The oldest student-run organization will resume action once again this year, as the Penn State Thespians prepare for their upcoming season.

Their main stage production this semester is A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, music by Stephen Sondheim.

The story revolves around a wily slave and clown, Pseudolus, who attempts to win his freedom from his kindly master, Hero, through the most unlikely of schemes.

"Forum was last produced by the Thespians during our 1977-78 season. We have been trying to get the rights to do this show again for the last several years, and we finally succeeded this year," said Bill Schwab, president of Penn State Thespians.

The Thespians tend to choose a better known musical in the fall and something less popular for the spring musical, said Schwab (senior-accounting and international business).

The Thespians have already selected their spring show, Quilt: A Musical Celebration.

Dates for this show are yet to be determined.

"Forum fits the bill for our fall musical perfectly. It is well known and enjoyed by audiences' young and old alike," Schwab said.

"Our membership is very excited about working on this show."

Music Theatre International calls Forum a "broad comedy with burlesque humor and clever vaudeville-inspired numbers."

Adrienne Maitland, director of Forum said, "It's a comedy, and where serious and dramatic acting isn't as pertinent, all the performers will need to adapt to playing comedic parts without making them cheesy or becoming caricatures of themselves."

"That is a challenge for any performer," she said.

Maitland (senior-theatre) says she expects to have a lot of fun with this production but also expects a lot of work from both the actors and the production staff.

"Every show has its complications, so I'm not expecting things to run totally smoothly, but I'm hoping for a cooperative cast and I already have a production team that seems to communicate very well," she said.

"I think those two variables are what will make this production work," Maitland said.

Auditions will be held for Forum on Sept. 25 and 26.

The curtain will go up on Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. and the show will run again at 2 and 8 p.m. on Nov. 11.

The Thespians are also involved in producing several other programs.

They will open the season in September with "Synergy — The Penn State Talent Show."

The Thespians co-sponsor this event with The Penn State Alumni Association, The Office of Unions and Student Activities and The Penn State Bookstore. "Synergy" will take place at 8 p.m. on Sept. 23 in Schwab Auditorium.

They will also be producing two children's shows during the upcoming year. These shows are performed in the Kern Graduate Building and are free of charge to children and their families from the surrounding area.