TH · 4 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE ACTING • 1.7: Create and sustain a believable...

MUSIC & LY

RICS BY

STEPHEN

SONDHEIM

DIRECTE

D BY

MARIA FRIEDMAN

BOOK BY

GEORGE

FURTH

MERRILY WE

ROLL ALONGLEGENDARY ACCLAIMED MUSICAL

CURRICULUM GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTSStandards 3

Guidelines for Attending the Theatre 4

Artists 5

Themes for Writing & Discussion 7

Mastery Assessment 10

For Further Exploration 12

Suggested Activities 17

© Huntington Theatre Company Boston, MA 02115

September 2017

No portion of this curriculum guide may be reproduced without written permission from the Huntington Theatre Company’s Department of Education & Community Programs

Inquiries should be directed to:

Alexandra Smith / Interim Co-Director of [email protected]

This curriculum guide was prepared for the Huntington Theatre Company by:

Marisa Jones / Education AssociateAlexandra Smith / Interim Co-Director of Education

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 3

COMMON CORE STANDARDSIN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 1• Grade 7: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support

analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

• Grade 8: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

• Grades 9-10: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

• Grades 11-12: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 2• Grade 7: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and

analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

• Grade 8: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

• Grades 9-10: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shape and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.

• Grades 11-12: Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text.

Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 3• Grade 7: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama

interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot).

• Grade 8: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

• Grades 9-10: Analyze how complex characters (e.g. those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the themes.

STANDARDS: Student Matinee performances and pre-show workshops provide unique opportunities for experiential learning and support various combinations of the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts. They may also support standards in other subject areas such as Social Studies and History, depending on the individual play’s subject matter.

Activities are also included in this Curriculum Guide and in our pre-show workshops that support several of the Massachusetts state standards in Theatre. Other arts areas may also be addressed depending on the individual play’s subject matter.

• Grades 11-12: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop related elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).

Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 5• Grade 7: Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure

(e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning.

• Grades 9-10: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks), create such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise.

• Grades 11-12: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.

Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 6• Grade 7: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the

points of view of different characters or narrators in a text.

• Grade 8: Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.

• Grades 9-10: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature.

• Grades 11-12: Analyze a case in which grasping point of view required distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or understatement).

Reading Literature: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7• Grade 7: Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem

to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film).

• Grade 8: Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director or actors.

• Grades 9-12: Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, or poem (e.g. recorded or live production of a play or recorded novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist).

4 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE

ACTING• 1.7: Create and sustain a believable character throughout a

scripted or improvised scene (By the end of Grade 8).

• 1.12: Describe and analyze, in written and oral form, characters’ wants, needs, objectives, and personality characteristics (By the end of Grade 8).

• 1.13: In rehearsal and performance situations, perform as a productive and responsible member of an acting ensemble (i.e., demonstrate personal responsibility and commitment to a collaborative process) (By the end of Grade 8).

• 1.14: Create complex and believable characters through the integration of physical, vocal, and emotional choices (Grades 9-12).

• 1.15: Demonstrate an understanding of a dramatic work by developing a character analysis (Grades 9-12).

• 1.17: Demonstrate increased ability to work effectively alone and collaboratively with a partner or in an ensemble (Grades 9-12).

READING AND WRITING SCRIPTS • 2.7: Read plays and stories from a variety of cultures and

historical periods and identify the characters, setting, plot, theme, and conflict (By the end of Grade 8).

• 2.8: Improvise characters, dialogue, and actions that focus on the development and resolution of dramatic conflicts (By the end of Grade 8).

• 2.11: Read plays from a variety of genres and styles; compare and contrast the structure of plays to the structures of other forms of literature (Grades 9-12).

TECHNICAL THEATRE • 4.6: Draw renderings, floor plans, and/or build models of

sets for a dramatic work and explain choices in using visual elements (line, shape/form, texture, color, space) and visual principals (unity, variety, harmony, balance, rhythm) (By the end of Grade 8).

