A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM



Composer: Stephen Sondheim
Lyricist: Stephen Sondheim

Opened: May 8, 1962, Alvin Theatre, N.Y.C.
Performances: 964

Note: Only numbers not found on the original Broadway cast album are noted below.


The Chase (Ken Thorne-arranged instrumental largely based on "Comedy Tonight" and "Everybody Ought To Have A Maid" and used in the film verison):

1. A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, United Artists (S) UAS-5144 (orchestra directed by Ken Thorne) [reissued as CD/Ryco RCD 10727]


The Echo Song (aka "Tell Me" or "Questions") (cut; added to the 1972 Broadway revival; later used in YOU'RE GONNA LOVE TOMORROW):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim)
2. A Stephen Sondheim Evening, RCA Victor (S) CBL2-4745 (Liz Callaway and Steven Jacob with musical direction by Paul Gemignani) [reissued as CD/RCA Victor 09026-61171-2]


Farewell (written for the 1972 Broadway revival):

1. Simply Sondheim: A 75th Birthday Salute, CD/Kritzerland KR 20010-8 (Shay Oglesby-Smith with Steve Rhyne and Kim Larsen with musical direction by Daniel Lockert)


Forget War (cut):

1. Sondheim On Sondheim, CD/PS Classics PS-1093 (Tom Wopat, Matthew Scott, Euan Morton, and Norm Lewis with musical direction by David Loud)


Free (original first version) (unused):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim)


The Gaggle Of Geese (Hornpipe) (cut):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim)


The House Of Marcus Lycus (song version) (cut and retained as dance music only; added to the 1996 Broadway revival; also used in YOU'RE GONNA LOVE TOMORROW):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim)
2. A Stephen Sondheim Evening, RCA Victor (S) CBL2-4745 (George Hearn, Bob Gunton, Liz Callaway, Victoria Mallory, and Judy Kaye with musical direction by Paul Gemignani) [reissued as CD/RCA Victor 09026-61171-2]
3. A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, CD/Angel 52223 (Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, and Girls with orchestra conducted by Edward Strauss)


I Do Like You (cut; later used in MARRY ME A LITTLE):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim)
2. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim, piano only)
3. Commercial Demo, Private LP (M) MB-250 (Rose Marie Jun and Bernie Knee)
4. My Kind Of Broadway, Columbia (S) CS-9157 (Woody Herman and his Swinging Herd) [reissued as CD/Wounded Bird 9157]
5. Sondheim, Book Of The Month Club (S) 85-7515 (Bob Gunton and Timothy Nolen with Tommy Fay, piano; Ken Fricker, bass; and Hank Jaramillo, drums) [reissued as CD/Book Of The Month Records 11-7517]
6. A Different Side Of Sondheim, CD/DRG 5182 (Richard Rodney Bennett)
7. A Stephen Sondheim Collection, CD/STET CDS 25102 (Jackie Cain & Roy Kral)
8. Julie Wilson Sings The Stephen Sondheim Songbook, CD/DRG CDSL 5206 (Julie Wilson and William Roy)
9. Moving On, CD/Goldcrest GFI001CD (Angela Richards and Geoffrey Abbott with musical direction by David Laugharne)


Invocation (aka "Prologue") (cut; later used in a modified form as part of "Invocation And Instruction To The Audience" in THE FROGS; also used in YOU'RE GONNA LOVE TOMORROW):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim) [reissued on Sondheim Sings Vol. 1: 1962-1972, CD/PS Classics PS-9529]
2. A Stephen Sondheim Evening, RCA Victor (S) CBL2-4745 (Bob Gunton with Liz Callaway, Cris Groenendaal, George Hearn, Steven Jacob, Judy Kaye, and Victoria Mallory with musical direction by Paul Gemignani) [reissued as CD/RCA Victor 09026-61171-2] ("Invocation And Instructions To The Audience")
3. Sondheim: A Celebration, CD/Varese Sarabande VSD2-5820 (Jane Carr & Roger Rees with orchestra conducted by Peter Matz) ("Invocation And Instructions To The Audience")
4. Putting It Together, CD/RCA Victor 09026-61729-2 (Christopher Durang with musical direction by Scott Frankel) ("Invocation And Instructions To The Audience")
5. The Frogs, CD/PS Classics PS-525 (Nathan Lane, Roger Bart, and Chorus with music conducted by Paul Gemignani) ("Invocation And Instructions To The Audience")
6. The Frogs/Evening Primrose, CD/Nonesuch 79638-2 (Nathan Lane, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Chorus with music directed by Paul Gemignani) ("Invocation And Instructions To The Audience")
7. Sondheim On Sondheim, CD/PS Classics PS-1093 (Tom Wopat, Matthew Scott, Erin Mackey, Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Leslie Kritzer, Euan Morton, and Norm Lewis with musical direction by David Loud)
8. By Side By Side By Side By Side By Stephen Sondheim, CD/Kritzerland KR 20021-8 (Ronobir Lahiri with muiscal direction by Gerald Sternbach)


