MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Reviews- Page 22

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 5:18pm

dramamama611 said: "Question: I don't think I remember seeing anything mentioning it (which is likely my answer) but were there ANY actors that were replaced during its run....either from the off bway or within the bway run?"

During the Broadway run there were 3 replacements, 3 added swings post-opening, and some sort of switchup amongst the Frank Juniors.

https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/merrily-we-roll-along-536675#Replacements

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 5:23pm

dramamama611 said: "Question: I don't think I remember seeing anything mentioning it (which is likely my answer) but were there ANY actors that were replaced during its run....either from the off bway or within the bway run?"

Maya Boyd (now in & Juliet), Brian Sears, and Evan Alexander Smith (now George McFly in BTTF) left during the Broadway run.

The only replacements from off-Broadway to on were the Frank, Jrs.

 

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 5:29pm

I would also like to shout out the very talented Morgan Kirner who was a swing and the dance captain.  She’s a star, I remember watching her at the paper mill rising star awards back in the day. 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 5:52pm

Any talk of a return to London with these 3 principals (post-baby's birth)? They clearly love each other and the show, meaning that they're probably a package deal, and it's been 11 years since this revival's three-month run at the Pinter.

Updated On: 7/7/24 at 05:52 PM

[mshalo18]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 6:56pm

MezzA101 said: "EXIT INTERVIEW | Katie Rose Clarke Says Goodbye To Beth in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG



https://www.theatrely.com/post/exit-interview-katie-rose-clarke-says-goodbye-to-beth-in-merrily-we-roll-along



Theater doors opened at 1:20. Auditorium doors just opened. No understudy posting for Lindsay. What's the final count?"

For every heavily pregnant performance Lindsey has done, deduct 5 absences from the count. I can’t imagine being 7 months pregnant and schlepping to the Hudson every day in this heat. 

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 7:06pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6Wy5k9H8PM

Beautiful and touching speeches by Sonia and Maria Friedman. Got me crying up here!

[MezzA101]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 7:09pm

Thank you to Lindsay Mendez for giving your usual 1,000% today and helping me verbalize what she brought to the role of Mary Flynn that made the show work. The piece must be enjoyed by newbies and those familiar with the material. Mary starts off as a very disagreeable character and yet, if you don't root for her, the piece doesn't work. A very pregnant Mendez, with our knowledge of the camaraderie of the three leads, is someone we want to win in the end. You could say the same for what Radcliffe does for Charley.

I've seen it several times with Mary understudies. Fine actresses all, but I couldn't care less in that first scene what happens to them. That's the magic of the cast. I am sure whatever prevented her from attending every performance was necessary and deprived her of doing something that gave her great joy. But as a paying audience member, I hated finding out each time via the board when I walked in for the show. I hope the movie captures her greatness, for the benefit of those who didn't attend at all, or came on a night she wasn't on.

What a show today! Standing ovations for "Franklin Shepard Inc." and "Old Friends." Of course it couldn't work on Colbert and the Tonys. The choreography is so key to the number.

If memory serves, "It's a Hit!" didn't make it onto the OBC album, and I first heard it on a college radio station show  that played showtunes Sunday mornings. Today it blew the roof off the Hudson Theatre. The "Tony" getting passed around among the cast. The crying.

What a memory play it has become. And today was full circle as these three and everyone involved, play "Our Time," which then ends not just the show but this run. At the top of the number Groff started to lose it, looked at Radcliffe who was having difficulty as well. Audience applause to give them time to recover. Charley goes offstage for a second during "Opening Doors, forget why, and Groff ran over and typed on Charley's typewriter. Made Radcliffe laugh when he returned as saw it. Don't recall that moment before.

And there was a third act today. About 15 minutes after the curtain call, with the Friedman sisters beautiful speeches and making everyone backstage take a bow. The three Frank Jr's were there. Maria said auditioning and approving Radcliffe was the last (professional) thing Sondheim did. Sonya made it clear the only iteration of "Merrily" currently on the horizon is the movie.

What a blessed day!

 

 

 

 

 

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 7:37pm

Daniel Radcliffe has been leaving for a few seconds during Opening Doors at least for the past 2 months. I agree though I don’t recall him doing that during previews or during its off-Bway run. (I watched Merrily in September during previews and then started watching it again in May/June.)

[Springtime]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 8:51pm

MezzA101 said: "EXIT INTERVIEW | Katie Rose Clarke Says Goodbye To Beth in MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG



https://www.theatrely.com/post/exit-interview-katie-rose-clarke-says-goodbye-to-beth-in-merrily-we-roll-along



Theater doors opened at 1:20. Auditorium doors just opened. No understudy posting for Lindsay. What's the final count?"

75 shows missed in total. No unscheduled absences for Groff or Radcliffe. Krystal Joy Brown performed all 400 shows off-Broadway and Broadway (which she kept posting about).

Updated On: 7/8/24 at 08:51 PM

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 9:13pm

I loved this so much, I hope i can see it again some day.  Maybe a future remount?  A tour?

