Merrily We Roll Along (play)

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Merrily We Roll Along is a play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

It concerns a man who has lost the idealistic values of his youth. Its conceit is that its story is told in reverse, with the character regressing from a mournful adult to a young man whose future is filled with promise. The Broadway production, directed by Kaufman, opened on September 29, 1934 at the Music Box Theatre, where it ran for 155 performances. The cast included Walter Abel and Jessie Royce Landis.

Contents 1 1981 musical adaptation 2 Subsequent production history 3 Original song list 4 External links

[edit] 1981 musical adaptation

In 1981, the play was adapted as a musical with a book by George Furth and lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. Furth and Sondheim retained the basic structure and overall theme of the play but updated it to encompass the period from 1955 to 1980. Its main protagonist was now Franklin Shepard who, in 1980, is a one-time composer of Broadway musicals who has become a highly successful but cynical and jaded film producer who has lost his friends, including longtime collaborator Charley Kringas. Moving backward in time we discover how Frank has become the man he is today.

After an unusually long and troubled period of 52 previews, the Broadway production, directed by Harold Prince and choreographed by Larry Fuller (who had replaced original choreographer Ron Field during previews), opened on November 16, 1981 at the Alvin Theatre where, hampered by several critical reviews published prior to its official opening, it ran for only 16 performances. The cast included Lonny Price, Jason Alexander, Liz Callaway, Giancarlo Esposito, and Ann Morrison. Sondheim was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Original Score and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music, and won the Drama Desk prize for his lyrics. Morrison won the 1982 Theatre World Award for her performance. The original cast recording of this production was released by RCA as an LP album in 1981, on cassette tape in 1982, and on compact disc in 1986.

[edit] Subsequent production history

Throughout the years, with Furth and Sondheim's blessing, the musical has been staged with numerous changes, most notable of which is presenting its scenes in chronological order rather than in reverse. Sondheim has contributed new songs to several of the show's incarnations.

A production directed by James Lapine opened on June 16, 1985 at San Diego's La Jolla Playhouse, where it ran for 24 performances. The cast included John Rubinstein, Chip Zien, and Marin Mazzie.

The Arena Stage production, directed by Douglas C. Wager, opened on January 30, 1990 at Washington, D.C.'s Kreeger Theater, where it ran slightly more than two months. The cast included Victor Garber and David Garrison.

A revised British production, directed by Paul Kerryson, opened on April 14, 1992 at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, where it ran for three weeks. The cast included Michael Cantwell, Maria Friedman, and Evan Pappas. A cast recording was released on a single CD in the UK in 1994 and, with extended cuts and dialogue, as a double-CD set in the US in 1997.

An off-Broadway revival, directed by Susan H. Schulman, opened on May 26, 1994 at the York Theatre in St. Peter's Church, where it ran for 54 performances. The cast included Malcolm Gets and Michele Pawk. A cast recording was released by Varèse Sarabande.

After eight previews, the first West End production, directed by Michael Grandage, opened on December 11, 2000 at the Donmar Warehouse, where it ran for 71 performances. The cast included Mary Stockley. The production won Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Musical, Best Actor, and Best Actress.

In 2001, a reunion concert was staged at LaGuardia High School as a benefit for Musical Theatre Works, of which Lonny Price was Artistic Director. All but two of the original cast members recreated their roles, with Jason Alexander acting additionally as Master of Ceremonies. Tony-winning choreographer Kathleen Marshall directed. George Furth was not in attendance (and did not allow any of his dialogue to be spoken), but Prince and Sondheim were on hand. Shortly after, they began work together on Bounce, their first collaboration since Merrily.

A limited engagement of fourteen performances opened on July 12, 2002 at the Eisenhower Theater in the Kennedy Center. The cast included Miriam Shor, Raúl Esparza, and Emily Skinner.

TheatreWorks opened its production of the musical in Mountain View on April 4, 2007.

A production of the musical will open on 14 April 2007 at the Derby Playhouse, who have recently gained a national reputation in England for their Sondheim productions.

[edit] Original song list

Act I

• "The Hills of Tomorrow"
• "Merrily We Roll Along (1980)"
• "Rich and Happy"
• "Merrily We Roll Along (1979-1975)"
• "Old Friends"
• "Like It Was"
• "Merrily We Roll Along (1974 -1973)"
• "Franklin Shepard, Inc."
• "Old Friends" (Reprise)
• "Not a Day Goes By"
• "Now You Know"

Act II

• "It's a Hit!"
• "Merrily We Roll Along (1964-1962)"
• "Good Thing Going"
• "Merrily We Roll Along (1961-1960)"
• "Bobby and Jackie and Jack"
• "Not a Day Goes By" (Reprise)
• "Opening Doors"
• "Our Time"
• "The Hills of Tomorrow" (Reprise)

"Not a Day Goes By", "Good Thing Going", "Old Friends", and "Our Time" have been recorded by various artists, including Frank Sinatra, Petula Clark, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Betty Buckley, Cleo Laine, Liza Minnelli, Barbara Cook, Patti LuPone, Barry Manilow, and Lena Horne, and are popular especially with singers who perform on the cabaret circuit.

[edit] External links

• 1981 production (musical) at Internet Broadway Database
• 1934 production (play) at Internet Broadway Database
• Merrily We Roll Along at Sondheim.com