MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Reviews- Page 17

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/21/24 at 12:34pm

Vulture: The Merrily Crew Knows How to Mount a Charm Offensive

https://www.vulture.com/article/daniel-radcliffe-jonathan-groff-late-show-performance.html

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/21/24 at 1:34pm

UWS10023 said: "https://youtu.be/IqPPzvk7nPg?si=skkx2DR8oMKM-JVH


A must watch. The Chocolate Factory 2012 production. Same director, staging, set design and concept. A handsome leading man and talented female lead. Filmed with a live audience so some of the acting feels a little pushed at times and some accents are over the top but the production has the clarity of the current Broadway production. Preferred Radcliffe for he was more endearing. Groff was a stronger actor but Mark Umbers is impressive. Enjoy!"

I preferred Damian Humbley over Daniel Radcliffe but to each his own.
This was pretty much the same production in Boston back in Sept 2017 starring Mark Umbers, Damian Humbley, and Eden Espinosa that unfortunately did not sell (my orchestra ticket cost $25)…. though I loved loved that production.

 

[UWS10023]

Posted: 5/21/24 at 3:45pm

Wick3 said: "UWS10023 said: "https://youtu.be/IqPPzvk7nPg?si=skkx2DR8oMKM-JVH


A must watch. The Chocolate Factory 2012 production. Same director, staging, set design and concept. A handsome leading man and talented female lead. Filmed with a live audience so some of the acting feels a little pushed at times and some accents are over the top but the production has the clarity of the current Broadway production. Preferred Radcliffe for he was more endearing. Groff was a stronger actor but Mark Umbers is impressive. Enjoy!"

I preferred Damian Humbley over Daniel Radcliffe but to each his own.
This was pretty much the same production in Boston back in Sept 2017 starringMark Umbers, Damian Humbley, and Eden Espinosathat unfortunately did not sell (my orchestra ticket cost $25)…. though I loved loved that production.

I thought Humbley was not fully present when he was not directly involved in the dialogue. It was like he was elsewhere and jumped back into character when it was time to speak. I was not familiar with Mark Umbers. He got grayer as his journey with the production progressed. I wonder if the director considered him for the Broadway production or if she thought he had aged out. Perhaps she wanted more of a name. A search on the internet for basic personal information comes up empty. Not even a presence on Instagram.

"

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 5/21/24 at 7:16pm

UWS10023 said: "Wick3 said: "UWS10023 said: "https://youtu.be/IqPPzvk7nPg?si=skkx2DR8oMKM-JVH


A must watch. The Chocolate Factory 2012 production. Same director, staging, set design and concept. A handsome leading man and talented female lead. Filmed with a live audience so some of the acting feels a little pushed at times and some accents are over the top but the production has the clarity of the current Broadway production. Preferred Radcliffe for he was more endearing. Groff was a stronger actor but Mark Umbers is impressive. Enjoy!"

I preferred Damian Humbley over Daniel Radcliffe but to each his own.
This was pretty much the same production in Boston back in Sept 2017 starringMark Umbers, Damian Humbley, and Eden Espinosathat unfortunately did not sell (my orchestra ticket cost $25)…. though I loved loved that production.

I thought Humbley was not fully present when he was not directly involved in the dialogue. It was like he was elsewhere and jumped back into character when it was time to speak. I was not familiar with Mark Umbers. He got grayer as his journey with the production progressed. I wonder if the director considered him for the Broadway production or if she thought he had aged out. Perhaps she wanted more of a name. A search on the internet for basic personal information comes up empty. Not even a presence on Instagram.

I thought Umbers was terrific in the role, especially when he played the young Franklin.  He was gray when I saw him, so not sure he would have aged out.  I do think that  Groff was better, but that may reflect a personal bias.

 

 

 

 

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/21/24 at 7:56pm

Im not sure but the Boston production may have been the last Merrily production Sondheim watched?

