Spanning three decades in the entertainment business, Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends — writer Mary and lyricist & playwright Charley. An inventive, cult-classic ahead of its time, Merrily We Roll Along features some of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal songs.
It’s doubtful that anyone will get it righter than director Maria Friedman. A former actor and a sensitive and lucid interpreter of Sondheim’s work, she lends clarity and humanity to the revival of Merrily now playing at New York Theatre Workshop. Informed by her 2012 Menier Chocolate Factory production, this version stars Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe and Lindsay Mendez as a trio of friends disillusioned after two decades amid the gutters and stars of Hollywood and Broadway. Friedman’s interpretation will probably be regarded as a gold standard. But even here, despite that indelible sour-sweet score, the gold is short a few carats. Some choices, it would seem, can’t be unmade, no matter how acute our hindsight.
Nearly decade on, Friedman’s elegant, emotionally searching revival is Off Broadway and it’s remarkably satisfying—and sold-out, thanks to ex-Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe (a talented comic crooner) as angsty Charley. One also must factor in cult adoration among musical-theater fans (of all ages), in addition to the inspired casting of super-charismatic Jonathan Groff as Franklin and iron-lunged Lindsay Mendez as Mary. Operating at their prime, these ace performers anchor the show and sing the daylights out of the scrumptious score. Don’t be surprised if a Broadway transfer is announced before the January 21 closing. So: Did Friedman fix the flop, widely believed to yoke one of the master’s catchiest, most touching scores to one of the sketchiest books? Pardon my Sondheimian ambivalence: yes and no.
1981 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
1985 | Regional (US) |
Regional Production Regional (US) |
1990 | Regional (US) |
Regional Production Regional (US) |
1992 | Regional (UK) |
Regional Production Regional (UK) |
1994 | Off-Broadway |
York Theatre Company Production Off-Broadway |
2000 | West End |
Donmar Warehouse Revival West End |
2002 | Regional (US) |
Sondheim Festival Production Regional (US) |
2012 | Off-Broadway |
Encores! Concert Off-Broadway |
2012 | West End |
Menier Chocolate Factory Production West End |
2013 | West End |
Menier Chocolate Factory Production West End |
2016 | Los Angeles |
Wallis Annenberg Center Production Los Angeles |
2019 | Off-Broadway |
Roundabout Theatre Company Off-Broadway Production Off-Broadway |
2022 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway Revival Production Off-Broadway |
2023 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Production Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Maria Friedman |
2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical | Jonathan Groff |
2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical | Lindsay Mendez |
2023 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Director of a Musical | Maria Friedman |
2023 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical | Lindsay Mendez |
2023 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical | Daniel Radcliffe |
2023 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical | Jonathan Groff |
2023 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Merrily We Roll Along |
2023 | The Lortels | Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical | Krystal Joy Brown |
2023 | The Lortels | Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical | Reg Rogers |
2023 | The Lortels | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical | Lindsay Mendez |
2023 | The Lortels | Outstanding Revival | Merrily We Roll Along |
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