This is guest director James Brennan’s first trip to Oklahoma, and he has one small criticism: the ground.

“It was overall greener than I expected, but the grass is kind of brown here,” said Brennan, laughing. “It’s also very flat. And the wind really sweeps down the plain. They play [Oklahoma, the state song] a lot here.”

In his element, the Rupel J. Jones Theatre, Brennan seems to be fitting in among Okies quite well, joking with drama professors and technical crew before a rehearsal of his University Theatre musical, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.”

The musical is a farcical retelling of ancient Roman plays written by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart and composed by Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim.

“[OU] really has a capable, talented, amiable student body,” Brennan said about his team of 28 student actors. “And they must be well trained, because their working habits are better than some professional actors.”

As a professional director and actor originating from New Jersey, Brennan has a history with this musical-theatre classic.

“He actually played one of these roles at Music Theatre of Wichita,” said Sophie Menas, musical theatre junior and Tintinabula in the show. Menas later specified that Brennan’s role was Pseudolus, the lead character.

Even the highest amount of professionalism and experience can’t defy acts of nature, however, and Brennan credits the hard work of the student cast and crew with keeping the production on schedule during the snowfall that recently plagued the Norman area.

“We lost a week of rehearsal,” Brennan said. “But when that first big snowfall hit, we were ahead of schedule because the cast was so on top of things.”

Even with the minor setback, Brennan stayed positive.

“The snowstorm merely negated our advantage,” he quipped.

Although Brennan doesn’t hesitate to lay most of the credit for the show’s success on his actors and crew, the cast feels differently.

“When you’re working with him, he has a specific vision, but he still gives you the space to create,” said Carl Culley, musical theater junior. Culley plays Hysterium in the production.

Musical theater junior Nicole Arnone said Brennan is hilarious.

“Honestly, I feel like I spend most of these rehearsals crying, laughing at everything,” said Arnone, musical theatre junior portraying the role of Panacea.

Joking aside, the cast realizes the magnitude of working with professionals like Brennan.

“It’s great to get to perform the type of comedy that we learn in class,” said Alicia Clark, a musical theater junior playing Vibrata. “That’s what we’re going to have to do in the real world.”

“We have a lot of respect for him,” said Menas. “He’s brilliant.”