• 4.13: Conduct research to inform the design of sets, costumes, sound, and lighting for a dramatic production (Grades 9-12).

CONNECTIONS • Strand 6: Purposes and Meanings in the Arts–Students will

describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when appropriate, interpret their meanings (Grades PreK-12).

• Strand 10: Interdisciplinary Connections–Students will apply their knowledge of the arts to the study of English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering (Grades PreK-12).

AUDIENCE ETIQUETTEAttending live theatre is a unique experience with many valuable educational and social benefits. To ensure that all audience members are able to enjoy the performance, please take a few minutes to discuss the following audience etiquette topics with your students before you come to the Huntington Theatre Company.

• How is attending the theatre similar to and different from going to the movies? What behaviors are and are not appropriate when seeing a play? Why?

• Remind students that because the performance is live, the audience’s behavior and reactions will affect the actors’ performances. No two audiences are exactly the same, and therefore no two performances are exactly the same — this is part of what makes theatre so special! Students’ behavior should reflect the level of performance they wish to see.

• Theatre should be an enjoyable experience for the audience. It is absolutely all right to applaud when appropriate and laugh at the funny moments. Talking and calling out during the performance, however, are not allowed. Why might this be? Be sure to mention that not only would the people seated around them be able to hear their conversation, but the actors on stage could hear them, too. Theatres are constructed to carry sound efficiently!

• Any noise or light can be a distraction, so please remind students to make sure their cell phones are turned off (or better yet, left at home or at school!). Texting, photography, and video recording are prohibited. Food, gum, and drinks should not be brought into the theatre.

• Students should sit with their group as seated by the Front of House staff and should not leave their seats once the performance has begun.

MASSACHUSETTS STANDARDS IN THEATRE


A TIMELINE OF COMPOSER/ LYRICIST STEPHEN SONDHEIM


“It is, make no mistake, one of the great musical productions of this or any other era,” raved The Independent of Maria Freidman’s Merrily We Roll Along. The universally celebrated revival, which garnered a record-breaking number of five star reviews during its West End run, makes its American debut at the Huntington Theatre Company this fall. With a show that contains some of composer Stephen Sondheim’s most beautiful songs, including “Not a Day Goes By” and “Good Thing Going,” the resounding success of Friedman’s production seems intuitive. Those familiar with the play’s history, however, will know that Merrily We Roll Along has proved notoriously difficult to direct. Sondheim regularly challenges the most consummate performers with his fondness for complicated rhythms, tongue-twisting lyrics, and surprising harmonies. George Furth’s book for Merrily We Roll Along, based on the original play by George Kaufman and Moss Hart, adds the additional challenge of a nonlinear storyline. This puzzle of music and story confounded the original Broadway production, which closed after just 16 performances. Friedman’s success, therefore, shocked critics and proved that — under the right director — Merrily We Roll Along could be a hit. Most astonishing was the fact that this production marked the four-time Olivier Award-winning actress’s directorial debut. The key to Friedman’s success? As The London Telegraph put it, she “really understands what makes Sondheim tick.”

While she may have been new to directing, Maria Friedman’s facility with Sondheim did not develop overnight. As an actress, Friedman has spent the better part of her career studying and perfecting the art of interpreting Sondheim onstage. Friedman’s first Olivier Award nomination came from her portrayal of Dot in Sunday in the Park with George, and her later role as Fosca in Sondheim’s Passion won her the award. While she has since enjoyed an illustrious acting career, which includes a long run on BBC’s “East Enders” and a starring role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Woman in White, Friedman continues to revisit Sondheim time and time again. “Maria Friedman: Master of a Thousand Sondheimian Disguises” read a New York Times review of Friedman’s solo concert, entirely composed of Sondheim songs. “He appeals to every part of me as a performer,” Friedman explained. “He’s just got his finger on humanity and its foibles and difficulties.”

