by Chloe Hogan – Charleston City Paper

Stephen Sondheim’s musical romp through Rome, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” has desperate lovers, scheming neighbors and secrets behind every toga.

This comedic gem revitalizes the roots of comedy by melding the timeless scenarios of Roman playwright Plautus with the vibrant spirit of vaudeville, said one of the show’s key actors, Maddie Castro. 

The standalone production at Queen Street Playhouse, on stage Aug. 2 – 4, is produced by Linda Eisen, a Charleston-based director and the owner of Coastal Talent agency.

Eisen worked with actor Castro (of local theater company Shortwave Kitsch) to put together an inclusive cast, bringing together professional actors and new performers in one show. The funny play was cast with inclusivity in mind, Castro said, “This is a show that celebrates all genders, races, sexuality, body type and ability.”

It’s supported by the SC Arts commission’s “Arts for All” grant which allowed the production team to gift tickets through community partners — We Are Family, HEART, and the College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance — Castro said, “So those folks can experience live theater and see themselves celebrated and represented on stage.”

But Castro emphasized just because the show is inclusive doesn’t mean it’s amateur.

“We have seasoned professional actors that are on stage and a really talented production team. But Linda really wanted to also include adults from HEART, and to cast this show gender and color blind… Seeing representation on stage was her big drive for doing this, and this is a really great, fun, joyful show for it.” 

The show will offer a full on-stage orchestra, directed by Ryan Pagels, the producer of Charleston Classical Pride, a queer-focused classical music event held for the first time during this year’s Piccolo Spoleto. 

The “Funny Thing” cast also includes older actors, some of whom haven’t been on the stage in a while, Castro added, “Linda’s brought a lot of them out of retirement. A lot of people are excited to see them on stage.”

There’s only 5 chances to catch the show at Queen Street Playhouse this weekend: 7:30 p.m., Aug. 2; 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3; and 3:00 and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4. Find tickets starting at $30 on eventbrite. 

Fo 501c3 organizations working with underserved populations, please reach out to funnythingchs@gmail.com to request complimentary tickets.

Diverse cast takes on “A Funny Thing…”