Comedian Sean Cullen is set to play Pseudolus, a Roman slave hoping to find love for his master and freedom for himself, in Stratford's production of the musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. (CBC)Canadian funnyman Sean Cullen is returning to the stage to replace an injured Stratford festival regular in the musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

The Stratford Shakespeare Festival announced Monday that Cullen will step into the role of Pseudolus in the company's current production of the bawdy, ancient Rome-set, award-winning farce by Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart.

Actor Bruce Dow — a Stratford regular whose roles have included the Emcee in Cabaret, Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha and Nicely-Nicely in Guys and Dolls — is withdrawing from the rest of the season after suffering an injury that requires an extended recovery.

Comedian and actor Cullen, who played one of the leads in the Canadian run of The Producers, will take over the role in early September.

"He'll be surrounded by our extraordinarily talented and supportive troupe of players," artistic director Des McAnuff, who is also helming the production, said in a statement from the festival in southwestern Ontario.

"This is a setback but we look forward to [Dow's] return. He is deeply loved by our audiences and will be missed during his recovery," added general director Antoni Cimolino.

Cullen, who rose to fame as a member of comedy troupe Corky and the Juice Pigs, is an author of young adult books, a regular at comedy festivals around the globe also has a host of television credits, include talk show performances, being a finalist on the reality competition Last Comic Standing and his eponymous CBC-TV program.

This year's Stratford Shakespeare Festival continues until Nov. 1.