MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG – Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Book by George Furth. Directed by Bernie Cardell; Musical Direction by Brandon Bill; Choreography by Adrienne Hampton. Produced by Vintage Theatre (1468 Dayton Street, Aurora) through October 19. Tickets available at 303-856-7830 or VintageTheatre.org.
Imagine, if you can, the opening night of the first Broadway preview of this show. The young cast in their (usually) first Broadway show – all of them aspiring singers and dancers, counting on their good fortune of being in a new Sondheim musical directed by Broadway legend Hal Prince. They peek through the curtains, seeing a full house eager to be entertained. They have worked hard all through rehearsals to do justice to this new script and songs. Looking again through the curtains at intermission to see the house now half empty from all the people who left as soon as they could! Going back to the rehearsal room the next day and starting to rework the show with new songs in and old songs out, with new dialogue and relationships differently portrayed. After 44 preview performances that included changes in the cast, book, and score, finally a “real” opening night. But still, dreams were shattered by dreadful reviews, leading to the show closing after only 16 performances. The Broadway Gods of Sondheim and Prince were mortal after all.
But Sondheim never really gave up on this piece. He collaborated with new productions over the years, allowing changes to the script making the complicated device of going backwards through the working lives of the three “old” friends from end to beginning more cohesive. He rearranged songs, added a new one occasionally, wrote for adults instead of young actors, until we finally have the version that has been popularly revived on Broadway to great success. This is the version being presented currently at Vintage Theatre which does them proud.
By combining the top-notch production talent of Bernie Cardell to tell the story, Brandon Bill to teach the music, and Adrianne Hampton to choreograph the dances, they have found the heart of the story and a smooth uncomplicated way of telling it. As the three leads walk on to the stage in the middle of a post-show party of yet another successful 1976 production by Franklin Shepard, we revel in their collective success. It is only as the scene progresses that we learn at what price this success has cost. The musical moves from this dubious success backwards through struggle, all the way to the casual introductions and spoken dreams of three kids in New York in 1957 watching Sputnik fly over the US for the first time.
The equally successful pairing of Patric Case, Jason Rexx, and Kara Morrissey as the three friends certainly guaranteed a sweet-sounding, well-acted production. Patric is fresh off a long-running stint of shows at Candlelight Dinner Playhouse. His entrance on stage as Franklin Shepard, successful movie producer, in a gorgeous white tuxedo (thank you, Susan; thank you, Patric) will make your heart go pitty-pat. That wouldn’t count if he didn’t follow it up with beautiful renderings from the Sondheim songbook and the delicious turmoil of having to grow up in painful ways. Jason Rexx has made a splash in some of the better musicals around Denver, most recently in SOMETHING’S ROTTEN as the sexy Shakespeare in leather pants. This role as Frank’s writing partner, Charlie, allows him to go a little deeper into disappointment and anger. His bitter song about “Franklin Shepard, Inc.” is a tongue-twister of the highest order, but Jason nails it. The distaff side of the trio is well-represented by Kara Morrissey as Mary, the now-successful writer who is the emotional glue that holds them together. Her heartfelt repetition of “Old Friends” under distressingly difficult times almost works every time. Her from-the-beginning secret is finally revealed during a reprise of “Not a Day Goes By” in the second act.
This core trio is ably supported by Miranda Byers in the thankless role of the conniving and self-serving actress Gussie, who uses men to advance her career. The only glimpse of her inner turmoil is glimpsed in the duet “Growing Up.” Madison Falkenstein does a standout job as Beth, Franklin’s first wife, who gets the best song in the whole show when singing “Not a Day Goes By” for the first time. Charley, Frank, and Beth share a delightful cabaret song riffing on the Kennedys called “Bobbie and Jackie and Jack” at the start of their collective careers.
A well-rounded cast of supporting characters fill the role of people in their collective lives and the always-present and wise ensemble looking on. These include Evan Marquez, Isabella Sanchez, Erica Caruso, Jerod Mose, Shaina Levison, Matt Kok, and Amy Sheff in a variety of smaller but crucial roles.
All together they display the difficulty of negotiating the dreams they all bought into in their youth with the changing needs of your life as an adult. “There’s so much stuff to sing” in the beginning. At the end, during the first song, when Mary is asked what she does, she answers, “I drink.” “No, what do you really do?” “I really drink” and sums up the fall of the trio.
The set design by Don Fuller allows for the smooth transition between scenes; the costume designs by Susan Rahmsdorff-Terry make all the men handsome and all the women beautiful. Emily Maddox, Light Designer, makes everyone look good, while Luke Rahmsdorff-Terry helps them sound good. Jennifer Schmitz, Stage Manager, keeps everything running smoothly both backstage and on without blinking.
Denver patrons have come to depend on Vintage’s talented casts and crews to provide a superlative evening of entertainment. Here’s another one in their long history of truth-telling productions.
A WOW factor of 8.75!
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