The choice to make her directing debut with a Sondheim piece was an easy one. “I think you should always do things you love and have a connection with,” she revealed. “Merrily We Roll Along is a musical close to my heart.” Fittingly, love and connection are the themes at the heart Merrily We Roll Along, which follows the friendship between three promising young artists: Charley has a knack for writing lyrics, Frank is a gifted composer, and Mary is an aspiring novelist. From their serendipitous first encounter atop a roof to watch the launch of Sputnik, the three form a bond and a vital artistic partnership. As the years pass, however, ambition, romance, money, family, and heartbreak push and pull at the trio,

changing the shape of their friendship, perhaps forever. The keen ability to track this friendship through Sondheim’s melodies and George Furth’s plot proved the key to success for Friedman’s revival. “She brings to the table a blazing inwardness,” writes critic Paul Taylor of The Independent. “Above all, this revival lays out — with a more biting (yet compassionate) clarity than any I have seen hitherto — the tricky narrative and emotional logic of [Merrily We Roll Along].”

Perhaps the highest praise for Friedman’s production came from the emotive response of Stephen Sondheim himself. “He cried,” Friedman reported of Sondheim’s visit to the Menier Chocolate Factory, where her production played before moving to the West End. “This production of Merrily We Roll Along is not only the best I’ve seen,” Sondheim wrote, “but one of those rare instances where casting, direction, and show come together in perfect combination, resulting in the classic ideal of the sum being greater than the parts.” A tip of the hat from the master only reflects what the critics felt when they watched her production —Maria Friedman has found a way to solve the Sondheim riddle onstage. As articulated by Ian Shuttleworth of The Financial Times: “The truisms about Sondheim are that he is both an acquired taste and the object of a fervent cult of devotees; Friedman’s production is likely to lead many through the first phase and quite a few into the second.”

BEST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED: THE TRIUMPH OF MARIA FRIEDMAN’S MERRILY

Maria Friedman


THE CONSEQUENCE OF CHOICEIn Merrily We Roll Along, Frank reflects, “I’ve only made one mistake in my life, but I’ve made it over and over,” acknowledging all the times he said “yes” when the right answer, the one that could bring him closer to his dreams, was “no.” It is only with a career behind him that he can begin to see the significance of the choices he has made; choices that along the way might have even seemed inconsequential. When Frank initially commits to taking his first successful show to Hollywood instead of continuing his musical collaboration with his best friends Charley and Mary, he changes the trajectory of his career and life, a fact that only the passage of time can give him the perspective to understand. Although he ultimately ends up on the “A-list” as a wealthy movie producer — but due to his repeated mistakes, he is unhappy with almost every aspect of his life.

Frank also says yes to extra-marital affairs, first with Gussie and then with Meg. In each moment, he believes he is following his heart, but the repercussions of his choice to engage in these affairs are estrangement from his romantic partners, his friends, and his only child. It is clear that Frank forgot the refrain, “One trip. All you get is one quick ride.” Frank believes he has plenty of time to reinvent himself, moving farther and farther away from the wonder of his youth. At a party, Bunker asks, “Don’t you miss writing music?” Frank responds, “That was the old Frank Shepard.” In this moment Frank reveals he has succumbed to Hollywood-style worship of power and money. He has given up a happy marriage and his art and prioritized fame and fortune. By contrast, Frank’s friend Charley

lives authentically and strives to achieve in the ways that matter most to him. He remains true to his wife Evelyn and his writing and, despite struggling with Frank along the way, makes choices that are appropriate given the desires of his heart. When Frank says, “I swear, if I could go back to the beginning, if I could somehow be starting over with Charley, writing shows, trying to change the world, I’d give all this up like that,” Frank knows he has chosen poorly.

The refrain “dreams don’t die, so keep an eye on your dream” suggests that losing sight of your goals will not necessarily make them disappear. In Merrily We Roll Along’s final scene, the young Frank discusses how he, Charley, and Mary have the world before them; they are just starting out and all options and opportunities appear wide open. Frank asks his friends, “Do you guys realize that now we are going to be able to do anything? I mean anything we ever dreamed of? What a time to be starting out. What a time to be alive.” But perhaps, for Frank, there were too many options and too many choices.

