MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

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MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/18/23 at 12:00am

They’re opening doors, singing “here we are.”

The 1981 Stephen Sondheim flop Merrily We Roll Along hopes for a reversal of fortune in its first Broadway revival, which starts previews tomorrow evening (September 19) at the Hudson Theatre, before an October 10 opening. The cast is led by Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez, Krystal Joy Brown, Katie Rose Clarke, and Reg Rogers. Merrily We Roll Along — which will run through March 24 — features a book by George Furth, choreography by Tim Jackson, and direction by Maria Friedman.

“The story of how a composer’s idealism and friendships were corrupted by success is told backwards, starting with the disillusioned present and ending with their optimistic college years, in Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s musical.”

Who’s going?

“I am furious, but I am sailing.”

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/18/23 at 7:05am

Going Saturday! VERY excited for this one.

"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/18/23 at 8:06am

Going next Saturday! So incredibly excited! I’m so happy to see Central PA native, Jonathan Groff back on stage!

The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/18/23 at 8:24am

The tickets ordered back in March for tomorrow night's first preview arrived in my email inbox last night. So excited. And then the first preview of "Here We Are" next week. Worth noting that there was so much negative feedback after the first "Sweeney" preview. Including me. I would never attend a first preview for anything but a Sondheim. We go because it's his shows. To be there at the beginning. Never just to bash. Even if the show isn't what we hope for, we never regret being there.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/18/23 at 9:14am

Will be there Friday. Absolutely cannot wait.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/18/23 at 9:26am

MezzA101 said: "The tickets ordered back in March for tomorrow night's first preview arrived in my email inbox last night. So excited. And then the first preview of "Here We Are" next week. Worth noting that there was so much negative feedback after the first "Sweeney" preview. Including me. I would never attend a first preview for anything but a Sondheim. We go because it's his shows. To be there at the beginning. Never just to bash. Even if the show isn't what we hope for, we never regret being there."

To be fair, this is a first preview of a known production. So I doubt much will change in way of production from first preview to opening. And I'd imagine it's just an identical staging to its previous versions.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/18/23 at 11:51pm

Went to invited dress tonight. I will never learn that Sondheim is just not for me. I am exhausted.

But the cast is very talented.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 8:41am

I went downtown

cool set great costumes AMAZING lighting

the original creative team is also doing broadway

Can’t wait

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 10:35am

BroadwaysBroad said: "I went downtown

cool set great costumes AMAZING lighting

the original creative team is also doing broadway

Can’t wait"

Interestingly, I thought it had the worst lighting I've ever seen for a Broadway show last night - it was quite literally a mess. I know it was still effectively a rehearsal, but woof.

#10

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 10:47am

The one thing I'd like to change most between off-Bway and Bway is quite superficial -- I thought the whole show was revelatory and the performers brilliant. The show finally made sense to me... I think the sheer likability of Groff helps it quite a deal.

That being said, the scene in the nightclub in Act II -- where "Bobby and Jackie and Jack" and the reprise of "Not a Day Goes By" are sung -- was put in front of a shiny sparkly curtain that was quite literally the most distracting thing I have ever seen on a professional stage. I couldn't believe it! It could have been something about my angle in relation to the lights or the curtain, but I doubt it... "Not a Day Goes By" was hurt by it... a quiet, tender, beautiful moment, and you're blinded by a sea of sequins.

Please, God, someone inform me tonight that it's gone. This is such a good production.

"I feel safe with you, and complete with you / I'm always finding money in the street with you." -Sheldon Harnick

#11

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 12:55pm

I completely agree with you. That curtain was so distracting, even in a near perfect production. I am going tonight, so I will have an answer tomorrow. I cannot wait to see it, even though I was lucky enough to see the NY Theatre Workshop version three times.

#12

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 2:00pm

BroadwaysBroad said: "cool set great costumes AMAZING lighting"

Legitimately curious as someone who also saw it downtown, what did you like about the lighting? I thought it was adequate but not necessarily worth a shout out

#13

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 2:08pm

veronicamae said: "Went to invited dress tonight. I will never learn that Sondheim is just not for me. I am exhausted.

But the cast is very talented."

I thought I was interested, and had tickets. But I feel the same. I think I just wanted to go because it was so big in the theater community, but Sondheim just isn't for me. Happy for the cast though!

#14

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 3:47pm

There is no other show besides "Merrily",that completely flopped, that people are determined to fix. I guess this production is that good that all the flaws of the piece suddenly make sense???

#15

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 6:13pm

I don't know that I would say all the flaws make sense I(and of course, it depends on which flaws you see) but I think it has found an emotional core and resonance that makes some of the flaws less troublesome.

#16

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 7:28pm

Apparently there are no real playbills tonight. They just handed us a stapled packet of paper.

#17

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 7:58pm

And I was hoping for a first preview sticker. What’s up with this packet?

#18

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 9:19pm

kennin said: "And I was hoping for a first preview sticker. What’s up with this packet?"

First preview stickers aren't very common - Opening Night gets the sticker treatment.

I wonder if they were late in submitting their materials to Playbill - there are deadlines to get things printed and delivered on time.

Oh - and sorry to say the very distracting silver curtain was still in play last night.

Updated On: 9/19/23 at 09:19 PM

#19

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 10:56pm

What made the set so good? From what I’ve seen it’s pretty basic. And I don’t get what makes this production work more so than the Encores production.

#20

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 11:33pm

Hold on? They handed out stapled playbills? Is this some sort of gimmick?

#21

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/19/23 at 11:50pm

The Playbills were a disappointment. Director Friedman introduced the show. I thought it expanded seamlessly and I enjoyed the louder audience. The OVERTURE is longer.
the lighting is nice on frank holding the applause recording at the end of “it’s a hit!”

Updated On: 9/19/23 at 11:50 PM

#22

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/20/23 at 12:45am

RippedMan said: "What made the set so good? From what I’ve seen it’s pretty basic. And I don’t get what makes this production work more so than the Encores production."

Well in the Encores production LMM wasn't super famous yet. This one has Harry Potter.

...

#23

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/20/23 at 1:36am

veronicamae said: "Went to invited dress tonight. I will never learn that Sondheim is just not for me. I am exhausted.

But the cast is very talented."

Exhausted is a good description. They're trying so hard to not try hard. I just wasn't impressed. Except for Lindsay Mendez. My fave production was the Sondheim Celebration/Chris Ashley production. with Michael Hayden (a perfect Frank), Raul Esparza and Miriam Shor (also perfect). (and Emily Skinner as Gussie!!)

#24

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/20/23 at 1:42am

The overture was not longer. It is still abbreviated and should’ve been restored to original length.

#25

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Previews

Posted: 9/20/23 at 3:18am

Anyone know if SRO is planning to be offered for this show? Have never been to the Hudson before and am unfamiliar if the theater has SRO capabilities. Assuming rush won’t be an option and digital lottery will be impossible to win 😅 Would love to see this show on an affordable budget!

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