Merrily We Roll Along isn't your typical musical. With a unique backward chronology, it tells the story of Franklin Shepard, a once-promising composer, and his two lifelong friends, lyricist Charley Kringas and writer Mary Flynn. The show starts with a jaded Franklin in 1976, surrounded by superficiality and disillusionment.
We then embark on a poignant journey backwards in time. Each scene peels back a layer, revealing a key moment in their friendship and careers. We witness their youthful idealism, their struggles and triumphs as they chase their dreams in the vibrant world of New York theater. The songs, filled with Stephen Sondheim's signature wit and emotional depth, capture the joys and heartbreaks of their journey. Merrily We Roll Along is a bittersweet exploration of friendship, ambition, and the price of success, leaving a lasting impression with its unconventional storytelling and powerful music.
Presented by a brand new Production group, 4 Leaf Music Productions, in Association with Golden Performing Arts Center, and based on a 1934 Kaufman and Hart play of the same name, this musical tells the story of three friends, Franklin, Charley, and Mary, and the progressive decadence of their bonds and their dreams. The story is told in reverse. When it begins, in 1980, they're in their 40's: Franklin, is a rich, successful, conceited and confused noted songwriter; Charley, the lyricist in the duo, has cut off ties with his partner after a nervous breakdown and Mary is a lonely alcoholic still secretly in love with Franklin from when they first met, years and years ago. As we move forward in the play but backwards in time, we see how their friendships disintegrate, along with their aspirations and Franklin's many whirlwind marriages. Rewinding through the '70s and '60s, we end up in 1957, when the three of them meet for the first time, on a rooftop in the city, all hopeful young talents per-chance gathering to watch Sputnik go by in the pre-dawn sky. The song they sing, 'Our Time' ('We're the movers, we're the shapers/ the names in tomorrow's papers'), is undercut by some very keen irony, since we've already seen how it all turns out, at the beginning.
Lowry's Spotlight Theater closes 20 seasons of entertainment with "You Can't Take It With You" September 1 through 29 at the John Hand Theater in Lowry. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 2:00 p.m. with additional performances on Monday, September 10 and Thursday, September 27 @ 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, September 29 @2:00 p.m. Tickets $12 - $25 and available at www.thisisspotlight.com or by calling 720-530-4596. The John Hand Theater is located at 7653 East 1st Place, Denver, Colorado 80230
Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in its 2017 - 2018 season of Chicago's hit musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway. New Faces Sing Broadway 1975, hosted by Donica Lynn with direction by Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by David Fiorello, is Tuesday, June 5 at The Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 6 at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, at 6:30 p.m. (The Arts Club presentation also includes a pre-show reception at 6:30 p.m. with performance at 7:30 p.m.). In tribute to the original New Faces series that ran on Broadway and on film from 1934 - 1968, Porchlight Music Theatre created the Chicago musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway as a showcase for the best emerging music talent now performing on Chicago stages. Each edition is a "time-machine" journey from the start to the finish of an entire musical season from the classic days of Broadway, peppered with photos and films of the era in an exciting multimedia presentation with a favorite Chicago theatre veteran like Donica Lynn hosting and introducing the next generation of music theatre artists while acting as your guide through a vintage year on the Great White Way. General admission tickets at Skokie Theatre are $22 and at The Arts Club of Chicago are $35 and are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or at the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.
Porchlight Music Theatre made its debut at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, with its hit musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway 1959, hosted by Gene Weygandt, directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo with music direction by David Fiorello, Tuesday, February 27.
Porchlight Music Theatre announces Merrily We Roll Along, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, with direction by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber, associate direction and musical staging by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham has been extended through March 17 at Porchlght's home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Merrily We Roll Along is based on the play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.
This February, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.
Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the next mainstage production it its 2017 - 2018 season Merrily We Roll Along, January 26 - March 11, 2018, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, with direction by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Director Michael Weber, associate direction and musical staging by Porchlight Music Theatre Artistic Associate Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham at Porchlght's home, the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn Street. Merrily We Roll Along is based on the play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The performance schedule is Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. (March 4 and March 11) and 6 p.m. (February 4, February 11, February 18 and February 25) with a weekday matinee Thursday, March 8 at 1:30 p.m. There is no 4 p.m. performance Saturday, Feb. 3 and no 7:30 p.m. performance on Thursday, March 8. Tickets are $33 - $60 and are available at PorchlightMusicTheatre.org or by calling the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.
Lakeland's 2017-18 season concludes with the passionate and oft-misunderstood musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth Merrily We Roll Along which opens on February 2, 2018 and runs for three weeks at Lakeland Community College's Rodehorst Performing Arts Center. Merrily. Merrily is directed by Martin Friedman and under the Musical Direction of by Jordan Cooper.
