A number of adjectives could be applied to a 1960s pseudo-Roman farce crammed with slaves, eunuchs and whores.

But Sue Johnson, director of the Stage Coach Players‘ production of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” says that the show is just plain fun.

“Most musicals have some kind of moral to the story or some kind of theme and this is just fun, and laughter, and chase scenes and identity mix-ups,” Johnson said. “It’s just very cute.”

The show follows the Roman slave Pseudolus (played by Ryan Morton of Yorkville), whose archetypal scheming is excused by his strive for freedom.

His master Hero (played by Aaron Moorman of Oswego) has promised Pseudolous his freedom in exchange for help with his love interest, Philia (played by Sheryl Bragg of Hinckley). As a result, the slave lies, cheats and steals with a moral pretext. Meanwhile, the character has a metafictional quality as he frequently addresses the audience as the leader of his theatrical troupe.

“It’s a show within a show and so Pseudolous, when he’s off-stage, is kind of running the troupe and even when he’s on-stage he’s directing the action,” said Morton, who appeared in the Stage Coach Players’ production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” “As a character, Pseudolous is one of the slaves of the main family, but he really wants his freedom more than anything so throughout the course of the show he has to keep lying and scheming to get his freedom.”

This “show within a show” quality is intriguing because each show exists in such a distinct era. “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” was co-written by Larry Gelbart, best known for his work on TV’s M.A.S.H., in the beginning of the 1960s about ancient Rome. Therefore, while the plot line relies on before-common-era practices, it is presented through the lens of cheery vaudeville; actors wear both wreaths and bowler hats. Johnson took advantage of this anachronism in designing the set.

“I knew that I wanted it to be very colorful, almost cartoony, which wouldn’t have been the norm in 200 BC,” said Johnson. “I knew I wanted really bright gaudy colors.”

Though the show can be seen as raunchy, as the male characters are often ogling women in burlesque costumes and making sexual puns, Johnson and Morton said that they think the adult humor will go over the heads of any kid in attendance.

“There is certainly adult humor in it,” said Morton. “There are lines that adults will get differently than kids will. There are sex jokes, but it’s a funny enough show that my little sister, ten years old, is invited to the show. Its not so raunchy that I don’t think kids can enjoy something in it.”