Merrily We Roll Along: A Viewer's Guide to Tomorrow's Film
Merrily We Roll Along: A Viewer's Guide to Tomorrow's FilmIt's "Our Time" to savor Sondheim's triumph in theaters
A Chorus Line (FREE): Monday, December 8 at Noon and 7 pm ET, Gail Leondar-Wright will be teaching a FREE class on A Chorus Line. Come learn about the singular sensation that set Broadway ablaze in the 1970s. Gail (usually our Sondheim expert) has a particular fondness for this show, and will present its brilliance with an enthusiasm she usually reserves for the works of The Master. Not to be missed.
Shalom, Broadway lovers!On this week’s marquee: A) a viewer’s guide to the pro-shot of Sondheim and Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along, released tomorrow in theaters; B) a review of a new cruise ship show; C) a review of an off-Broadway show; D) a poll about screen versions of Merrily; and E) a Last Blast about Next to Normal.
It’s the most exciting bit of Sondheimia since, well, the Best-Revival victory of Merrily We Roll Along at last year’s Tony Awards. Tomorrow, a pro-shot of that triumphant production debuts in theaters, no doubt delighting fans of one of The Master’s most complex—and satisfying—shows. Here are five trademark MARQUEE Broadway Blasts about Merrily that can help the juices flow as filmgoers think through the depths of Sondheim and George Furth’s lyrics, music, and book. BROADWAY BLAST: In Merrily We Roll Along, a young aspiring writer tries to hand a screenplay titled Darkness Before Dawn to Gussie, Frank’s wife. It plays like a throwaway moment, but the title lands with uncanny precision. Merrily famously moves backward, from jaded success to idealistic beginnings. And just as the phrase “darkness before dawn” usually promises hope after hardship, the musical delivers its dawn—a rooftop full of promise and friendship—only at the end. We don’t begin in hope. We arrive at it. That’s why Darkness Before Dawn doesn’t just fit thematically; it could be the show’s alternate title. It captures Merrily’s entire arc in three words—a quiet flash of insight buried in an awkward moment, describing a story its writer doesn’t even know he’s in. BROADWAY BLAST: “Our Time,” the final number of Merrily We Roll Along—which is, of course, the story’s beginning—offers a rooftop full of hope, harmony, and shared ambition. But even in that idealized moment, the imbalance is already there. Frank turns to Charley and sings, “Me and you, pal, me and you.” Not “Me, you, and you, pals.” Not something that includes Mary. She’s present, smiling, dreaming alongside them—but the language of partnership doesn’t include her. It’s a subtle line, easy to miss, but it plants the seed of everything that follows: Mary was never quite part of the creative “we.” She’s a witness, a supporter, a dreamer—but not a “pal.” And that’s what makes her arc—her heartbreak, her drinking, her silence—so painful. She wasn’t pushed out later. She was never really in. BROADWAY BLAST: The three friends in Merrily We Roll Along have a ritual: they link pinkies and sing, “Who’s like us? Damn few.” On the surface, it sounds like a boast—three brilliant artists celebrating their creative powers. But the song is called “Old Friends”, not “Great Collaborators.” They’re not toasting their talent; they’re affirming their bond. And the physical hand motion speaks volumes: as a pinky link, the trio excels at intimacy, not strength (you’d need to lock thumbs for that). It’s a fragile gesture for a fragile friendship, one built on affection more than foundation. They aren’t saying damn few can do what we do—they’re saying damn few know us like we know each other. And that’s what makes it heartbreaking when the gesture, and the friendship, break down. BROADWAY BLAST: In “Growing Up” from Merrily We Roll Along, Frank refers to Mary as a “nudge”—a Yiddish word for someone who nags or pesters, usually out of concern or fussiness. In traditional Yiddish-influenced speech, it’s pronounced with a rounded vowel, like the “u” in “look.” But Sondheim rhymes it with “budge” and “judge,” flattening the vowel. Surely the Jewish American Sondheim, famously meticulous about language, knew the authentic pronunciation. And it’s not like Merrily avoids Yiddish—producer Joe Josephson tosses off “meshuggenah,” “fakakta,” and “Mazel Tov.” Frank may not be Jewish, but he’s a New York showbiz composer—he’s heard the word. Still, he’s not a lyricist, and he’s not especially sensitive to subtext or culture. So when he uses a borrowed Yiddish word and gets it subtly wrong, it fits. It’s not Sondheim who doesn’t know how to pronounce Yiddishized English. It’s Frank. And maybe that same vowel slip haunts Mary too—in her final scene, she speculates which of those two vowel sounds represents the U in “Sputnik.” BROADWAY BLAST: Just before Charley’s infamous on-air meltdown in Merrily We Roll