Concert Version of Merrily We Roll Along at Rubicon Theatre Company

The 2015-16 Janet and Mark L. Goldenson Broadway Musical Concert Series at Rubicon Theatre Company concludes with a concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. Winner of the Drama Desk Award and Olivier Award for Best Musical, this moving and eloquent story about friendship moves backwards in time and offers a snapshot of the relationships between three characters whose hopes and dreams change dramatically over 20 years. The exquisite contemporary score includes "Our Time,” "Not a Day Goes By" and "Good Thing Going.” Rubicon’s concert reading is directed by Bonnie Hellman, who helmed the acclaimed long-run Los Angeles premiere of the show. Dean Mora is Musical Director and accompanist. The cast includes Broadway stars Jason Graae (Grand Night for Singing and Falsettos), Kate Reinders (Something’s Rotten and Wicked), Ventura native Andrew Samonsky (South Pacific and Drood) and Beverly Ward (Epic Proportions). This rarely performed concert will be presented for only three-performances-only next Saturday, October 1 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday, October 2 at 2 p.m.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG begins in 1976, where we meet Franklin Shepard (Samonsky), an influential movie producer and former composer at the height of a successful career. As the story takes us backwards in time, we see the cost of that success, especially as relates to his idealism and his relationship with friends Charley Kringas (Graae) and Mary Flynn (Ward). The plot gradually moves us to the poignant moment in 1957 when the three meet on a rooftop in New York City -- naïve, hopeful dreamers on the cusp of bright futures.

In addition to Reinders, who plays Gussie, other cast members include Shaina Knox as Beth, Nathan Holland as Joe Josephson, Brian McDonald as Jerome, Michael Scott Harris and Angela Baumgardner as Mr. and Mrs. Spencer, Samantha Eve as Evelyn, Jesse Graham as Terry, Caleb Horst as Tyler, Fay James as K.T. and Samantha Winters as Meg.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG opened on Broadway in 1981 under the direction of Hal Prince. The book was adapted by George Furth based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Stephen Sondheim wrote the music and lyrics.

Although the music and lyrics were praised, the initial production received mixed reviews. Some considered the piece ahead of its time. Others felt the plot was too complex and took issue with the choice to cast young actors, feeling that they were more believable at the end of the play/beginning of the story than in the opening scenes. Some critics also found it difficult to differentiate between the characters, who were similarly attired. The production ran for only 52 previews and 16 performances at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon).

In 1983, shortly after the New York run, novice director Bonnie Hellman mounted the West Coast premiere of the play at the intimate Roland Dupree Studio in Los Angeles to critical and popular acclaim. Hellman cast actors who were roughly the age of the characters in the first scene of the play, including Michael G. Hawkins, David Eric and Linda Nichols as the leading trio, with support from Bettina Devin, Ernie Sabella and others. The show was a critical triumph and achieved cult status, running for five months.

“The process was miraculous!” says Hellman. I only had two weeks and it was my first time directing a full-length production. We worked around the clock. The content was always there. It’s a beautiful story and one I find so many people relate to -- especially artists and those who work in the theatre.”

Those who saw the production, including it, remember it to this day vividly (including Rubicon’s Co-Founders Karyl Lynn Burns and James O’Neil).

“We had heard about the production from friends who raved about it,” says Burns. We went to see it and were deeply moved by the production, which was simple and true and clear; and which has remained etched in our memories.”

“We later met Bonnie when she cast us in My Fair Lady and Hello Dolly for Santa Barbara Theatre Group,” continues Burns. “And when we started Rubicon, she was one of the first directors we invited to work with us. We are thrilled to share her interpretation of this landmark musical through with our audiences.”

Hellman’s Rubicon credits include producing and directing High Button Shoes with a cast including Jason Graae, Will Shupe, Cynthia Ferrer, Doug Carfrae, and Susan Egan of Broadway’s Beauty and the Beast; The World Goes Round with Michael G. Hawkins and Linda Kerns; and Tintypes with Darlecia Cearcy and Heather Lee. She also produced the L.A. transfer of Rubicon’s J for J by Jenny Sullivan (with John Ritter, Jeff Kober and Sullivan).

Hellman’s other L. A. credits include critically acclaimed productions of Something's Afoot, The Curious Savage and She Loves Me (winner of two L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards, L.A. Weekly Award for Best Director and Ovation nominated for Best Musical).

Outside L.A., she has helmed productions of Finian’s Rainbow, It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman and Funny Face(San Francisco – Best Director Award), 42nd Street (Denver – Best Musical Award), Oklahoma! (San Jose CLO – with Karyl Lynn Burns as Ado Annie), Peter Pan (Santa Cruz) and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Whittier-La Mirada CLO).

Rubicon’s concert staging directed by Hellman is not the original script she staged in L.A., but the updated version by Sondheim and Furth that was retooled at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego under the direction of James Lapine in 1985. It was later revived Off-Broadway in 1994 at the York Theatre and was also used in the Chocolate Factory production in the show’s West End debut in London in 2012. That same year, New York City Center presented a staged concert of the show with Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda as Charley and Andrew Samonsky (Rubicon’s Franklin) in the ensemble.

Hellman looks forward to working with the new version. “It’s interesting learning a new script. The characters are the same, but there are slight differences in how they are introduced and portrayed. I’m a big fan of Sondheim. I adore his music. I’m excited to work with such a terrifically talented cast, many of them regulars on Broadway, like Jason Graae, who I’m thrilled to be reunited with following our collaboration on High Button Shoes at Rubicon. In terms of my approach, the emphasis is on the performances and the content. Sondheim is such an amazing storyteller. He writes life. Merrily is not often performed, so this is a rare treat for audiences to see and hear this with such an incredible cast.”

Performances of the MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG concert take place at Rubicon Theatre in Ventura’s Downtown Cultural District, located at 1006 E. Main Street (the corner of Main and Laurel), Ventura, CA 93001. Tickets are $69.50 for the general public. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (805) 667-2900, or go to www.rubicontheatre.org.