A funny thing will happen in Bradford this weekend, when Bradford Little Theatre stages its production of the award-winning musical comedy “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”

Music Theatre International describes the play as a “nonstop laughfest in which Pseudolus, a crafty slave, struggles to win the hand of a beautiful, but slow-witted, courtesan named Philia for his young master, Hero, in exchange for freedom.”

The show is directed by Andrew Dutko, music and theater teacher at Bradford High School, who said he’s most looking forward to making the audience laugh — not a giggle, not a chuckle, not a tee-hee — but full-on, spit-take, hysterical cackling.

“That’s the type of comedy this is — it’s hilarious, fast-paced and jarring,” Dutko said. “There are beautiful moments on stage, the actors are doing great, the orchestra is fabulous, but ultimately what I want to do is just make everyone laugh.

“The writing is so good, so ridiculously over the top and that means the acting has to be just as strong.”

The cast will be led by award-winning theater veteran Paul Nelson of Olean, N.Y., as Pseudolus. It’s a role Nelson had the opportunity to play years ago in a production by Olean Community Theatre.

“Fast forward, the chance to do the same part not quite 20 years later, it gives you a little bit more depth,” Nelson said. “I’m not necessarily discovering everything for the first time like I was in 2004, but discovering some new things and building on others.”

Called “Broadway’s greatest farce,” Nelson said it’s been a good 10 years or so since he took on a role this physical.

“By the time I get through the performance I’ve used every bit of energy I have,” Nelson declared. “That’s the farcical bit, the physical comedy that comes with it. That’s a joy and a challenge in itself.

“People do theater for all kinds of reasons, but this one is purely for entertainment,” Nelson commented. “It’s just there for the audience to enjoy and laugh out loud. It’s not anything you have to dig deep into and think about, it’s not meant to be that at all. It allows the audience to just laugh and step out of everything they’re trying to manage day to day.

“With a show like this the audience has an almost guttural response, it’s an immediate and kind of raw, almost instantaneous feedback that builds the energy you have on stage. When you get that wonderful response from the audience — when you hit the note — it’s energizing.”

The cast ranges in age from 18 to 70 for the upcoming show, which is produced by Tiffany Mager. Some of her other production credits include “Into the Woods,” “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Drinking Habits,” and “Beanstalk!” The actor and producer has also directed the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” Shadow Cast for the last 5 years.

Of the cast, Dutko said, “It’s a real mixed bag of people. We have some pretty good veterans and people I haven’t worked with, to students of mine. They all have their own experience and perspectives I can call on in putting on this show.”

With a book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart, the fast-paced musical will be presented at Bradford Area High School auditorium at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics for the show, a cross between vaudeville and classic comedies.

Dutko explained the show’s plot changes quickly.

“A turn of phrase that causes things to shift, a little costume change, a moment of deception — some circumstance pops up and causes a shift,” he said. “The real challenge is mostly for the actors to make sure they’re keeping everything in line.

“My approach to mapping the show as a director is to break everything down into scenes, the script itself is not broken into scenes. We rehearse it in chunks to help with a little more seamless transition between scenes.

“It takes a while to get there,” he said, adding the cast and crew began working back in early August, “and that’s where we’re at right now.”

Tickets are now on sale for $15 each at the Bradford Little Theatre website, www.bradfordlittletheatre.org, and will also be available at the door.