Merrily We Roll Along (1994 Off-Broadway Revival Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Merrily We Roll Along (1994 Off-Broadway Revival Cast)
Free Music Review: One of the greats!
Hit: 5 Stars
One of the finest recordings of a Sondheim musical. A classicFree Music Review: Third recording of MERRILY
Hit: 3 Stars
The original 1981 production played 6 weeks of previews before opening to crushingly bad reviews. Two weeks later it closed. The day after the final performance the cast assembled at RCA's New York studios to record the cast album. In 1985 a revised production directed by James Lapine opened at the LaJolla playhouse and received encouraging reviews. More revisions lead to other productions and 1992 it was given a production at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester and that production was given a lavish 2 CD recording by John Yap and issued on TER in England and later on JAY in the U.S. This was followed in May 1994 -just a few weeks after PASSION opened on Broadway - by an off-off-Broadway York Theatre Company revival that received generally better reviews than the original received. It was recorded by Varese-Sarabande. Both the Leicester cast and York casts use the revised version with an altered tune stack.
1. OVERTURE - In 1981 the Overture was a complete piece. In the revised version it cuts off midpoint and segues into the title song.
2. MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG - The original production began with Frank coming back to his former high school to mark 25 years since his graduation. His speech - a caution to the students to be prepared for compromise and frustration was challenged by the students who launched into the title song. As noted above, the revised version begins with the cast singing the song but without any context.
3. THAT FRANK/RICH AND HAPPY - The party scene. In the original Frank's new movie was terrible though none of the guests would tell him to his face. In the revised version the movie is a success. In THAT FRANK the party guests, Mary excepted, sing of Frank's seemingly endless talents. RICH AND HAPPY drew the conclusion that since Frank was rich and successful he must therefore be happy as well. Both songs use the same accompaniment.
4. OLD FRIENDS/LIKE IT WAS - originally in a separate scene in 1975 at a restaurant where Mary hopes to encourage reconciliation between Charley and Frank. In the revised version this number was placed as a lead in to the 3rd scene, tightening the narrative.
5. FRANKLIN SHEPARD, INC. - this song remains virtually unchanged. In the original Frank walked off the stage of the TV talk show at the end of the song ending his and Charley's partnership. In the revised version, borrowing some dialogue from the deleted restaurant scene, Frank makes it very clear that he is furious with Charley and that their friendship is finished.
6. OLD FRIENDS - though the dialogue scene leading into this song was changed for the revised version, the song remains the same.
7. GROWING UP - added to the revised version. The OLD FRIENDS scene continues after everyone leaves Frank alone in his new apartment and he muses on his friendship with Mary and Charley. Later Gussie arrives having left her husband - Frank and Charley's producer - and intent on moving in with Frank.
8. NOT A DAY GOES BY - this song changed hands a lot. Originally - in previews - Frank's soon-to-be ex-wife Beth sang it on the steps outside the courthouse. The actress playing Beth could not sing it so they re-assigned the song to Frank with a modified lyric. In the revised version it was restored to Beth and the original lyric is used.
9. NOW YOU KNOW - some lyric changes but essentially the same song. The original Broadway production incorporated a dance section that recapped the first act score (in forward sequence) using NOW YOU KNOW, OLD FRIENDS, FRANKLIN SHEPARD INC and RICH AND HAPPY. The dance segment was not recorded and was dropped from the revised version.
10. ENTR'ACTE/ACT TWO OPENING - in the revised version Act Two opens with Gussie onstage performing GOOD THING GOING. The original began Act Two with the scene outside the theatre as the friends listened to the audience reaction.
11. IT'S A HIT! - Essentially the same but loses a clever short section about selling out (Charley: Even if (the show) is a smash, doesn't that mean we sell out? Producer: Well, I hope we sell out! Charley: What I mean is sell out. Well you know...")
12. THE BLOB/GOOD THING GOING - THE BLOB was cut in previews and not included on the OCR. It was restored for the revised version. Note the main melody is the same tune used for GROWING UP. GOOD THING GOING is essentially the same.
