Look Back on the Hit Merrily We Roll Along Revival With These Behind-the-Scenes Photos and Videos | Playbill

Photo Features Look Back on the Hit Merrily We Roll Along Revival With These Behind-the-Scenes Photos and Videos

The cast of the just-closed production prove that they had a good thing going.

Rocco Van Auken and Daniel Radcliffe backstage at Merrily We Roll Along Courtesy of Rocco and Jace Van Auken

Yesterday may be done, but musical theatre fans are not done talking about the Tony Award-winning revival of Merrily We Roll Along. In honor of the show, which closed July 7 and turned Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's notoriously short-lived musical into one of the biggest money-makers on Broadway, the revival's cast provided Playbill with exclusive behind-the-scenes photos.

From early rehearsals to backstage during the Broadway run, it's clear that this cast had a good thing going. See below for behind-the-scenes photos from actors Sherz Aletaha, Koray Tarhan, Talia Simone Robinson, Krystal Joy Brown, and Leana Rae Concepcion. The parents of the show's Frank, Jr. actors Brady WagnerRocco Van Auken, and Max Rackenberg (Eileen Wagner, Jace Van Auken, and Meggie Rackenberg) also provided images.

Scroll down further for videos.

Rolling Along: Company of Merrily We Roll Along Looks Back on Broadway Run

The cast also provided videos of pivotal moments in the show's run. Below is a video of Max Rackenberg and Brady Wagner rehearsing the show's title song August 29, 2023 (video provided by Meggie Rackenberg).

Below is a video of the show's Legacy Robe ceremony, captured on opening night October 10, 2023—where Jacob Keith Watson was chosen to don the legendary garment. Video provided by Talia Simone Robinson.

Below is a video taken after the show was nominated for seven Tony Awards, including for its stars Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez (the production went on to win four Tonys: Best Orchestrations for Jonathan Tunick, Featured Actor in a Musical for Radcliffe, Leading Actor in a Musical for Groff, and Revival of a Musical). Star Groff was very proud of his nomination. Video provided by Talia Simone Robinson.

Based on the George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart play of the same name, Merrily We Roll Along tracks the lives of three friends navigating the entertainment industry over three decades in reverse chronological order. Sondheim's score includes such songs as "Old Friends," "Now You Know," "Franklin Shepard, Inc.," "Good Thing Going," and "Not a Day Goes By." A revival cast recording was released January 12.

The revival of Merrily We Roll Along closed June 7 after playing 20 previews and 312 regular performances at the Hudson Theatre. This is a marked contrast to its original 1981 production which ran for just 16 performances. Led by a trio of popular film and stage stars, the revival was a consistently high grosser on Broadway. Maria Friedman helmed the production. Several performances were professionally filmed in June, but details of a commercial release have not yet been revealed.

The show's cast included Krystal Joy Brown, Katie Rose Clarke, Reg Rogers, Sherz Aletaha, Leana Rae Concepcion, Coby Getzug, Corey Mach, Talia Simone Robinson, Jamila Sabares-Klemm, Brian Sears, Brianna Stoute, Christian Strange, Vishal Vaidya, Natalie Wachen, and Jacob Keith Watson. Rounding out the company as swings are Morgan Kirner, David Scott Purdy, Amanda Rose, and Koray Tarhan. Brady Wagner, Rocco Van Auken, and Max Rackenberg shared the role of Frank Jr.

The revival featured choreography by Tim Jackson and orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. Scenic and costume design are by Soutra Gilmour, with lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, sound design by Kai Harada, hair and wig design by Cookie Jordan, music supervision by Catherine Jayes, music direction by Joel Fram, associate music supervision by Alvin Hough, Jr., and music coordination by Kristy Norter. Casting was by Jim Carnahan and Jason Thinger.

Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani, Patrick Catullo, and Jeff Romley led the revival's producing team. 

 
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