QUESTIONS:

1. Why is Frank ultimately miserable? Where did he go wrong?

2. Why might a wealthy, famous person be unhappy? Don’t they have a life that many people envy?

3. Do you agree or disagree with the assertion that the decisions you make today define your future?

4. When have you had to make a difficult decision? Have you ever made a choice and then lived to regret it?

THEMES FOR WRITING & DISCUSSION n

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The cast of Merrily We Roll Along


ART AND MONEYAlthough its thematic emphasis is on the pursuit of dreams, Merrily We Roll Along also portrays the conflict between artistic and financial aspirations. Frank Shepard, full of ambition and ideas, must put aside fulfilling creative projects in order to pay the bills. When Gussie offers him a lucrative opportunity, saying, “Joe has just optioned a vehicle that can change my life. And yours. We both want you and your partner to do the score,” Frank hesitates, citing work on his and Charley’s three-year effort to see their show Take a Left fully produced. But Gussie argues that Frank “can do [her project] much faster” — get paid and get out. Gussie and Joe have the ability to help Frank become financially successful, even if it means setting aside his and Charley’s hard work in order to get there. Gussie remarks, “I’ve explained to Frank, you compose a Broadway show, you’re something in New York. But you produce a movie, you’re something all over the world.” She sees the possibilities the film industry holds for Frank and dedicates herself to helping him pursue these options.

Frank’s then-wife, Beth, asks him to continue working with Joe. When Mary intervenes, suggesting Frank maintain his focus on his own material, Beth pushes back: “You don’t have a child, Mary, and you just had yourself a best seller. So of course, that’s all very easy for you to say.” Beth argues that Frank is not just looking out for himself, he also has a family to keep in mind. After Beth leaves him, Frank seems swayed to her perspective. “Charley, I am 31 years old,” he explains. “Beth wiped me out with the divorce. I’ve got a son to consider. So forgive me, Charley, if I happen to need money.”

For his part, Charley does not express any moral superiority when evaluating Frank’s choices, only disappointment. He sings, “the stocks get sold, and the rest of us he keeps on hold. And he’s into making movies. And he’s now a corporation, right?” Charley recognizes that their artistic partnership has been split because Frank has abandoned it to pursue financial success. Charley admits that “Frank does the money thing very well. But you know what? There are other people who do it better,” before highlighting where Frank’s strengths actually lie. “Frank does the music thing very well,” Charley declares. “And you know what? No one does it better.” Charley’s problem is not that Frank is making money – he can understand the need and desire to do so – but he rejects the idea that making money and art are mutually exclusive. Charley is disappointed that Frank has chosen one over the other.

QUESTIONS:

1. Is it fair that Frank’s friends think he should give up his Hollywood lifestyle to pursue music? Was it selfish of Charley and Mary to push back on Frank’s career plans? Is there any evidence that the people closest to Frank knew he would regret the choice to pursue financial success at the expense of his musical genius?

2. What are some of the challenges of pursuing a life in the arts?

3. What is a “sell out”? Is “selling out” is a fair label to place on artist who is just trying to pay the rent? What does the “starving artist” stereotype mean to you?

THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIPAt the center of Merrily We Roll Along is an in-depth exploration of the friendship between Frank, Charley, and Mary. When we meet these three characters, their relationship has completely dissolved. Mary describes their breakup when she reminisces about old times. “Come on. It was so much better, Charley. The three of us,” she laments. Charley reframes their current reality: “We’re not the three of us any more, Mary. Now we’re one and one and one.” As the story moves back through time to the plot’s origins, the audience sees the trios early days of friendship and collaboration; the cabaret they organized, a marriage, a musical, another baby. But it also reveals the ways in which Frank grows apart from his friends, resulting in an unhappy ending.