On Instagram, Friedman said that Sondheim apparently announced to NYT a few days before his death that Merrily was going to Broadway, unbeknownst to Friedman and her team.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7OyyHkMhcQ/?igsh=cXFxa2Z1Y2gzeTdt

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/22/24 at 1:00pm

5 minutes with a Tony nominee: ‘Merrily We Roll Along’’s Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez and Daniel Radcliffe

https://www.broadwaynews.com/5-minutes-with-a-tony-nominee-merrily-we-roll-alongs-jonathan-groff-lindsay-mendez-and-daniel-radcliffe/

 

[UWS10023]

Posted: 5/22/24 at 3:05pm

I hope Mark Umbers does more musical theatre. I would love to see him onstage. He was quite good in the production but I would also  give a tiny leg up to Groff. But then I am such a fan. Groff has had good teachers along the way. He very keenly used his personal experiences to inhabit the character. I wonder if Umbers came to NYC to see the current production? Me thinks he probably did. One great visual with him was his use of his long arms wrapping around his two friends when their friendships were not compromised. One could not help be drawn in to his charisma.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/28/24 at 6:30pm

Maria Friedman (‘Merrily We Roll Along’ director) video interview - GoldDerby

 

https://www.goldderby.com/feature/maria-friedman-merrily-we-roll-along-director-video-interview-1205843518/

[Will3700]

Posted: 5/28/24 at 10:25pm

We saw the show tonight as the first of 9 on this trip and it was amazing. All 3 leads were totally ON! All worthy Tony contenders !! But Jonathan was so great !!

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/29/24 at 8:12am

How Maria Friedman and Jonathan Groff cracked the riddle of Sondheim's 'Merrily'

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2024-05-29/how-jonathan-groff-and-director-maria-friedman-finally-cracked-sondheim-merrily-we-roll-along

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/29/24 at 8:35am

Merrily We Roll Along Director Maria Friedman gets personal with Jonathan Groff

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAcpYdquisI

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/29/24 at 12:01pm

Go Behind the Scenes at Broadway's Merrily We Roll Along | Playbill

 

https://playbill.com/article/go-behind-the-scenes-at-broadways-merrily-we-roll-along

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/29/24 at 8:37pm

Did anyone else see Jonathan Groff's complete appearance on ''Live With Kelly and Mark''? The show posts only less than a minute from it. I tried finding the entire appearance on YouTube, but all you get are videos that AREN'T Jonathan, Kelly and Mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSsgEdyuFKs

[Springtime]

Posted: 5/29/24 at 10:26pm

Wayman_Wong said: "Did anyone else see Jonathan Groff's complete appearance on ''Live With Kelly and Mark''? The show posts only less than a minute from it. I tried finding the entire appearance on YouTube, but all you get are videos that AREN'T Jonathan, Kelly and Mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSsgEdyuFKs"

That show never posts more than a brief clip or two and never whole interviews.

The whole of the second short segment with Groff was about Merrily, but there was not much new. The clip the show posted on Instagram with Groff was longer than the YouTube clip (@livekellyandmark). 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 5/30/24 at 10:34am

For Jonathan Groff, Merrily We Roll Along Feels Like an Exorcism

 

https://www.interviewmagazine.com/theater/for-jonathan-groff-merrily-we-roll-along-feels-like-an-exorcism

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 5/30/24 at 6:40pm

''That show ['Live With Kelly and Mark'] never posts more than a brief clip or two and never whole interviews.''

Thanks, Springtime. It's so odd that ''Live With Kelly and Mark'' posts such skimpy, short clips on YouTube.. Other talk shows tend run the whole interviews. If a celebrity does two segments, I think, for instance, ''The Tonight Show'' posts both of them. And on occasion, ''The Late Show With Stephen Colbert'' will run a longer, unedited version. Colbert's last interview with Sondheim comes to mind. 

