Merrily We Roll Along is a 1981 American musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth. It is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The 1981 musical flopped, but this new incarnation of the play appeals to audiences and critics.
The show tells the story of how three friends’ lives and friendship change over the course of 20 years. The plot focuses on Franklin Shepard, a talented composer of musicals who, over those 20 years, abandons his friends–Charlie Kringas, Shepard’s lyricist, and novelist Mary Flynn–and songwriting career to become a producer of Hollywood movies. Like the play on which it is based, the show’s story moves in reverse chronology, beginning in 1976 at the friends’ lowest moment and ending in 1957, at their youthful best.
Part of the success of this latest version of Merrily We Roll Along may be due to the cast. Franklin Shepard is played by Jonathan Groff (aka, King George in Hamilton), Charlie Kringes is played by Daniel Radcliffe (aka, Harry Potter), and Mary Flynn is played by Lindsay Mendez (she won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Carrie Pipperidge in a Broadway revival of Carousel).
I enjoyed Merrily We Roll Along but when I left the theater, I wasn’t humming any of the songs. GRADE: B
MUSICAL NUMBERS:
| Act I Overture – Orchestra “Merrily We Roll Along” – Company “That Frank” – Franklin Shepard, Mary Flynn and Guests “First Transition” – Company “Old Friends” (Part I) – Mary and Charley Kringas “Like It Was” – Mary “Franklin Shepard, Inc. ” – Charley “Second Transition” – Company “Old Friends” (Part II) – Mary, Franklin and Charley “Growing Up” – Franklin and Gussie “Third Transition” – Company “Not a Day Goes By” – Beth “Now You Know” – Mary and Company | Act II Entr’acte – Orchestra “Act Two Opening” – Gussie “It’s a Hit” – Franklin, Charley, Mary, Joe and Beth “Fourth Transition” – Company “The Blob” – Gussie and Company “Growing Up” (Part II) – Gussie “Good Thing Going” – Charley “The Blob” (Part II) – Company “Fifth Transition” – Company “Bobby and Jackie and Jack ” – Charley, Beth, Franklin and Pianist “Not a Day Goes By” (Reprise) – Beth, Franklin and Mary “Sixth Transition” – Company “Opening Doors” – Franklin, Charley, Mary, Joe and Beth “Seventh Transition” – Franklin Shepard Jr., Beth and Mrs. Spencer “Our Time” – Franklin, Charley, Mary and CompanyExit Music – Orchestra |
No, we decided to pass on this production despite our love for Sondheim and appreciation for the talented cast. (We’ve seen Lindsay Mendez several times on and off-Broadway. Jackie is a big fan of hers.) We just do not care the score much and it is kind of a nasty story.
Jeff, the story in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG is a cautionary one. I agree with you on the songs in musical. Nothing memorable. Diane loved the acting despite the downbeat plot.
Next time: SWEENEY TODD. A much better Sondheim show.
Jeff, my brother and his wife have seen SWEENEY TODD several times over the years. Katie just saw the Josh Groban version.
Groban did a really good job.
Jeff, Katie wants to see SWEENEY TODD again in February when Sutton Foster joins the cast.
Well, Sondheim always had a sense of tragedy…tragic musicals were definitely Bucking the Trend early in his career…
Todd, if you get to see SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM you’ll learn how tragic Sondheim’s early live really was.