Charley and Mary are great friends to Frank. They speak the truth when it is hard to do so and offer advice even when it is repeatedly rejected. They care for Frank and want to see him succeed on his own terms, not according to the world’s expectations. When the trio is at a party and performing for the room, Gussie begs Charley and Frank for an encore, but Charley knows better and says it is best to leave an audience wanting more. Despite Frank’s desire to keep the performance going, Charley advises restraint: “You know what true greatness is? Knowing when to get off.” Frank ignores Charley’s guidance and keeps the performance going. The results are disappointing when Frank is ignored by the uninterested crowd.

Mark Umbers as Frank Shepard and Damian Humbley as Charley Kringas in the London production of Merrily We Roll Along

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At the end of the play, which is of course the beginning of the friends’ relationship, it is hard to imagine their lives would be thrown so wildly off course. Fortunately, Merrily We Roll Along ends with the reminder that this band of friends was once full of hope and life, working together to achieve their dreams, even if they are never fully realized.

QUESTIONS:

1. What could Frank have done differently to preserve his relationships with Charley and Mary? Was Frank a good friend? Was he a good person? Why or why not?

2. Have you ever been worried about a friend? What did you try to do to help this person?

3. Friendships can change over time. Did you ever have a best friend from whom you grew apart? Why do you think this happened? Why is it important to have friends in your life?

THE TEST OF TIMEThe reverse-chronological structure of Merrily We Roll Along emphasizes the cause and effect behind the changes the characters face over two decades of their lives. Their stories show how quickly time passes and the lack of permanence in almost all aspects of life. Frank, for example, has three different romantic relationships during the course of the show. His once strong friendship with Charley and Mary is in shambles at the end of

their story, as is Frank’s relationship with his son, Frank Jr. Mary reveals that she had received a letter from Frank’s son “to thank [her] for coming to his graduation,” but Frank himself did not attend, nor was he invited. Connections between people can dissolve quickly and it is too easy to let an important moment pass. Frank arrives in his mid-life with many regrets and wishes he could reverse the clock. Merrily We Roll Along’s book writer George Furth and lyricist and composter Stephen Sondheim do this for Frank by telling the story in reverse order, allowing the audience the benefit of knowing what is to come and ending with all the promise and hope only a future can provide.

QUESTIONS:

1. Do you think the “backwards” storytelling of this musical was a successful theatrical device? Were you left feeling hopeful at the end of the show? How would you have felt at the end of the show if the scenes had been played in chronological order?

2. Consider the musical’s title Merrily We Roll Along. In what sense does this title relate to the idea that the passage of time is a key idea to this story? Did these characters, in fact, roll along merrily?

3. Agree or disagree with the following statements and defend your position using examples from both Merrily We Roll Along and real life.

Time is on your side. Time is the enemy.

RELATED WORKS AND RESOURCESContinue your research of Stephen Sondheim and his contributions to the world of musical theatre. The following suggested works were also used in the development of this curriculum guide and will enhance your study of Merrily We Roll Along.

OTHER MUSICALS BY STEPHEN SONDHEIM:

Company (with George Furth: book)

Into the Woods (with James Lapine: book)

Sunday in the Park with George (with James Lapine: book)

West Side Story (with Leonard Bernstein: composer & Arthur Laurents: book)

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH:

Documentary: The Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened. Directed by Lonny Price. Abramorama Studios, 2017.

Film: Hidden Figures. Directed by Theodore Melfi. 20th Century Fox, 2016.

Kennedy, John F. Profiles in Courage. Cardinal, 1956.

Faux, Marian. Roe v. Wade: The Untold Story of the Landmark Supreme Court Decision that Made Abortion Legal. Cooper Square Press, 2000.

Sondheim, Stephen. Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions. Scarecrow Press, 2010.

Hansen, James R. Spaceflight Revolution. NASA, 1995.