Lakeland's 2017-18 season concludes with the passionate and oft-misunderstood musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth Merrily We Roll Along which opens on February 2, 2018 and runs for three weeks at Lakeland Community College's Rodehorst Performing Arts Center. Merrily. Merrily is directed by Martin Friedman and under the Musical Direction of by Jordan Cooper.
Cinema Arts Centre will screen the new MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG documentary BEST WORST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED on Today, February 28 at 7:30 pm, with original 'Merrily' cast members Mana Allen and Paul Hyams set for a discussion following the film.
Cinema Arts Centre will screen the new MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG documentary BEST WORST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED on Tuesday, February 28 at 7:30 pm, with original 'Merrily' cast members Mana Allen and Paul Hyams set for a discussion following the film.
The 2015-16 Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Musical Concert Series at Rubicon Theatre Company concludes with a concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.
The 2015-16 Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Musical Concert Series at Rubicon Theatre Company concludes with a concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.
Harry Enfield will play studio boss Herman Glogauer in Christopher Hart's adaptation of Kaufman and Hart's classic Hollywood comedy, Once in a Lifetime.
Enfield is joined in the cast of Richard Jones' production by John Marquez as George and Claudie Blakley as May, with further casting still to be announced.
Lonny Price's 'Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened' is set to screen as part of the Special Events of the 54th New York Film Festival (September 30 - October 16). Below, check out a clip from the documentary, in which Hal Prince and Stephen Sondheim discuss their new 'show about kids.'
Special Events will feature the world premiere of Lonny Price's Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened, a nonfiction account of Stephen Sondheim and Harold Prince's 1981 musical-flop-turned-cult-favorite Merrily We Roll Along, with Price and theater luminary Sondheim in person. Thirty-five years later in the world of musicals, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton is a Broadway sensation. Alex Horwitz's Hamilton's America goes behind the history of the Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning production, and makes its world premiere at NYFF with the director and special guests to be announced.
The Film Society of Lincoln Center announces the Special Events section and “An Evening with…” honorees for the 54th New York Film Festival.
Today in 1981, Merrily We Roll Along closed at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon Theatre), where it ran for 16 performances. Merrily We Roll Along is a musical with a book by George Furth and lyrics and music by Stephen Sondheim. It is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Furth and Sondheim retained the basic structure and overall theme of the play but updated it to encompass the period from 1957 to 1976. The story revolves around Franklin Shepard who, having once been a talented composer of Broadway musicals, has now abandoned his friends and his songwriting career to become a producer of Hollywood flicks. Like the play, the musical begins at the height of his Hollywood fame and moves backwards in time, showing snapshots of the most important moments in Frank's life that shaped the man that he is today.
Sharon Playhouse, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Simpkins and Managing Director Justin Ball, presents a rare staging of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Merrily We Roll Along from tonight, July 15, through July 19.
Sharon Playhouse, under the leadership of Artistic DirectorJohn Simpkins and Managing Director Justin Ball, presents a rare staging of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Merrily We Roll Along from July 15 through 19. Check out a sneak peek below!
Sharon Playhouse, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Simpkins and Managing Director Justin Ball, presents a rare staging of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Merrily We Roll Along from July 15 through 19.
Sharon Playhouse, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Simpkins and Managing Director Justin Ball, has announced initial casting and creative teams for its 2015 Season with the musicals My Fair Lady, Merrily We Roll Along, and Little Shop of Horrors on the Mainstage; Ed Dixon's new play Georgie: The Life and Death of George Rose and True Love on Stage 2 in the Bok Gallery. The Youth Theatre will present the Tony-winning Peter and the Starcatcher.
Temple Theaters continues its 47th Season with Merrily We Roll Along, Directed by Brandon McShaffrey, with musical direction by Bryan DeSilva. Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, the show runs tonight, March 12-22.
Temple Theaters continues its 47th Season with Merrily We Roll Along, Directed by Brandon McShaffrey, with musical direction by Bryan DeSilva. Featuring music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, the show runs March 12-22. Based on a 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, in which a playwright sacrifices his principles for popularity, Merrily We Roll Along examines artistic integrity and ambition against the backdrop of the 60s and 70s. Staged simply in the intimate Randall Theater with two pianos, this production allows the Sondheim's moving score to take center stage.
Sharon Playhouse, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Simpkins and Managing Director Justin Ball, announces the 2015 summer season of musicals and plays My Fair Lady, Merrily We Roll Along, Little Shop of Horrors, Georgie: The Life and Death of George Rose, Peter and the Starcatcher, and the new musical, True Love.
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