Merrily We Roll Along — Page 2

"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.

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

---

A perfect project for Encores, no?

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!

---

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 -- 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.

---

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.