13. BOBBY AND JACKIE AND JACK - the revised version slightly trims the number.
14. NOT A DAY GOES BY - Originally a trio for Mary, Frank and Beth at the wedding of the latter two. When Beth lost the song in Act One she was cut out of the Act Two version as well. Frank sang it to Beth as his wedding vow while Mary quietly, sadly duetted from the sidelines. The trio version is restored to the revised version.
15. OPENING DOORS
16. OUR TIME
These two remain essentially the same.
17. THE HILLS OF TOMORROW - The revised version ends with OUR TIME. The original version had a short final scene in 1955 as Frank finishes his valedictory speech to the class. They then sing a song he and his friend Charley have written. The classmates smile, there is a flash as their class picture is taken and the curtain slowly falls on these smiling faces. It was a fine ending to the show and I wish this (and the opening graduation scene) would be restored. Otherwise the revised script is in every way superior.
Sound-wise the newer recordings have a crisp, clean sound though the orchestra is roughly half the size of the original. The first cast is pretty hard to beat. If you are doing the show only the revised script is available, so you will want one of the new recordings. Jay's 2 CD set is most complete and includes some of the dialogue. V/S has the wonderful Malcolm Gets as Franklin.
Free Music Review: Tempos too slow!
Hit: 3 Stars
Okay, just a few little notes on this one. If you don't have the original cast recording from 1981 or whenever, this one will do because it's a great, great score...but the earlier album is much more brassy and energetic, i.e., FUN! This is such an exciting show to listen to...it just zips right along, like musical popcorn exploding around luscious ballads. (I always get choked up during "Our Time".) "Opening Doors" is my favorite; it's like a whole Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney Lets-Put-On-a-Show musical crammed into ten minutes. (Cast members have said that this number, which condenses two years at breakneck pace, is a true nightmare to rehearse. Someone always comes in late, right up till dress rehearsal!) Speaking of pace, in this version it seems like the tempos in many of the songs are a shade too slow. This is noticeable on the album's very first song, ("Yeeesteeerdaaaay is dooooone"), and really bothers me in "Bobby and Jackie and Jack", a rollicking number that takes on a sort of dirge-like quality here. Here's the reason the first recording is superior, though: Without pointing fingers or naming names, the voices on display there are just better suited to the roles. On the plus side, a good thing about this version is a reprise of the tender "Good Thing Going" that's orchestrated to sound really torchy and sleazy. This is done to show how the character of Frank has commercialized his music, but I was surprised by how catchy it sounded that way! Also, there's a funny bit in "That Frank" where Mary brings a gossipy party to a screeching halt by getting drunk, and Frank makes her some coffee. After a shocked silence, the chorus whispers, "Poor Frank / He handled that well..." (Maybe you have to hear it, but it made me laugh.) Also, there's a new number called "It's a Hit" that has a weird, discordant section that sounds exactly like "Sweeney Todd"! Aside from these interesting little bits, though, I like the earlier version best...Free Music Review: A great score, a not-so-great recording
Hit: 3 Stars
Merrily We Roll Along has a fantastic score, consistently up to Sondheim's usual sstandard of excellence. (As for the show- well, the show will probably never be any good, no matter how often the book is revised.) This recording, however, is not as good as it could have been. Slick is probably the best word for it; there is a synthesized sheen on every track. Also, some of the voices in the supporting cast are rather annoying- too strident and nasal. The principals are mostly good, however. The orchestrations lean WAY too heavily on keyboards for my liking, but sometimes thats how it has to be done, I suppose. Anyway, the merits of the score far outweigh the drawbacks of this CD.Free Music Review: Incredible score, poor recording
Hit: 3 Stars
This is one of the best Sondheim scores, and certainly my favorite, with some really beautiful, moving songs. Unfortunately, this particular recording lacks the energy and emotion, and sadly the vocal quality, of the original 1982 cast recording. Maybe it's the synthesized score? Do yourself a favor, and purchase the original recording before it goes out of print again.