Overview
Synopsis
Based on George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s 1934 play of the same name, Merrily We Roll Along follows the successful career of Broadway composer turned Hollywood producer Franklin Shepard backward in time. Throughout the course of the show, during which time regresses from 1976 to 1957, we learn how Frank accomplished this - with the help of his best friends Charley (who writes the books and lyrics) and Mary (who is a writer in her own right and is always around for support and guidance). The trio of friends are inspired to become big players in American musical theatre and book writing and to “change the world” after witnessing the Russian Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, orbiting the earth on a cold October night. However, over time, Franklin learns what the cost of fame and fortune is, losing and alienating his beloved friends and family along the way and giving up his original dreams for ones with more financial and fewer emotional benefits. Those who began the journey with him do not end up at the end of it with him, and though Franklin has fame, fortune, and success, he ultimately realizes that he has left himself with nothing of any value.
Show Information
Context
Broadway producer and director Harold Prince’s wife Judy kept “nagging” him to put on a musical about teenagers, so he brought George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart’s 1934 play, Merrily We Roll Along, to Stephen Sondheim for their next project. Kaufman and Hart’s play went backward in time and recounted in reverse the slow but steady personal decline of a famous, pretentious playwright. The creative team made the decisions to keep the time structure the same but to bring the story into the recent
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Act One
As the curtain rises, we see a slideshow of three friends (Franklin Shepard, Charley Kringas, and Mary Flynn) throughout their childhoods and in their adult lives, which tells us the story we are about to see. The final slide depicts a formal invitation for a party at the Bel Air, California, home of Franklin Shepard to celebrate the release of his new movie, Darkness Before Dawn. Thusly, the company enters and philosophically sings about the passage of time and questions how
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Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Merrily We Roll Along.
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Songs
Act I
- "Merrily We Roll Along" – Company
- "That Frank" – Company
- "Transition 1" – Company
- "Old Friends/Like It Was" - Mary, Charley
- "Franklin Shepard, Inc." – Charley
- "Transition 2" – Company
- "Old Friends" – Mary, Frank, Charley
- "Growing Up" – Frank, Gussie
- "Transition 3" – Company
- "Not a Day Goes By" – Beth
- "Now You Know" – Scotty, Mary, Tyler, Charley, Frank, Joe, Jerome, K.T., Company
Act II
- "Act 2 Opening" – Gussie
- "It's a Hit" – Joe, Frank, Mary, Beth, Charley
- "Transition 4" – Company
- "The Blob" – Gussie, Charley, Frank, Dory, Joe, Company
- "Growing Up" (Reprise) – Gussie
- "Good Thing Going" – Charley, Frank
- "Transition 5" – Company
- "Bobby and Jackie and Jack" – Charley, Beth, Frank, Pianist
- "Not a Day Goes By" (Reprise) – Beth, Mary, Frank
- "Transition 6" – Tyler, Dory
- "Opening Doors" – Charley, Frank, Mary, Joe, 1st Girl, Beth
- "Transition 7" – Beth, Frank Jr., Mrs. Spencer
- "Our Time" – Frank, Charley, Company
There are two songs from the original 1981 Broadway production that do not exist in the current licensed version: “Rich and Happy” (which has been replaced by “That Frank”), and “The Hills of Tomorrow” (which bookended the show in a high school graduation sequence). Additionally, instead of each of the transitions, reprises of “Merrily We Roll Along” marked the transitions from one scene to the next.
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Key Terms
An adaptation is a reworking of a story from one medium or cultural context into another, such as turning a novel into a play or updating a classic play’s setting. Adaptations often reinterpret themes, characters, and style for new audiences. They can range from faithful recreations to bold reimaginings.
A musical with a well-structured narrative that integrates songs, dialogue, and dance to advance plot and character development.
A person who writes original music for a production, including scores for musicals, operas, or incidental music for plays.
The group of individuals responsible for the creative and logistical aspects of a theatre production, including the director, designers, stage manager, and crew leaders.
A sentimental ballad about unrequited love, often featured in musicals or cabaret performances.
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