Merrily We Roll Along 1981 - Articles Page 14

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, today announced complete casting for the company's upcoming new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical PASSION, to be directed by John Doyle (director of the acclaimed Broadway revivals of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and Company). Joining previously announced Melissa Errico (Clara), Judy Kuhn (Fosca) and Ryan Silverman (Giorgio) in the production are Stephen Bogardus (Colonel Ricci), Jeffry Denman (Lieutenant Barri), Jason Michael Evans (Private Augenti), Amy Justman (understudy), Ken Krugman (Lieutenant Torasso), Orville Mendoza (Sergeant Lombardi), Tom Nelis (Doctor Tambourri) and Will Reynolds (Major Rizzoli/Ludovic). PASSION is slated to begin performances on February 8, 2013 at CSC (136 East 13th Street), with an official press opening scheduled for Thursday, February 28, playing a limited engagement through Sunday, April 7. Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at Noon on Thursday, January 3.

Today we are talking to a Tony Award-winning Broadway and Hollywood notable all about his terrifically theatrical background - having appeared in musicals ranging from his debut in the ill-fated MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG to his Tony Award-winning work in JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY to most recent role as the artistic director of LA's lauded Reprise! Theatre Company - the one and only Jason Alexander. Expounding upon his big Broadway break in Stephen Sondheim & Harold Prince's MERRILY and what it was like to witness the two titans as they developed the piece, Alexander shares his insights into the art of Broadway and also casts a glance back at his roles in Kander & Ebb's THE RINK, Mel Brooks's THE PRODUCERS and directing Sondheim‘s musicals himself (such as SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE with frequent InDepth InterView participant Kelli O‘Hara). Alexander also opens up about some of his most celebrated dramatic and comedic work to date - to say nothing of the iconic TV dynasty of SEINFELD, we also touch upon the TV movie musicals adaptation of A CHRISTMAS CAROL (with a score by Alan Menken & Lynn Ahrens), co-starring Kelsey Grammer, and Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, (with fellow InDepth InterView participant Bernadette Peters), as well as his recent appearance on HARRY'S LAW and more. Plus, Alexander outlines his featured role in the forthcoming Christopher Ashley feature film adaptation of the Ahrens & Flaherty musical comedy LUCKY STIFF, the future for a revival of the Richard Rodgers/Martin Charnin Bible-based Moses musical TWO BY TWO (co-starring SMASH's Megan Hilty once again, perhaps?) - and much, much more!

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG began performances 16 November 2012 - 23 February 2013. Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, with triple Olivier award winner Maria Friedman are making her professional directorial debut at the Chocolate Factory.

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.

According to a feature about the new UK arena touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar in the Sydney Morning Herald, Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals he would like to collaborate with Stephen Sondheim.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seeking nominations for the 2013 Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards - a series of annual grants that recognize inspiring teachers across the United States. Now in their third year, the awards were created in honor of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday. The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards are presented each year on Sondheim's birthday ----March 22----to a handful of teachers, kindergarten through college, who are nominated via the Kennedy Center website (kennedy-center.org/sondheimteacherawards).

The Public Theater announced today that Tony Award winner Denis O'Hare has been cast as The Baker in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's beloved musical INTO THE WOODS, directed by Timothy Sheader with co-direction by Liam Steel. INTO THE WOODS will be O'Hare's Shakespeare in the Park debut. Previews begin on Monday, July 23 at the Delacorte Theater and continue for five weeks through Saturday, August 25, with an official press opening on Thursday, August 9.

Geva Theatre Center's 2011-2012 Wilson Mainstage Season concludes with Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's musical Company, which begins performances tonight, May 9 and runs in the Elaine P. Wilson Mainstage through June 10.

Cindy Adams writes in today's New York Post that James Lapine will executive produce a documentary on Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim. The film, due out next year, will include 'material is on Sondheim's life, fresh interviews he's not given before, videos and new versions of his songs.'

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner announced today that acclaimed/awarding winning actresses Judy Kuhn and Melissa Errico will star as Fosca and Clara in the company's new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical PASSION, to be directed by John Doyle (the Tony Award-winning revivals of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and Company). PASSION is slated to begin performances in February, 2013. Additional casting will be announced in the coming weeks and months, as well as full creative team. PASSION opened on Broadway in May of 1994 and received the Tony Award that year for Best Musical.

Geva Theatre Center's 2011-2012 Wilson Mainstage Season concludes with Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's musical Company, which begins performances on May 9 and runs in the Elaine P. Wilson Mainstage through June 10.

