Inspired by the farces of the
ancient Roman playwright Plautus (251–183 BC), this is
the bawdy story of a slave named Pseudolus and his attempts
to win his freedom by helping his young master woo the girl
next door. The plot displays many classic elements of farce,
including puns, the slamming of doors, cases of mistaken
identity (frequently involving characters disguising
themselves as one another), and satirical comments on social
class. The title derives from the line that vaudeville
comedians often used to begin a story: "A funny thing
happened on the way to the theater". The musical's original
1962 Broadway run won several Tony Awards, including Best
Musical and Best Book.