{"id":744,"date":"2023-06-07T01:09:10","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T01:09:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stageraw.com\/remake\/?p=744"},"modified":"2023-06-12T00:41:13","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T00:41:13","slug":"merrily-we-roll-along","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stageraw.com\/remake\/merrily-we-roll-along\/","title":{"rendered":"Merrily We Roll Along"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][vc_column_text]\n

Merrily We Roll Along<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Reviewed by Julia Stier<\/strong>
\nThe Fable Theatre at The Whitefire Theatre<\/em><\/strong>
\nThrough April 30th<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

RECOMMENDED<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Under the direction of Conchita Belisle Newman and music direction of Richard Berent, The Fable Theatre is presenting their inaugural production,\u00a0Merrily We Roll Along<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by George Furth \u2013 at The Whitefire Theatre.<\/p>\n

Structurally,\u00a0Merrily We Roll Along<\/em>\u00a0feels like the musical theatrer grandfather of Jason Robert Brown\u2019s\u00a0The Last Five Years<\/em>. Told in reverse chronological order,\u00a0Merrily\u00a0<\/em>follows the personal and professional milestones (both positive and negative) of Broadway-composer-turned-Hollywood-producer Franklin Shepard (Nick Giedris), his writing partner Charley Kringas (Philip McBride), and their longtime friend Mary Flynn (Conchita Belisle Newman). In addition to\u00a0Merrily<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Last Five Years\u2019<\/em>\u00a0use of a reverse timeline, both shows also explore the price of artistic success.<\/p>\n

Giedris is a delightfully charismatic as Franklin. McBride as Charley Kringus gives a show-stopping performance early on with his rendition of \u201cFranklin Shepard, Inc,.\u201d Newman plays a sweet and earnest Mary. And when you put the three of them together? Harmonic perfection.<\/p>\n

Jennifer Knox, as Franklin\u2019s ex-wife, Beth, doesn\u2019t make an appearance until the final scene of the first act, but delivers such a heart-wrenching version of \u201cNot a Day Goes By,\u201d that she immediately has the audience on her side. Katy Jane Harvey gets her moment to shine with a jaw-dropping performance of \u201cAct II Opening\u201d \u2014 and that dress!: what an accomplishment by costume designer Paige Elizabeth Newman. Rounding out the core cast is Scott Weintraub as Joe, a surprisingly lovable Broadway producer who gives Franklin and Charley their big break.<\/p>\n

It was interesting watching this particular show in Los Angeles-adjacent Sherman Oaks, as the musical actively looks down on the denizens of the City of Angels as second-class artists compared to those in New York City. LA is painted as a cesspool of sycophants and airheads, and strangely enough, this endears me to Franklin and his plight. Apart from his serial cheating habit, I feel for Franklin, for his desire for commercial success. It\u2019s a credit to Furth\u2019s bookwriting as well that Franklin doesn\u2019t feel like a two-dimensional villain. He is an artist who finally caught a break. His pain and frustration certainly resonated with me, and I\u2019m sure it did for many others in the audience as well.<\/p>\n

The Fable Theatre at The Whitefire Theatre;\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>13500 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks;\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 7:30 pm; thru April 30;\u00a0https:\/\/<\/a><\/em><\/strong>thefabletheatre.com<\/a>;\u00a0 Running time: Approx. 2.5 hours with a 15-minute intermission.<\/em><\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overflow=”visible” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” column_element_direction_desktop=”default” column_element_spacing=”default” desktop_text_alignment=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_backdrop_filter=”none” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” column_position=”default” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” animation_type=”default” bg_image_animation=”none” border_type=”simple” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid”][image_with_animation image_url=”902″ image_size=”full” animation_type=”entrance” animation=”None” animation_movement_type=”transform_y” hover_animation=”none” alignment=”center” border_radius=”none” box_shadow=”none” image_loading=”default” max_width=”100%” max_width_mobile=”default”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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