At Mansfield鈥檚 Renaissance Theatre, the current production of 鈥淎 Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum鈥� stars a man who might also be called 鈥淭he Pied Piper.鈥�
For the past several years, 鈥淢ean Girls鈥� and 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥� actor-composer Jeff Richmond, a Garrettsville native and Kent State alum, has . It鈥檚 a connection that began with his friend and the theater鈥檚 artistic director, Michael Thomas.
"We met in Chicago and both worked at Child's Play [Touring] Theater and then worked at Second City," Richmond said. "He's from New London, and, a couple of years ago, he was [trying] to get a guest artist to come in for 'Hello, Dolly.'鈥�
Thomas landed Broadway performer Jennifer Simard, who insisted on Richmond joining her in Mansfield. And, he鈥檚 been coming back since then for more collaborations.
This year Richmond invited John Lutz (鈥�30 Rock,鈥� 鈥淟ate Night with Seth Meyers鈥�), Kyle Selig (鈥淢ean Girls鈥�) and Brian Stepanek (鈥淭he Suite Life of Zack & Cody鈥�) for two weekends of shows.
Stepanek, driving to his home near Cleveland, had one overriding thought when asked about playing Hysterium in the Mansfield production.
鈥淚'm in a snowstorm!鈥� Stepanek said.
He was previously here in 鈥淭he Producers鈥� and jumped at the chance to return alongside fellow Second City alumni.
鈥淚 mean, just the fact that Jeff asked me to do it was exciting,鈥� Lutz said. 鈥淎nd then I found out Brian was doing it and said, 鈥業'll still think about it.鈥欌��
鈥淲ith the exception of John's performance, it's really top notch,鈥� Stepanek fired back.
Plenty of that improv energy finds its way to the Renaissance stage, weaving its way around the Grammy-winning songs by Stephen Sondheim and the Tony-winning book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart.
鈥淚t really does keep you on your toes,鈥� Selig said. 鈥淎ll of my scenes, essentially, are with Jeff or John. And there tends to be a lot of made up things. I just kind of do my best and try not to drown. Somebody sneezed in the middle of one of Jeff's monologues, and he said, 鈥楤less you鈥� and then went back into the scene.鈥�
When a piece of the set accidentally fell off opening night, Stepanek worked with it, and now it is in the show on purpose.
Selig was in his early 20s when he toured with 鈥淭he Book of Mormon,鈥� but this is his first time performing in Northeast Ohio. For Lutz, it鈥檚 his first time in Mansfield.
鈥淚 grew up in Michigan and went to school at Valparaiso, Indiana, and then lived in Chicago," he said. "I'm a very Midwestern kind of guy. My Ohio roots are basically going to Cedar Point and then going back to Michigan. But coming here ... it feels right for me. Somebody at the coffee shop this morning just walked past me and went, '30 Rock!'"
The classic sitcom was created by Richmond鈥檚 wife, Tina Fey, which might explain why he chose 鈥淔orum鈥� for the Renaissance.
鈥淚 think I'm attracted to it because the book is so funny,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd the book is so funny because it's written by TV comedy writers.鈥�
Richmond plays Pseudolus, a scheming, bawdy slave attempting to win his freedom. The original Broadway production featured Zero Mostel, then 47, in the role. Phil Silvers was 61 when he starred in the 1972 revival.
鈥淚 was turning 65 this year,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted to do that role one more time. If I don't do it now, I'll never be able to do it.鈥�
The cast is backed by a 24-piece orchestra, which created another interesting connection for Richmond.
鈥淛ohn English 鈥� he's playing first trumpet in this huge orchestra,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e played first trumpet at KSU in 1983 for this show, when I was in it.鈥�
The cast and orchestra take the stage again Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
