Merrily We Roll Along

Director’s Notes

How do you stage a musical with a live band in the tiniest of the city’s theatres? How do you convince people of a show that has been called the ‘Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened’? How do you condense a full Broadway ensemble to a mere 8 actors and ask them to perform one of the most complicated musical theatre scores? When I decided to put on Stephen Sondheim’s often forgotten masterpiece, "Merrily We Roll Along," all these questions ran through my mind. The answer was simple: surround yourself with the most dedicated, skilled, and passionate team of performers and creatives whose enthusiasm for this show almost exceeded my own. This show has been an absolute labour of love for me and the entire team.

 Thank you so much to Ad Astra for the opportunity to stage this show. Their passion for programming interesting and challenging theatre is driving our local theatre scene forward. Thank you to the creative team: Ben Murray, Tess Hill, James Shaw, and Wes Bluff. Your work, as always, was full of skill and passion that resonates throughout the stage. Thank you to our band led by Ben, who make this incredibly complex score sound incredible. A very special thank you to Stage Manager/Production Manager Caitlin Scott, who has gone above and beyond every single day to get this show on stage. Finally, thank you to this phenomenal cast. They have worked so hard and dug so deep to explore every corner of this complex and dense show. I won’t say more because I think their work speaks for itself.

 "Merrily We Roll Along" is a fascinating character study. It boasts a quintessential Sondheim score and complex narrative structure. In short, it is everything you want a great musical to be. Yet it is rarely performed. In an age where we see too many blockbuster musicals over and over again, it is such a privilege to have the opportunity to bring this masterpiece to a Queensland stage for the first time. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have enjoyed bringing it to you. It’s our time, and we are just going to breathe it in.

 Tim Hill

Director

About the musical

Merrily We Roll Along is a 1981 American musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth.

Merrily We Roll Along begins in the present and moves backwards, tracing the lives of wealthy, jaded composer Franklin Shepard and his two estranged friends through each milestone of their personal and professional lives (good and bad). The show ends with a touch of rueful irony, as the three best friends at the start of their careers face a bright future: young, talented and enthusiastic about the worlds waiting to be conquered.

Content Warnings: Please be advised that this production uses haze, and contains adult themes, course language, simulated drug use and loud sudden noises.

CAST

Franklin Shepard - Stephen Hirst

Mary Flynn - Natasha Veselinovic

Beth Spencer / Ensemble - Heidi Enchelmaier

Charley Kringas - Alex Watson

Gussie Carnegie / Ensemble - Jordan Twigg

Joe Josephson / Ensemble - Chris Kellett

Meg Kincaid / Ensemble - Chelsea Burton

Male Ensemble - Liam O’Byrne

Frank Jr | Edward Hill (May 19, 24, 25, 30 June 2 & 7)

Frank Jr | Milo White (May 16, 17, 18, 23, 31 June 1, 6 & 8)

CREATIVES AND CREW

Director | Tim Hill

Musical Director | Ben Murray

Choreographer | Tess Hill

Associate Director | James Shaw

Stage Manager | Caitlin Scott

Assistant Stage Manager | Loretta Melit

Production Assistant | Libby Harrison

MUSICIANS

Ben Murray - Keys 1 (also Musical Director as above)

Lucas D. Lynch - Keys 2

Peter Lavrencic - Drums

Reviews

Ad Astra have put together a flawless production of local cast and creatives that leans into the musical’s poignancy and nostalgia not for an era so much as longing back to more youthful days before long term friendships became complicated by life. And all of these factors make it a must see show for musical lovers.

Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains | Read Review Here

When Stephen Sondheim rewrote a 1934 stage play as his new musical Merrily We Roll Along for the 1400-seat Neil Simon (Alvin) Theatre on Broadway, I’m sure he would not have thought that an outstanding performance of his musical would be 40 years in the future in a small 40-seat black box theatre in Brisbane! But I am sure that, wherever he is, the late, great Mr Sondheim would be nodding his approval at the superb cast in Ad Astra’s production.

Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read Review Here

Ad Astra’s debut musical production is Sondheim’s masterpiece Merrily We Roll Along, and, like the title of the Act Two song, it’s a hit! Director Tim Hill has successfully managed to condense a full-scale Broadway musical into a show using a cast of eight performers and an orchestra of three in their intimate, 40-seater black box theatre.

Sarah Sekula - Theatre Travels | Read Review Here

According to theatre director Tim Hill, he asked himself how he could get the massive Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “often forgotten masterpiece” Merrily We Roll Along done in Brisbane’s smallest theatre, Ad Astra. He answered the question admirably by getting a great cast and crew. Friday’s show was to a packed house that thoroughly enjoyed it.

Most of the cast plays ensemble roles. But Jordan Twigg gives a gorgeous femme fatale feel to Gussie’s role. Chris Kellet gives Joe Josephson a creditable New York Jewish accent and feel. Heidi Enchelmaier gives Beth Spencer, Frank’s first wife, a poignancy, difficult to deliver in a musical.

At one point, Alex Watson almost rouses the audience to a standing ovation with Charley Kringas’ spitfire speech/singing. Chelsea Burton plays several characters, but as Meg Kincaid, she’s almost irresistible. Liam O’Byrne creditably camps up his characters. Two young fellows, Edward Hill, and Milo White, apparently play the role of Frank Jr. It seems Milo can look forward to a career in show biz.

Kudos to musical director Ben Murray, choreographer Tess Hill, and the crew for fitting the many facets together in this frolic. It’s fabulous.

Gareth Macready - Dark Stories | Read Review Here

Director Tim Hill, assisted by James Shaw, clearly put a lot of thought into the use of the tiny theatre. His blocking choices and use of the space made the audience never once feel this was a large musical that had been scaled down to fit. If anything, the stage felt expansive and more than enough room to portray the variety of scenes. Casting choices were also perfect, as every role was unique, well-rounded and embraced fully by the actor playing them.

Musical director and conductor Ben Murray did an exceptional job not only conducting the small band but also directing the vocal performances of the cast. The complex harmonies that are often a signature of Sondheim were handled exceptionally and beautifully blended at all times to create a sound that filled the space with richness.

Yasmin Elahi - Queensland Stage Critics | Read Review Here

Director, Tim Hill, has taken a gamble, staging Merrily We Roll Along, in the small studio theatre at Ad Astra. It seems an impossible task to get a live band and a group of talented cast assembled onto this limited stage space. Tim has managed to achieve this successfully. He has taken this not so well- known Sondheim musical, written in 1981, and developed it into a charming and enjoyable boutique style entertainment, which had a cast of eight.

Lilian Harrington - Absolute Theatre | Read Review Here

The main point of difference of this production is taking a show with 21 actors and condensing it down to a mere 8. This reviewer was extremely skeptical at this as it is a very difficult task ensuring all parts are covered in a musical whilst maintaining its integrity, however, director Tim Hill showcased this with ease. At no point did the production feel lackluster or that it was missing pieces, it felt full and completed. Hill's direction was simple but extremely impressive, the blocking was natural and helped the audience understand the backward linear progression of the story.

Jake Goodall - Drama Dispatch | Read Review Here

Actors

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Creatives & Crew

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