Along, a deadpan TV presenter remarks that the Supreme Court’s ringing endorsement of abortion rights in 1973 represented “a long-time controversy, now ended.” It’s a spectacularly wrong prediction, delivered with the false confidence of media shorthand—summarizing a cultural wound as if it’s already healed. But that line isn’t just a period reference; it’s a mirror of the scene about to unfold. Charley and Frank’s working relationship is about to implode on live television, seemingly ending their creative partnership. But as with the court ruling, the damage doesn’t resolve the conflict—it just exposes it. The consequences ripple long after the supposed “ending.” Merrily is filled with such illusions: moments that seem to close a chapter, only to reveal that nothing is finished, and everything lingers. Whether it’s politics or friendship, what breaks doesn’t necessarily disappear—it just echoes in a new direction. FACULTY REVIEW: Booked is Virgin Voyages’ frothy new onboard production, and ironically for a show about three characters lost in a maze of stories it prioritizes spectacle over storytelling. But what a spectacle! The choreography was extraordinary, performed with sharpness by a cast of 19 standout performers. Each musical number introduced a new set of absolutely jaw-dropping costumes that could have walked the runway in Milan—rather than matching exactly, each member of the ensemble had a unique design, which gave the eye something new and exciting to look at in every moment. There were acrobatics, projections, animations, and irreverent jokes: a visit with “Jack the Stripper” in 1800’s London, and an explicit reading of a werewolf-themed erotica, left a particular imprint in my memory. Let’s be very clear, though: Booked is not a musical. It has a paper-thin plot with flat, cartoonish caricatures. Despite its adult sense of humor, it feels more akin to a children’s pop-up book than a novel; the narrative spine is barely strong enough to hold together the different chapters, flinging us through different environments and musical styles seemingly at random, alongside a playlist of pop hits including everything from “Dream On” to “Pink Pony Club.” To say these songs were successful in forwarding the plot is a bit like saying Fifty Shades of Grey was successful in revolutionizing historical fiction — that’s not what it was even trying to do, so why would you say that? Booked is an excellent revue show whose budget is evident; but it does not even attempt to contribute meaningfully to the canon of true musical theatre. In the venue for which it was designed, Booked is a triumph: if I was three drinks deep on a cruise, I would have the time of my life in that audience. However, Booked is part of Virgin’s new Screw It Let’s Do It Productions, which is a company aimed at transferring seaboard entertainment to land, and in that venue it may miss the mark—in my experience, landlubbing theatregoers crave something more grounded. Mateo Chavez Lewis is a composer, lyricist, music educator, and member of The Broadway Maven’s faculty. STUDENT REVIEW: Reunions, currently playing at New York City Center, tells two different stories about lovers meeting long after their relationships ended. The first story, The Twelve Pound Look, includes a stand-out performance by Chilina Kennedy as Kate, the once lover of Sir Harry Simms (Bryan Fenkhart), whom she left, pursuing her own career as a typist. Their chance meeting, fourteen years later, provides the inspiration for Harry’s current wife Emmy (Courtney Reed) to consider her place in their relationship and as a woman in the Edwardian era. In A Sunny Morning, Chip Zien and Joanna Glushak display their seasoned story-telling skills, in a tale about two former lovers, Don Gonzalo and Doña Laura, reconnecting in their later years, at first without letting on that they recognize each other. The stronger of the two stories, A Sunny Morning gives us a rarely seen story of two elderly people navigating love in the same passionate way we often see young adults doing, even receiving advice and comfort from their younger caretakers. Both the stories suffer from plot points being dragged out. Especially in The Twelve Pound Look, there are multiple songs which don’t all have the space to grow before abruptly ending. I would like to see a version of this show with multiple shorter stories that deal with the “reunions” theme. Until then, the characters tend to fall flat, but we are being given two interesting perspectives about love in these stories. I would not recommend this show if you are strictly a fan of big, glitzy productions, but if you have previously enjoyed intimate, easy-going shows about romance, consider seeing Reunions, playing until December 14th. Tatiana Atehortua is a classical percussionist and theater fan living in New Jersey. She was a Maven Scholar in 2024.
