana); 1776 (Ben Franklin), Sunshine Boys(Al Lewis), Sugar (Osgood Fielding) and Harvey (Dr. Chumley) for Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre.
Original Broadway companies of Allegiance, Wicked, Flower Drum Song and The Times They Are A-Changin’. Also, Christina Applegate’s Broadway production of Sweet Charity and NY City Center Encores! production of Kismet. Regional: Mysterious Skin, Pippin at East West Players, Dangerous Beauty and the US premiere of Waterfall at Pasadena Playhouse. TV: Homeland, Chicago P.D., Blindspot, The OA, The Last Ship, The Fosters, Jessie. Film: Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Sharknado, Enchanted, Adopting Terror, The Novack Murders and Project Drew. Please visit Marcus at marcuschoi.net.
Broadway: How To Succeed…, The Apple Tree, Mary Poppins; National tour: The 25th Annual Putman County Spelling Bee; Regional: Resident Ensemble Players, The Guthrie, Two River Theater Company, San Francisco Symphony, Dallas Theater Center, Kansas City Starlight, Great Lakes Theater Festival, The Muny, Pittsburgh CLO. TV: Power, I Love You, But I Lied, Gossip Girl. Justin is a graduate of the University of Michigan.
Tommy Scrivens is excited to be back at The Muny. Previous productions were Aladdin and Mary Poppins(Dance Captain). Off Broadway: Where’s Charley? and Fiorello! (NY City Center Encores!) The Little Mermaid (Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Dance Captain) and American Dance Machine for the 21st Century (Dance Captain). Tommy has also been a principal dancer with Parsons Dance, dre.dance, Kristin Sudekis Dance, Nicholas Andre Dance and marInspired. Most recently, he has been archiving the works of the late Bob Fosse with the Verdon Fosse Legacy LLC. He is a Florida native and received a BFA in dance from Ohio State University. Proud AEA member since 2011.
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