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 9:17pm

Springtime said: "75 shows missed in total."

Wow! What a wonderful and commendable achievement that the pregnant mother performed in 78% of all performances. That's not easy. Thrilled for Lindsay.

[bear88]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 9:43pm

Charley Kringas Inc said: "I was not expecting the held final note and it ran me down like a train, splitting my heart wide open. It's one of those perfect theatre moments where the show loads you with emotions and guides you to an epiphany that allows you to release them. It dams you up and then blows you apart."

I loved Maria Friedman’s memory play structure of the show, which led to that final note by the chorus and the haunting piano notes. I have pondered why I was so captivated by the show and - aside from the wonderful performances by the lead trio, supporting cast and ensemble - it’s that full-circle ending that took my breath away. As much as I look forward to the filmed version, there are moments in theater that stick with you because they can only be fully realized in person. That was one for me.

 

Updated On: 7/7/24 at 09:43 PM

[getatme]

Posted: 7/7/24 at 11:00pm

Charley has always left the stage for a brief moment during "Opening Doors" on Broadway. Groff/Frank would always run over and type something on the typewriter (this is the paper that was often auctioned off for Broadway Cares).

A beautiful performance this afternoon that really further confirmed this production/lead trio as one of the finest interpretations of Sondheim's work in the modern era. Will be remembered for years to come.

Jonathan, Daniel, and Lindsay were visibly moved at multiple points and I was surprised the three of them were able to make it through "Our Time" without turning into puddles on the stage,

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 8:26am

The only thing I see happening with this production is the proshot. They have never implied this will be remounted anywhere, they have never coyly implied there might be a tour. Think about this magic, this lightning in a bottle production. I wouldn't want it to lose its magic. Let the show stand as it is. Let there be room for new works now. Listen to the cast recording, standby for the proshot release announcement (I know absolutely nothing, but based on what Sonia said I think that will be coming soon, maybe by the end of the summer?). Let it be. 

[smidge]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 9:45am

Waiting for them to do a Betrayal revival.

[TaffyDavenport]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 8:40pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/MERRILY-WE-ROLL-ALONGs-Final-Week-Was-Highest-Grossing-Week-Ever-For-A-Sondheim-Musical-20240708

Yowza, almost $2.8 million for the final week.

Updated On: 7/8/24 at 08:40 PM

[yyys]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 9:12pm

Is that surprising? ATG literally scalped their own tickets to prevent scalpers from profiting.

Updated On: 7/8/24 at 09:12 PM

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 9:37pm

How would they know who the scalpers were or weren’t?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 10:36pm

They just mean they jacked up their own prices, keeping probable scalpers from buying them because their profit margin would be too low.

[Wick3]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 11:47pm

dramamama611 said: "They just mean they jacked up their own prices, keeping probablescalpers from buying them because their profit margin would be too low."

I think scalpers were already buying tickets especially for the final performance. 

Producers probably wished they held back more tickets until after the Tonys as they probably could have sold off front orchestra at $1000+ apiece for final performance and perhaps get a gross of over $3 million the last week.

[Broadway Flash]

Posted: 7/8/24 at 11:52pm

I still bought a ticket for over 200 bucks from a ticket reseller, tickpick.  The entire row was nearly empty, in line with the tickets that were being sold from ticket resellers.  After the opening number, people were still coming in.  I’m guessing they held off on buying when the ticket prices dropped after curtain.  I bought 10 minutes before curtain to get the best deal and the price kept dropping afterwards.  The ticket originally cost 149 bucks. 

[tirecage]

Posted: 7/9/24 at 12:23am

I bought a pair of $20 (!!!) TDF Passport tickets for a performance the week leading up to the Tonys (a few months in advance, actually). Strategic for the producers to make the show look *almost* fully sold so they could sell the “remaining” seats at a premium and reach 100% capacity for optics? Perhaps. Still one of my most memorable theater experiences ever, though.

[MemorableUserName]

Posted: 7/9/24 at 4:33pm

https://x.com/coreymach/status/1810719035773853873



 

[binau]

Posted: 7/9/24 at 4:39pm

I bet people don't suggest that actors should get paid less when business is bad (i.e. most shows) lol. 

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/9/24 at 5:07pm

binau said: "I bet people don't suggest that actors should get paid less when business is bad (i.e. most shows) lol."


The minimum should stay the same of course but when a show like Hamilton or Merrily is charging obscene prices for tickets I’m sure the cast gets resentful. They’re working their asses off eight times a week for extremely greedy producers. The original cast of Hamilton rallying to make sure they got paid for their contributions was very wise. The directors and writers and producers will be making heaps of money for decades because of a show like that, while the actors hustling every week are making a very humble earning for the amount of time and energy they give the show. It’s grueling. I’m sure Groff is making 50K a week, Radcliffe, what? $100K? A week? That’s a tough pill to swallow for a hard working ensemble member of a mega hit.