Love Is In The Air (aka "Love Is Going Around") (cut; music retained as underscoring; later used in SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM and in the film THE BIRDCAGE):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim) [reissued on Sondheim Sings Vol. 1: 1962-1972, CD/PS Classics PS-9529]
2. Commercial Demo, Private LP (M) MB-250 (Rose Marie Jun and Bernie Knee)
3. 45/Groove 58-0002 (Marty Paich with Carol and Cathy)
4. Live At The Commander Boardwalk Cabaret, No label NR11810 (Dawn Cullen, Shelly Hearn, Cindy King, Becky Koborie, Horton Barron, Bob Burns, Bob Timmons, Gary Weber)
5. Sondheim: A Musical Tribute, Warner Bros. (S) 2WS-2705 (Larry Blyden and Susan Browning with musical direction by Paul Gemignani) [reissued as CD/RCA Victor 60515-2-RC]
6. Side By Side By Sondheim, RCA Victor (S) CBL2-1851 (Millicent Martin, Julia McKenzie, and David Kernan with Stuart Pedlar and Tim Higgs, pianos) [reissued as CD/RCA Victor 1851-2-RG]
7. Side By Side By Sondheim, RCA (S) VRL2 0156 (Jill Perryman, Bartholomew John, and Geraldene Morrow with Dale Ringlands & Michael Elwood, pianos)
8. Songs Of Sondheim, RAM (M) RMLP 1026 (Tony Kenny, Loreto O’Connor, Gay Byrne, Denis O’Sullivan, Gemma Craven, and Jim Doherty with Denis O'Sullivan and Jim Doherty, pianos)
9. Side By Side By Sondheim ("Lado A Lado Com Sondheim"), CD/Axion (Claudio Botelho, Ester Elias, Ivana Domenico, Marya Bravo, and Sabrina Korgut with André Kacowicz and Zaida Valentim, pianos)
10. The Birdcage, CD/United Artists 0029782EDL (Christine Baranski and Robin Williams)
11. A Stephen Sondheim Collection, CD/STET CDS 25102 (Jackie Cain & Roy Kral)
12. Simply Sondheim: A 75th Birthday Salute, CD/Kritzerland KR 20010-8 (Kim Larsen and Shay Oglesby-Smith with musical direction by Daniel Lockert)
13. Sondheim On Sondheim, CD/PS Classics PS-1093 Erin Mackey, Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, and Leslie Kritzer with musical direction by David Loud)
14. Lado A Lado Com Sondheim, CD/Axion (Claudio Botelho, Ester Elias, Ivana Domenico, Marya Bravo, and Sabrina Korgut with musical direction by Andre Luis Goes)
15. Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim From The Piano, CD/ECM 2470-72 (David Shire, piano)
16. Subject To Change!, CD/Harbinger HCD 3203 (Sylvia McNair with musical direction by Ted Taylor)


Miles Gloriosus (aka "Miles Gloriosus Entrance") (cut; a portion is reused in "There's Something About A War" and as the introduction to "Bring Me My Bride"):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim)
2. Düsenantrieb, CD/Brambus 1993482 (Twice A Week) (unverified)


There's Something About A War (cut; the beginning portion is retained as the introduction to "Bring Me My Bride"; later used in YOU'RE GONNA LOVE TOMORROW):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim) [reissued on Stephen Sondheim: The Story So Far, CD/Sony Masterworks *****]
2. A Stephen Sondheim Evening, RCA Victor (S) CBL2-4745 (Cris Groenendaal with Bob Gunton, George Hearn, and Steven Jacob with musical direction by Paul Gemignani) [reissued as CD/RCA Victor 09026-61171-2]


The Window Across The Way (cut):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim)
2. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim, piano only)
3. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim, piano only) (second instrumental rendition)
4. Stepping out of a Dream, CD/Andrew Distel (Andrew Distel) (unverified)


Your Eyes Are Blue (aka "Once Upon A Time" or "Love Story") (cut; later used in MARRY ME A LITTLE):

1. Composer Demo (Stephen Sondheim)
2. Commercial Demo, Private LP (M) MB-250 (Rose Marie Jun and Bernie Knee)
3. Sondheim: A Musical Tribute, Warner Bros. (S) 2WS-2705 (Harvey Evans and Pamela Hall with musical direction by Paul Gemignani) [reissued as CD/RCA Victor 60515-2-RC]
4. Marry Me A Little, RCA Victor (S) ABL1-4159 (Suzanne Henry and Craig Lucas with musical direction by E. Martin Perry) [reissued as CD/RCA Victor 7142-2-RG]
5. A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum In Jazz, CD/Varese Sarabande VSD-5707 (Terry Trotter Trio)
6. Boys And Girls Like You And Me, CD/Bayview Records RNBW007 (Sally Mayes and Brent Barrett with musical direction by Dick Gallagher)
7. Marry Me A Little, CD/Ghostlight 8-4474 (Jason Tam and Lauren Molina with musical direction by John Bell)


Unrecorded Songs:

Chase (exists in sketch form only)
Happy Ending (exists in sketch form only)
Overture (original unused version)
Take The Acorn (exists in sketch form only)
What Do You Do With A Woman? (incomplete)