MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG First Performance... — Page 3

Anyone Can Whistle has a prelude which is short and largely intact on the cast album--but I suppose it counts (it has parts of Simple, etc, in it though on stage I believe it then fades into I'm Like a Bluebird which is left off the cast album--when is JAY gonna release their 10+years in the vault complete recording already?). Follies as mentioned has the staged prologue and then a more traditional overture at the party's opening...

And Bounce has an overture, but Road Show doesn't. Night Music and Forum as mentioned... But Tunick's overture for Merrily truly is up there with the best I think...

For those who could tell, was the libretto edited at all like it sometimes is with Encores, or intact?

As others mentioned, Gussies role was expanded for the revised production (ironically particularly as she had material like with The Blob that was cut in previews of the original production). While even on the revival cast album Gussie doesn't make too much of an impression compared to Beth (though I love Pawk's "He's only a boy" reprise of Good Thing Going on the recording, and like the idea of it being expanded into a full dance number), I agree with others that having done a community production of the show (as Charlie) and seen a very good regional production--both essentially the 1994 York versions--I was initially quite surprised at how little Beth's role feels developed, with Gussie feeling much more like the female supporting league.

The revised version of the show leaves out the last third of the Overture, transitioning into the title song straight after the "Good Thing Going" section. Which is a shame, because it has such a great ending.

I was pretty disappointed, though I thought Celia was fantastic.
The sloppy musical direction drove me nuts. How could he not correct/catch the fact that half the cast was singing/pronouncing the word "our" incorrectly? Was driving me crazy!!!

I thought the cast was fine. For the most part, nothing to swoon over. Franklin Shephard Inc was fine. Though I found it a little one-note. I thought Colin was pretty dull, and was hoping for more pizazz.

Eh... It wasn't awful. I was just hoping for/expecting more.

Odd choice for Colin to play piano in Growing Up but not in Good Thing Going...

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I think the main reason Merrily wasn't a hit the first time was because of its lack of pizzas.

EDIT: How could he not correct/catch the fact that half the cast was singing/pronouncing the word "our" incorrectly?

Let me guess ... they sang, "It's ARRRR time," like a bunch of pirates.

For the record, I think the part of Gussie was actually expanded for the 1985 production in La Jolla when Mary Gordon Murray played the part. That was the real major rewrite from the original. The part of Beth has always been smaller, even when Marin Mazzie played it (in the same production). But she comes on and has that powerful scene in front of the courthouse, leading up to "Not a Day Goes By," which, if done as well as Mazzie did it, stops the show completely. It may be a small role in stage time, but it's a powerful and memorable one.

As far as Mary and Charlie, their roles have never been as big as Franklin. It's not equally shared as a trio of hopefuls. Franklin is the lead. It's his story, not theirs. They play major parts in his life, but they're supporting roles. It sounds like Celia and Lin haven't found themselves in the parts yet, but there's still time.

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Updated On: 2/9/12 at 08:39 AM

Jordan, I must be in the minority. But I thought it felt VERY long.

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Pizazz can be spelled as you did, or with two Zs, as in "pizzazz." Either way.

Franklin definitely has a character arc. He shouldn't be all charming all the time. He's a bit of an empty shell at the beginning (end), and as the show progresses (regresses), he eventually gets more charming, hopeful, and likable.

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Easy on the pizzaz there. It'll make you fat.

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Growing Up is a turning point, but in both directions. Franklin first sings it alone, very reflective, and you actually think he's maturing into a sensitive adult. Then Gussie comes in, and it's sung again and used as a "seduction" song, steering Franklin in a whole different (and sadly unintended and regressive) direction. I love that scene/song. A lot going on there.

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Updated On: 2/9/12 at 08:59 AM

I hear the overture is horny, but doesn't stick around for the end.

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Jordan- I sat in the balcony for a dance benefit and I believe the bars are gone. The sightlines were much better up there than I remember them being. I sat in the mezz last night though, so can't remember clearly.

I agree with Kad and ljay about the pacing. Act One really flew. I turned to my friends thinking it had been 30 minutes. I think it was because I was so invested in the book scenes and wanted more of them.

iluvtt- I thought Colin had the best character arc of the bunch. His transition from numb Hollywood producer to optimistic young composer was dead on. The final scene on the roof was moving; when they saw Sputnik and he was singing "Our Time" it killed me.

I saw the show last night with two very dear friends, and during that song I thought about how happy the three of us are now and hoped we don't suffer the same fate Frank, Charley and Mary did. I think I thought these things because Colin so convincingly took us on the journey and I felt his Frank never knew what hit him. I could just as easily repeat his fate because I never felt he did anything "wrong." Colin succeeded in making Frank sympathetic.

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I still don't understand a Charley that can't sing.