Updated On: 5/30/24 at 06:40 PM

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/1/24 at 10:14pm

Daniel Radcliffe Opens Up About Erin Darke Having To Put Up With Him Bursting Into Broadway Song, And It Gives Us Cute Insight Into Their Relationship | Cinemablend

 

https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/daniel-radcliffe-erin-darke-bursting-into-broadway-song-and-it-gives-us-cute-insight-into-their-relationship

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/2/24 at 10:00am

The New Yorker Interview
Jonathan Groff Rolls Merrily Back
The actor reflects on his journey in reverse: from his latest Tony nomination to his arrival in New York, waiting tables and dreaming of Broadway.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/jonathan-groff-rolls-merrily-back

 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/3/24 at 6:32pm

In 1981, this Sondheim musical flopped. Now 'Merrily We Roll Along' is a hit : NPR

 

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/03/g-s1-2519/merrily-we-roll-along-jonathan-groff-maria-friendman

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/3/24 at 6:34pm

Video Lindsay Mendez talks 'Merrily We Roll Along' - ABC News

 

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/GMA3/video/lindsay-mendez-talks-merrily-roll-110779817

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/4/24 at 11:32am

Even Jonathan Groff Had To Win Over Audiences: How ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ Went From Sondheim Also-Ran To Runaway Smash – Deadline Q&A

https://deadline.com/2024/06/jonathan-groff-deadline-interview-1235945051/

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/4/24 at 7:04pm

Jonathan Groff Didn’t Want to Spend 7 Years as a “Singing Teenager” on Glee

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/jonathan-groff-didnt-want-to-spend-seven-years-as-a-singing-teenager-on-glee-awards-insider

[MezzA101]

Posted: 6/7/24 at 11:26am

'Merrily We Roll Along' made them old friends. Now, the cast is 'dreading' saying goodbye.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/06/07/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-cast/73958008007/

Glad I got tickets for the final curtain before the obscene jacking up of prices.

 

[Lunalaaaaaaaa]

Posted: 6/8/24 at 7:47am

MezzA101 said: "'Merrily We Roll Along' made them old friends. Now, the cast is 'dreading' saying goodbye.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2024/06/07/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-cast/73958008007/

Glad I got tickets for the final curtain before the obscene jacking up of prices.

"

JEALOUS. I have tickets for the final Wednesday matinee and tickets are already going for 500+ for that show. 

 

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/8/24 at 1:00pm

Wick3 said: "UWS10023 said: "https://youtu.be/IqPPzvk7nPg?si=skkx2DR8oMKM-JVH


A must watch. The Chocolate Factory 2012 production. Same director, staging, set design and concept. A handsome leading man and talented female lead. Filmed with a live audience so some of the acting feels a little pushed at times and some accents are over the top but the production has the clarity of the current Broadway production. Preferred Radcliffe for he was more endearing. Groff was a stronger actor but Mark Umbers is impressive. Enjoy!"

I preferred Damian Humbley over Daniel Radcliffe but to each his own.
This was pretty much the same production in Boston back in Sept 2017 starringMark Umbers, Damian Humbley, and Eden Espinosathat unfortunately did not sell (my orchestra ticket cost $25)…. though I loved loved that production.

 

I saw it twice and both times the theatre was filled.  Re the $25, I don't know if it has changed, but I saw a number of shows at the Huntington for $25ish, in the rear of an orchestra the size of, say, the Music Box.  They always had 5 or 6 prices in the orchestra, including cheap ones.  Since I go pretty often, I always buy cheap seats wherever they are a particularly good deal.  I thought Mark Umbers was really excellent, especially as the young Franklin.  I thought that Edin was much better than the woman on the You-Tube production, who I felt was over-the-top shrill in the opening scenes.  Espinosa was excellent.  The actor who played Charlie really made no impression on me.  They pale in comparison to the current cast, probably because of the chemistry they have.  It adds another layer to the story being told.  I do believe that the three leads in the current production are incredible, with the chemistry amazing.  I continue to believe they will all win Tony's and that the production will join the list of legendary Broadway productions.

"