Sharon Playhouse's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, Starring Jason Tam & More, Begins Tonight

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.

On July 18 following the 8pm performance there will be a discussion with noted theater historian Jennifer Ashley Tepper on the history of this fabled Sondheim work. Anyone with a ticket for that evening's performance can attend. The discussion will also feature cast members of past productions of the show - including the original Broadway cast, the 1994 York Theatre revival, and the 2012 Encores staging - alongside the Sharon Playhouse cast.

Merrily We Roll Along is directed by John Simpkins, with choreography by Jennifer Werner, and music direction by Eric Kang.

Sharon Playhouse's production features Jason Tam as Franklin Shepard, A.J. Shively as Charley Kringas, Lauren Marcus as Mary Flynn, Sarah Cline as Gussie, David Fanning as Joe, and Evan Fine as Frank, Jr. The ensemble includes Emma Camp, Mac Cherny, Jack Flatley, Elena Juliano, Naree Ketudat, Alyssa Lundberg, Mac Myles, Stephanie Meadowcroft, Megan Mistretta, Thomas Prast, and Owen Russell.

The design team includes Brian Prather (sets), Clifton Taylor (lights), Michelle Eden Humphrey (costumes), and Brad Berridge (sound). Taylor Wilkerson is production stage manager. Geoff Josselson is casting director.

The authors of the landmark musical Company reunite to turn the traditional showbiz musical on its head in this thrilling and compelling Broadway fable about friendship, compromise and the high price of success. Merrily We Roll Along moves backwards in time from 1976 to 1957 and examines the lives of Franklin, Charley and Mary whose friendship is tested by time, events, ambition and fate. Inspired by the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, the powerful and moving story features some of Sondheim's best known songs including 'Good Thing Going', 'Not a Day Goes By' and ' Old Friends.'

Jim Walton, Lonny Price, Ann Morrison, Liz Callaway, Tonya Pinkins, and Jason Alexander starred in the original cast directed by Harold Prince. Although unsuccessful in its original 1981 Broadway production (which ran 16 performances at the Alvin Theatre), Merrily has gained in stature and reputation over the ensuing years, beginning with a reconfigured version at the La Jolla Playhouse in California in 1985, directed by James Lapine. An Off-Broadway revival, directed by Susan H. Schulman, opened on May 26, 1994 at the York Theatre in St. Peter's Church. The cast included Malcolm Gets, Adam Heller, Danny Burstein, and Michele Pawk. The Tony-winning City Center Encores! presented Merrily in concert in 2012 starring Colin Donnell, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Celia Kennan-Bolger, Betsy Wolfe, and Elizabeth Stanley.

Performances times for Merrily We Roll Along this week, July 15-19, at the Sharon Playhouse are Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm, with matinees Thursday at 2pm, Saturday and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are $20-$47 by calling (860) 364-SHOW (7469) or online at www.sharonplayhouse.org.