Merrily We Roll Along- Page 2

[BobbyRobbyBobbyBaby]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 12:44am

I don't really like the Leicester recording either. I think it makes a huge difference when good voices are singing this score. I'd love to see a concert version of this show. Maybe with...

Franklin = Malcolm Gets
Charley = Raul Esparza
Mary = Susan Egan
Gussie = Michele Pawk
Jerome = Gregg Edleman
Beth = Linda Eder

[PerforMeg]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 2:17am

"I recently saw the production that was on 45th OOB, and it was a trainwreck, but behind the chaos there was a really beautiful show. I fell in love."

My boyfriend was in that production-I don't like Merrily but I actually enjoyed the OOB one better than any other productions I'd seen. I know for a fact that they were given very little direction because the director was in the show (he played Joe). Not that that is an excuse.

I think another thing that makes Merrily a problem show is that when the show begins you see the characters at their least likeable. You are put off by them at the beginning and you have to rely on the audience warming up to them, which doesn't always happen.

I'm with you on the choreography in the OOB-it was dreadful. They did WAY too much! The music sells itself without silly arm movements and bouncing. I enjoyed CHarlie and especially Beth, I thought she was really lovely.

Charging $50.00 for the tickets is the reason they didn't profit off the production. I think if they had charged much less they could have packed the house with die hard Merrily fans every night.

[Theatreboy33]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 2:32am

As I recall, the original suffered from some truly uninspired directing. To have such a theatrical conceit as a musical that runs backwards in time, you'd think the directing would somehow mirror that. Something like that could go a million interesting directions. But sadly it did not. The staging was basic, uninspired, very centered and symmetric. Some really boring stage pictures. And as adapted from the play, many moments, when musicalized just seemed rushed and passed lightly over. in the original play, for example, the line of (i forget her character name, the main girl) "guess what I'm having? Not much fun." Comes off as sharp, poignant--all the character background you need to understand exactly who this woman has become in her present company. In the musical however, it is merely a lyric squeezed in between a short measure of rests. It carries no weight. It reveals little more than a charicature. And I suppose, as a musical many of the characters seemed reduced to that--charicatures, as opposed to the colorful, well-rounded, emotional characters of the original Kauffman and Hart play.

If you cant tell by now, I much prefer the original play version, and would like to see that put up somewhere. Unfortunately the perfection-unattainability of the musical seems to overshaddow the material of origin for most.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 10:33am

I was actually at opening nite (my only) and it was so much better than the reviews, yet there were some problems. The design and, sad to say, the direction being two. The cast was very talented, but I dont think they were given enough from the direction, which is why they came off even younger than they were. I HATED the labelled sweatshirts as I didnt think they were necessary, and were more distracting than anything else. It isnt that tough of a concept and the audience should've been trusted to know what was going on.
One more thing...I miss Ann Morrison! She was absolutely amazing as Mary...she broke your heart, imho.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 10:50am

I've been studying the photos in the libretto and the sweatshirts are a little weird. But I have complete faith in Hal Prince and the great and powerful Steve, so I've been trying to keep an open mind about it. I absolutely do love the people who play Charley and Mary on the OBC. Their voices are really different from any other people I've heard and I appreciate that.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 10:55am

There was a charming and thoroughly enjoyable production of Merrily in Chicago last summer. I've always liked the score and I found that I liked the revised book as well. Like most Sondheim shows, it would probably never be a commercial Broadway hit, but the revised production deinitely deserves a life in regional and amateur productions. It works well on a small scale.

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 10:57am

I don't buy the whole "running backwards" thing is why it flopped, either.

I think the bottom line is that the show leaves the audience with a bitter and depressing taste in its mouth. We see the "young hopefuls" at the end, singing one of Sondheim's most beautiful songs, and know that it all ended up badly, because we've seen it already. Every one of them ended up a disillusioned mess. Curtain down. End of show. Hard for an audience to go out of the theatre praising it, at that point. I personally love the show, but I also see the "bitter pill" message they were trying to sell, as well. Casting it younger or older won't change this. Most people don't want to hear it.

Updated On: 8/25/05 at 10:57 AM

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 11:04am

But I don't think an audience would just reject a show because it's sad. I mean, I didn't walk out of Assassins feeling inspired for the future, but I did walk out knowing I had seen something wonderful.

[showmethetony]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 11:05am

I had a chance to do this show a couple of summers ago. At the time I didn't know much about it except that it had flopped. I played Beth and had an incredible time. It was community theater, and maybe I am biased, but I happen to think that this particular community theater does exceptional work. The set was designed to look the game board for the old "Life". The backdrop was that winding block road, but instead of saying things like "Move back one step" it had the years and they lit up during the transitions so that the audience knew exactly where and when things were taking place. Our Frank was pretty good, our Charlie pretty great. Our Gussy and Mary - phenomenal. I have a fondness for the show and the music. Some of my most fun moments on stage were during "It's a Hit" and "Bobby, and Jackie, and Jack". Ooooooooh...and the second act "Not a Day Goes By" with Beth, Frank, and Mary...how heartbreaking is that??? I love the idea that it moves backward. True, it might be hard to move past how unlikable the characters are at the beginning, but when you get to the end and you see them so young and eager...honestly, it makes you re-evaluate your life and your friendships and how you choose to spend your days.

