Ron Orbach stars in, and Bruce K. Sevy directs, the musical comedy by Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart at DCTC's The Stage Theatre, within the DCPA complex. Opening is May 24.

Next season, the two factions of DCPA will also co-produce Irving Berlin's White Christmas together, in the larger Buell Theatre. "These are the first steps in taking the next major leap in our artistic growth — the commissioning, development and production of new musicals," DCPA artistic director Kent Thompson stated. "We want the Denver Center to become known as a national center for the creation of major new American musicals."

Forum will be attended by Denver Center Attractions subscribers and Denver Center Theatre Company patrons.

Broadway veteran Ron Orbach (Broadway's Laughter on the 23rd Floor) makes his Denver Center debut as Pseudolus and is joined by company veterans Mike Hartman as Senex, Kathleen M. Brady as Domina, David Ivers as Hysterium, Philip Pleasants as Erronius and Christine Rowan as Philia. The troupe also includes the Denver Center debuts of Stephen Berger (Broadway's The Pajama Game) as Lycus, Anderson Davis (Broadway's Les Miserables) as Hero, Glenn Lawrence (Beauty and the Beast at Alabama Shakespeare Festival) as Miles Gloriosus, Stephanie Janette Meade (national tour of Chicago) as Tintinabula, Michelle Dyer (Beauty and the Beast on tour), Kolina Janneck (Broadway's 42nd Street) as The Geminae, Elizabeth Clinard (Chicago at Pioneer Theatre Company) as Vibrata, Lauren Pastorek (Carnival! at the Kennedy Center) as Gymnasia, and The Proteans Tim Hausmann (New York Philharmonic concert of My Fair Lady), Terry Lavell (Las Vegas production of Hairspray), Ivory McKay (Dreamgirls at Atlanta Theatre of the Stars) and Mickey Toogood (national tour of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers).

The creative team includes choreographer Gina Cerimele-Mechley, musical director/orchestrator Gregg Coffin, conductor Lee Stametz, set designer Vicki Smith, costume designer Kevin Copenhaver, lighting designer Don Darnutzer and sound designer Craig Breitenbach. The production's flavor has "the whimsical and exaggerated look of theatrical scenery with outrageous costumes that are somewhat risqué, a little naughty, and ridiculously inspired by the classic films 'Barbarella' and 'Hercules.'"

For more information, call (303) 893-4100 or visit www.denvercenter.org.

*

Producing partners for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum are Margot & Allan Frank and Robert & Judi Newman.