A 25th anniversary production of the imaginative, fractured-fairy tale musical "Into the Woods" by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim will be staged at the theater where Sondheim was an apprentice in 1950, Westport Country Playhouse, in Westport, CT, May 1 through May 26. Directed by Mark Lamos, the Playhouse's artistic director, the musical will open the historic theater's 82nd season. It is co-produced with Baltimore's CENTERSTAGE.

The Public Theater has announced additional casting today for the 50th Anniversary season of free Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte. David Furr (Orlando) and Stephen Spinella (Jaques) join the previously announced MacIntyre Dixon (Adam), Renee Elise Goldsberry (Celia), Omar Metwally (Oliver), and Lily Rabe (Rosalind) in Shakespeare's comedy AS YOU LIKE IT, directed by Daniel Sullivan.

PS Classics is now taking preorders for a new two-disc cast recording of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, performed by the cast of New York City Center's Encores! 2012 production. The album is set for general release on June 19.

According to the London Evening Standard, theater powerhouses Stephen Sondheim and David Ives have teamed up on a new musical, which is currently in the earliest phases of composition. The Standard reports: 'Sondheim speaks of pushing forward and says he has '20 or 30 minutes' written of a new musical that he is collaborating on with American playwright David Ives, a New York regular little known in London.'

The Dramatists Guild of America presents its In the Room series, broadcasting archived audio, unheard by the public since their original recording. In the Room features some of the most influential and celebrated playwrights, composers and lyricists in American theatre, sharing their insight to craft, process and personal stories behind creating some of their most celebrated work. Featured this week is a vintage interview with theatre legend Stephen Sondheim as he chats about lyrics back in 1971.

Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, the first New York City Center Encores! production of the season, plays its final performance today at New York City Center, and features Colin Donnell, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elizabeth Stanley, Betsy Wolfe and Adam Grupper. Merrily We Roll Along, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth, is directed by James Lapine with music direction by Rob Berman and musical staging by Dan Knechtges. Check out performance highlights from the production below!

Whether you've been living under a rock for the past week, or you're just in the mood for a recap of everything theatre, BroadwayWorld's feature, 'This Week in Pictures' is here to satisfy your end of the week fix. Take a look below to catch up on the latest happenings from the Great White Way to the West End (and everywhere in between) with coverage of press events, rehearsals, opening nights and more! For last week's biggest events: visit THIS WEEK IN PICTURES: February 4-10.

19 cast members of the original 1981 Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, including leading actors Lonny Price, Ann Morrison and Jim Walton, were reunited at New York City Center for a reception and performance of the City Center Encores! production on Tuesday, February 14. It was an event we would not have missed and BroadwayWorld has been bringing you photos and video highlights of the event throughout the week. This morning, we take you inside the opening night reception and joyful curtain call, during which both companies joined in for a chorus of 'Old Friends' along with Stephen Sondheim himself.

19 cast members of the original 1981 Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, including leading actors Lonny Price, Ann Morrison and Jim Walton, were reunited at New York City Center for a reception and performance of the City Center Encores! production last night, February 14. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the special show and brings you exclusive footage of both casts performing 'Old Friends', featuring a special cameo by Stephen Sondheim! Stay tuned for complete video coverage of the evening.

19 cast members of the original 1981 Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, including leading actors Lonny Price, Ann Morrison and Jim Walton, were reunited at New York City Center for a reception and performance of the City Center Encores! production last night, February 14. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the emotional curtain call and brings you photo coverage below!

19 cast members of the original 1981 Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, including leading actors Lonny Price, Ann Morrison and Jim Walton, were reunited at New York City Center for a reception and performance of the City Center Encores! production of Merrily We Roll Along yesterday. Check out our exclusive photos of the evening. Stephen Sondheim joined original and Encores! cast onstage for the reception and during the curtain call.

The original Broadway cast album of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Merrily We Roll Along is one of those handful of recordings - like Mack and Mabel and Candide - that a musical theatre lover can listen to hundreds of times without hearing a clue as to why the show flopped.  The quick answer, and usually the most unfair one, is 'the book.'  More often, though, the more complete answer is ambition.

19 cast members of the original 1981 Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, including leading actors Lonny Price, Ann Morrison and Jim Walton, were reunited at New York City Center for a reception and performance of the City Center Encores! production of Merrily We Roll Along yesterday. Check out our exclusive photos of the evening.

19 cast members of the original 1981 Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, including leading actors Lonny Price, Ann Morrison and Jim Walton, will be reunited at New York City Center for a reception and performance of the City Center Encores! production of Merrily We Roll Along on Tuesday, February 14.