HUNTINGTON -- Puns, farce, satire and cases of mistaken identity chronicle the telling of Arts Resources for the Tri-State's summer show, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."

Performance times are 8 p.m. June 20, 21, 27 and 28, with dinner beforehand at 6:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. June 22 and 29, preceded by brunch at 12:30 p.m. Evening performances and dinners are $15 each, while matinee shows are $15 and brunch is $12.

Nearly 50 years after it first debuted on Broadway, Sondheim's musical is "gloriously free of serious moments," incorporating action, dialogue, songs and dance to "divert and entertain you," according to director Beth McVey.

"We're pulling out every stop we know," she said. "This is hysterically funny, old, Seinfeld-type comedy."

The show follows a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts to win his freedom by helping his master court the girl next door.

A new addition to the ARTS programming this summer is a cabaret season featuring ARTS' graduating senior performers on Friday, the Backyard Dixie Jazz Stompers on July 19, and Old Friends, a men's singing group from the Ashland area, on July 26. In August, ARTS will host Lame Name Players, an evening of comedy skits. Some of the events will take place in the Renaissance Center's newly renovated ballroom.

"We wanted to be able to offer something for people every weekend, so we're just throwing things up against the wall to see what sticks," McVey said.

ARTS musical director for "Forum," Bruce Rous, said the calendar is a perfect escape-the-weather opportunity.

"Basically, we've created a summer series where you can go pretty much every weekend and see high-quality entertainment, in the air-conditioned comfort of the Renaissance ballroom," he explained.

Show tickets for "Forum" are available at the door. Reservations are required for dinner or brunch. Menus and additional information can be viewed at www.733arts.org. Call the ARTS box office at 304-733-2787 for more details.

The Herald-Dispatch

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