A play ‘rolls along’ nearly a century after a clunky debut

When "Merrily We Roll Along“ debuted in 1934 and hit Broadway in 1981, the play, a story inspired by the lives and friendships of three friends over a 20-year period, flopped.

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A number of critics of both productions pointed to how confusing going back and forth with eras was for the audience. However, revivals have featured updated versions of the show that are easier to follow.

Revival Theatre Company is featuring a revamped take on "Merrily We Roll Along," which will run from Friday, Feb. 13 to Sunday, Feb. 22 at CSPS Hall.

"’Merrily We Roll Along’ is exciting and challenging," Revival Theatre Company Executive and Artistic Director Brian Glick said. "It's not easy."

The poignant and compelling work was created by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. An idea from iconic theatrical director Hal Prince's wife during the late '70s, the play about teenagers entering the world of entertainment was revived. Prince decided to dust off "Merrily We Roll Along " in 1980 and floated the idea to his frequent collaborator, Stephen Sondheim, who agreed to write the music and lyrics. George Furth ("Getting Away with Murder“ and "Twigs") wrote the book.

Poor reviews led to a brief run of 60 performances. However, throughout the years, with Furth's and Sondheim's permission, the musical has been staged with numerous changes. New songs from Sondheim updated the production.

"The first draw is Sondheim," Glick said. "Sondheim was always so ahead of the curve."

Some of the prettiest songs Sondheim has ever written are featured in "Merrily We Roll Along." The tunes are lovely and perfectly contrast the three focal points, who are less than lovable.

"The characters are all bitter," Glick said.

When all of the characters are flawed and often miserable, it's a challenge to connect with an audience.

"What you have to do in this situation is find where the bitterness comes from," Glick said. "Where does the hurt come from. With 'Merrily We Go Along,’ it's about relationships falling apart. The challenge we have is to make these characters likable, and then the whole story is happening backwards."

The Revival Theater Company is adopting the York Theatre production, which debuted Off-Broadway in 1994. The plot revolves around Frank Shepard, who is portrayed by Brandon Burkhardt, a famous songwriter and eventual film producer. The story is told in reverse over a 20-year period. The show details Shepard's rise from a penniless optimist to a powerful Hollywood producer who sells out. The audience sees what he lost to get to the top.

The show lacks the confusion that plagued early productions. The Revival Theatre Company utilizes built in transitions, which note the era and multi-media devices are used as well.

"The audience will know that it's 1968 or 1976," Glick said. "They'll know by the costumes and when they talk about the Vietnam War ending."

The Revival Theatre Company production is bolstered by the addition of Broadway and national touring instrumentalist Mike Livingston.

"Merrily We Roll Along" is receiving unprecedented notice thanks to the 2023 Broadway revival featuring Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter fame. Radcliffe won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Charlie Kringas.

Director Richard Linklater is taking a page out of his "Boyhood" book by shooting a cinematic version of "Merrily We Roll Along“ over a 20-year period." Linklater will finish the film in 2039.

Nearly a century after the initial version of "Merrily We Roll Along," the production is more popular than ever.

"It helps when Daniel Radcliffe is in a production," Glick said. "'It's great that ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ caught on."

The show has survived since adjustments were made.

"Valuable lessons were learned from the original," Glick said. "They learned not to do a mature play with young kids. The (original) opening number was lackluster. The show was massaged and guided over the years. It's as if a recipe were being perfected. York Theatre did it right. There's been changes since then. We're working on cleaning up some of the dialogue so we can present the best possible version."