[twogaab2]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 11:10am

Running backward is no problem at all. As one matures, one tends to look on their lives, from yesterday to birth, in that order. The book is fine.

That being said, I will repeat what I have said in the past. The original cast was too young. An older person understands a younger person's motivations because they still have a young person inside of them. To have a younger person to try understand the motivations of a disalusioned older person is absurd.

Rather than depressing, I find the ending of the story, heartbreaking. Also, in the end of the original book (Hills of Tomorrow-lovely song) Frank looks up and smiles, ending on a more hopeful note.

Just my opinion, yada-yada-yada.

[HotelActorBrooklyn]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 11:36am

Merrily is an amazing show!! I did a production of the revised script about 8 years ago and fell in love. I too have the OCR and the York revival and love both. The whole argument about the audience not getting the "time" concept of how the BRILLIANT book is written is just pure ignorance. It is very easy to understand. I do agree that the original just went into the whole thing with a bad concept and was not very attractive that way. I think if a very innovative director and team came in to work again with Sondheim on the "new" book a successful, commercial revival can occur. One day soon I think. I can smell it.

[Theatreboy33]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 12:41pm

A perfect project for Encores, no?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 12:51pm

Regarding unlikeable characters, I think Sondheim solved that problem in Assassins. We know who John Wilkes Booth, Squeeky Fromme, John Hinckley and the othes are. We lay aside their unlikeability to listen to their stories.

[smartpenguin78]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 12:54pm

The cocept is something I love, and the format of the book, especially with the "Hills of Tommorrow" segments actually back in is phenomenal.
It is not ignorance, however, for me to say the book of the show is far from brilliant. The jokes are stale and the characters two dimensional (actually worse, two dimensional , except when it serves the purposes of a particular joke.)

I love the score and concept. I enjoy intense and complicated shows. I even love that the ending is bleak because you know what happens at the "begining." The book of the show is the main problem with it. (being a critical hit, it is unlikely to ever be a popular hit)

I agree a project for encores!

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 12:57pm

I curse the fact that I wasn't born until '81 and missed all these amazing Sondheim shows in their original incarnation!

[AngusN]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 12:58pm

YIPPER, any chance of getting a copy of that bootleg? I've just had to take over directing our College's production after the director left and I'm having difficulties.

[yipper]

Posted: 8/25/05 at 8:55pm

Honestly, I don't know that it would help you. I recommend using your own imagination on this one. Focus on the truth in the relationships, make sure your actors understand the complexities and challenges involved in making life choices.
Don't judge Franklin for making his "sell out" choices. I really think that is one of the reason it is so off putting. The audience is primarly made up of people who have made similar choices to Franklin's in an effort to surivive and they don't want to be chastised or reminded of the fact. The show should be a suggestion to examine where you are now and how you go there. Not a sermon on the mistakes you've made.
Keep it as simple, honest, and optimistic. At the end, that is were the power of Merrily lies. It is never too late to change your path.

Good Luck

Updated On: 8/25/05 at 08:55 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 12:15pm

Yipper -- very nicely put. I think you're right when you say, "the audience is primarily made up of people who have made similar choices to Franklin's in an effort to survive..."

I believe that Sondheim and the creative team have hit upon an unpleasant universal theme that's too close to home.

Yes, audiences have embraced other Broadway shows in the past that have "downer" endings, but maybe not one so close to their own lives. They can cry and sympathize with Maria's emotions at the tragic end of West Side, but it doesn't make them leave the theatre reflecting on their own entire lives, and the choices they've made so far.

When you see the wide-eyed "kids" at the end of Merrily (which is actually the beginning of their promising friendship and careers), it's something that stays with you. Even if you're not in show biz, you can identify with the compromising choices you've made in your own life, and then look at the hopeful kid you once were, and it's not something that wide audiences want to plop down some serious cash to be reminded of at an "evening's entertainment." (I for one, love this show, and am not afraid to look at its themes head-on... but we're a small group by comparison.)

So, basically, no matter how artistically well done or effective a production of Merrily ends up being, you're selling an unpleasent (too-close-to-home) message to your paying audience. I believe that is exactly why Merrily has yet to become a "hit" show in American Theatre.

[yipper]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 1:52pm

For what it is worth, that is why "She Loves Me" doesn't work with audiences either. I don't buy that that show is soooo special that audience can't appreciate that it is "caviar of musicial theatre."

I believe audiences shudder when, after a long day of renting themselves out to some boss, or corporation- also called working, they go to a musical and see a group of lovely people having to humiliate themselves to keep their jobs and keep an irrational shop owner happy.

Both MERRILLY and SHE LOVES ME are extraordinarily honest. Painfully so.

Artists, I believe, need to at least once in theirs lives keep a mind numbing 9-5 job just to experience what 95% of the world deals with on a daily basis.

Boy, can I ramble!!!!!

[the.hard.part]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 4:28pm

I saw a production of this show at my high school this past spring, I think that it was not very confusing and I am unsure of why it flopped.