MASTERY ASSESSMENTACT ONEPROLOGUE

1. How does Merrily We Roll Along begin? What is the purpose of the “slides” that appear onstage?

SCENE ONE

2. Where and in what year does Frank’s party in this scene take place?

3. In what industry do the party guests work?

4. What kinds of things do most of Frank’s guests say about him?

5. Mary reveals she’s received a letter. Who wrote it? Describe Frank’s relationship with the letter-writer.

6. Which drink does Frank offer Mary and why does he make this suggestion?

7. Why is Frank defensive about his work when speaking to Mary?

8. Why does Frank initially reject Meg’s advances?

9. Who is Charley Kringas and how is he connected to Frank?

10. What does Mary suggest about Frank’s “success”?

11. Scotty brings news from the East Coast. Why is he excited to share it?

12. According to Dory, what does Mary do for a living?

13. What happens to Meg while she cleans up the bar?

14. How are Frank and Gussie connected?

15. How does Frank find fulfillment in his career?

16. Why is Gussie angry with Meg? How does Gussie exact her revenge?

SCENE TWO

17. Where and in what year is does scene two take place?

18. Why is Charley frustrated with Frank? What does Charley believe is distracting Frank from working on their show?

19. How does Mary think Charley can “save” Frank?

20. With whom does Charley accuse Mary of being in love?

21. What do Charley and Frank argue about? What are they supposed to be doing in that moment?

22. Where did Charlie go to college? Where did Frank study?

23. Why does Frank feel betrayed following the interview?

SCENE THREE

24. Where and in what year does scene three take place?

25. Who arrives to greet Frank?

26. From where is Frank returning? How did Charley and Mary plan surprise him? Why did they miss Frank at the port?

27. What is an “option agreement”? Why is Frank excited to share this news with Mary and Charley? How do they respond?

28. Who is Frank Jr.’s mother? What happened between her and Frank?

29. How did Gussie offend Mary? To make up for it, what does Gussie say she will do?

30. To whom is Gussie married?

31. What does Charley want Frank to do regarding his personal relationships?

32. Why does Charley express concern about Mary? What does he want Frank to do for Mary? Why does Frank refuse?

33. What does Gussie decide about her marriage? Why is Frank upset by this news?

SCENE Four

34. Where and in what year does Scene Four take place?

35. The reporter, K.T., interrogates Joe and Gussie. What reasons do Joe and Gussie give for being called to testify at Frank and Beth’s divorce proceedings?

36. What charges have been filed against Frank?

ACT TWOSCENE ONE

1. Where and in what year does Scene One take place?

2. Why is Evelyn going to the hospital? Why won’t she let Charley go with her?

3. Beth says she is only asking for one thing of Frank. What is her request?

4. What does Charley mean when he says, “I’ll do one more for Joe Josephson. But just one more”?

Mark Umbers as Frank Shepard, Damian Humbley as Charley Kringas, and Eden Espinosa as Mary Flynn

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SCENE TWO5. Where and in what year does Scene Two take place?

6. Why does Frank believe he was invited to this party?

7. Who, according to Gussie, are “the most important people”?

8. Who did Gussie choose to be Frank’s agent?

9. What game do Gussie and Frank play?

10. How does Beth introduce Mary to Gussie? How does she describe Mary’s profession?

11. Why is Charley confused by Gussie’s comment that they are working on a “big show”?

SCENE THREE

12. Where and in what year does Scene Three take place?

13. What big news does Frank share with his audience at the Downtown Club?

14. What idea does Tyler have? Why does he need Joe’s help?

15. What does Mary say she loves about Frank?

16. What was Gussie’s name before she changed it?

17. How does Beth test Frank to see if he really wants to marry her?

18. What does Mr. Spencer offer Frank? Does he want his daughter to get married?

SCENE FOUR

19. Where and in what year does Scene Four take place?

20. What are Frank, Charley, and Mary each working on?

21. What game does this scene seem to mimic?

22. What series of terrible events does the trio struggle with?

23. Do Frank, Charley and Mary think that life in New York City is worth the hassle?

24. Who does Frank hire to sing?

SCENE FIVE

25. Where and in what year does Scene Five take place?

26. Why does Frank say two years of military service was a waste? What inspires this comment?

27. What idea does Frank share with Charley after he reads Charley’s play?

28. What is Take a Left about?

29. How did Frank and Charley meet Mary?

30. Do either of men plan to marry?

31. What does Mary hope to do in her future career?

32. How did Charley meet his future wife, Evelyn?

33. Why is Frank inspired as he, Charley, and Mary stand on the roof? What does he think it all means for their futures?

FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION: A CHRONOLOGY OF MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG IN SONG“Overture”