SAVE THE DATE: On Tuesday, January 27 at 7 pm ET, The Broadway Maven will be convening an extraordinary all-star panel to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s Pacific Overtures. Participants will include Weidman himself, the show’s orchestrator Jonathan Tunick, Broadway and Hollywood superstar BD Wong, and reigning Tony-winning Best Supporting Actor Francis Jue. They will join Broadway Maven faculty Gail Leondar-Wright and Edward Barnes to discuss the landmark musical about the opening of Japan to the West. This 90-minute event is without a doubt the most ambitious and promising class The Broadway Maven has ever offered. Don’t miss it!
ANNOUNCEMENT: The Broadway Maven will be hosting its first in-person event on Sunday, February 1, 2026 with a jam-packed day in Manhattan. Included: a behind-the-scenes tour of the Helen Hayes Theatre (first 12 registrants only), a visit to the Museum of Broadway, lunch with off-Broadway composer-lyricist and Broadway Maven faculty member Mateo Chavez Lewis, a ticket to Mateo’s show The Opening, and a visit to the Drama Book Shop. As of this writing, there are still a few places left for the Hayes tour. $199.
Note: A full calendar of upcoming classes is always available at TheBroadwayMaven.com.• Monday, December 8 at Noon and 7 pm ET A Chorus Line with Gail Leondar-Wright (FREE, register here) • Tuesday, December 9 at Noon ET Rodgers and Hart’s Broadway with UW Professor David Armstrong (Members only) • Monday, December 15 at Noon and 7 pm ET Stephen Sondheim 101 with Broadway Maven David Benkof (Members only) • Tuesday, December 16 at Noon ET Carousel with Rodgers & Hammerstein expert Ted Chapin (Members only) NOTE TIME CHANGE • Wednesday, December 17 at Noon and 7 pm ET Barbra Streisand 101 with Broadway Maven David Benkof (Members only) • Thursday, December 18 through Saturday, January 3 WINTER BREAK • Sunday, January 4 RUSH WEEK begins (Damn Yankees, West Side Story, South Pacific, “Why Musicals Matter,” and Lesser-Known Sondheim) Noon and 7 pm ET each day. (FREE, Registration opens soon) SAVE THE DATE: Perhaps the greatest living lyricist of her generation, Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Anastasia, Once on this Island) will be joining The Broadway Maven on Tuesday March 3 at Noon ET for a discussion of her body of work. Members Only. Not to be missed!
LAST BLAST: In Next to Normal, Diana starts making sandwiches on the floor—mid-manic episode, alone, talking to a son who isn’t there. It’s not lunch—it’s unraveling disguised as caregiving. And don’t miss the metaphorical heavy lifting done by the sandwiches, since on some level Diana herself is a sandwich: unstable filling pressed between Dan’s determined optimism and Natalie’s simmering resentment. The show’s fragmented structure—looping scenes, overlapping timelines, contradictory realities—mirrors her disintegration. And if she can’t even make sandwiches successfully, how can she navigate the fact that to some degree she is one? The Broadway Maven is a vibrant educational community that helps its members think more deeply about musical theater. We offer 5-15 classes a month for just $25. We also foster enthusiasm for Broadway through the FREE weekly Substack newsletter MARQUEE and host an expansive YouTube channel. It’s your home for Broadway appreciation. Contact The Broadway Maven at DavidBenkof@gmail.com. You're currently a free subscriber to MARQUEE: The Broadway Maven's Weekly Blast. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription.
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