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.
Given the A-list cast and the size of the space, this “Merrily” has become one of the hottest tickets of the season — and it’s easy to imagine a Broadway transfer in its future. Friedman works hard to blur the weaknesses of Sondheim’s biggest flop, and she mostly succeeds in delivering a psychologically coherent study of how youthful aspirations and good intentions can evolve over time into something less rosy but no less real. Still, even a perfect version of this material is unlikely to win over casual theater fans. “Merrily” is a show that is more likely to be admired than fully embraced.
Sondheim is perennially popular on NYC stages. This show’s cast has made the run at New York Theatre Workshop a sold-out event. Friedman and her leads don’t solve the nagging issue of convincingly showing the besties’ profound connection, but the acting trio’s chemistry could deepen in time.
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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