The Lion's Roar/Kaitlyn Johnson
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” started off the Fall 2015 season
for multiple performances this semester. Starring Benjamin Vollentine as the
comical Roman slave Pseudolus, the play depicts his unorthodox plight to gain his freedom
by setting up his masters’ son, Hero with the lovely Philia.
The university put on the Broadway musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” to the delight of many.
The musical was performed at the Columbia Theatre from Thursday, September 24 to Friday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m.
The story, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” follows the sly, comical slave Pseudolus, played by Benjamin Vollentine, on his quest to free himself by setting up his master, a love-struck Hero, played by Terelle Bibbins, with Hero’s crush, the blonde beauty Philia, portrayed by Randi Gaspard. However, Pseudolus’ plan does not go as desired. The following scenes, which include disguises, blackmail and long-lost children, provided a night full of laughs filling the theater.
The comedic circumstances and sexual innuendos resulted in few dull moments.
Freshman music major Seth Guerra and audience member thoroughly enjoyed his time at the musical.
“My favorite part; I think everybody loved the twist ending,” said Guerra. “That was incredible and cross-dressing is always wonderful, too.”
This was not Guerra’s first play at Columbia Theatre, however.
“I have seen ‘Les Misérables’ last time it was performed here,” said Guerra. “So, this is my second play I have seen here.”
The audience’s positive reaction provided support for those on stage.
“I think it went really well,” said Vollentine. “The energy that we get back from the audience is so necessary for comedy. To do a comedy you really need those laughs, you really need that timing and help from the audience. I think we achieved our goal and the audience loved it, that’s the real goal.”
This was not Vollentine’s first time performing. He has performed in numerous roles, but his role as Pseudolus was a new experience.
“My favorite part about acting in this was being given the opportunity to make people laugh,” said Vollentine. “A lot of the experience I have is not with comic roles. It’s a lot of romantic roles.”
According to Vollentine, his humorous character has taught him to incite laughter in people off the stage as well.
“I find that it’s a lot easier for me to make people laugh outside of this show now,” said Vollentine. “I feel like this show has taught me some natural timing. Now when I’m in conversation with people, I’ll do something that Pseudolus would do and it’s kind of crazy because he is manipulative, but he’s a comic character. His main root drive is to make people laugh and to entertain people, and I feel like I relate to that a lot because I love to make people laugh. I’m the youngest of five. I’ve always been in front of my family dancing and jumping around like a fool in front of a mantle.”
According to Vollentine, his fellow actors did a great job.
“I think everybody did a great job and I am tremendously proud of everyone,” said Vollentine. “I’ve gone from being the young guy in the program to being one of the older people that everyone looks up to and there’s a lot of responsibility in that position. It’s different for me and I really do love it and I’m just really proud of the younger people who haven’t done a show before. I really think they did well and were really awesome.”