PROLOGUE

“Merrily We Roll Along” .......................................................Company

ACT I

Scene 1: Frank’s Beach House, Bel Air, California — 1976

“That Frank” .............................................................................Company

Scene 2: NBC Studio, New York City — 1973

“Old Friends — Like it Was” .......................................Mary, Charley

“Franklin Shepard, Inc.” ............................................................Charley

Scene 3: Frank’s Apartment, New York City — 1968

“Old Friends”...................................................... Mary, Frank, Charley

“Growing Up — Part 1” .................................................................Frank

“Growing Up — Part 2” ..............................................................Gussie

Scene 4: Manhattan Courthouse, New York City — 1967

“Not a Day Goes By”.......................................................................Beth

“Now You Know” .................................Scotty, Mary, Tyler, Charley, Frank, Joe, Jerome, Company

ACT II

Scene 1: Alvin Theatre, New York City — 1964

“Musical Husbands Finale” ........................................................Gussie

“It’s a Hit” ..................................... Joey, Frank, Mary, Beth, Charley

Scene 2: Gussie and Joe’s Brownstone, New York City — 1962

“The Blob” .......................................................................................Gussie

“Growing Up” .................................................................................Gussie

“Good Thing Going” .....................................................Charley, Frank

Scene 3: The Downtown Club, New York City — 1960

“Bobby and Jackie and Jack” ....... Charley, Frank, Beth, Pianist

“Not a Day Goes By”.............................................Beth, Mary, Frank

Scene 4: New York City — 1958–1959

“Opening Doors” Charley, Frank, Mary, Joe, Auditionees, Beth

Scene 5: A Rooftop on 110th Street, New York City — 1957

“Our Time” .................................................Frank, Charley, Company


SONDHEIM’S GREATEST CHALLENGE: WHEN MERRILY COULDN’T “ROLL ALONG”Considered the father of the modern musical, Stephen Sondheim’s contributions to the field of musical theatre are as significant as any of his contemporaries. His artistic journey began in childhood and led to one of the most prolific writing careers in American theatre history. Notable Sondheim musicals and collaborations include West Side Story, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Sweeney Todd. He has received an Academy Award, Pulitzer Prize, and multiple Tony and Grammy Awards, but for all of his success over decades of work on Broadway and in Hollywood, his career faced some challenges and one major disappointment with the original production of Merrily We Roll Along.

Sondheim collaborated with director Harold Prince for five major Broadway hits before the pair teamed up with book writer George Furth for Merrily We Roll Along, an adaptation of a play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart in 1934. The Broadway production kept many of the key elements in place but revised the time period to follow the characters through the years 1957 to 1976. The cast was local, young, and relatively unknown, but the creative team believed the story would resonate with audiences, and with Broadway giants Sondheim and Prince collaborating once again, it seemed likely to be a hit.

When it began performances on Broadway, however, audience members were literally leaving their seats during the production’s preview performances. Many critics immediately disliked the show, citing confusion based on the backward recounting of the story and a lack of character recognition, which Prince tried to eliminating by dressing the cast in costumes with their character names printed on them. Despite a brilliant cast recording and some critics’ belief that it was Sondheim’s best work, the show closed after 52 previews and 16 regular performances — barely stretching to a two week run. It seemed ironic for the Broadway superstars writing about the successes and failures of Broadway superstars to then hit their own struggles in real life after so much acclaim.

Original Broadway cast members Jason Alexander, Liz Callaway, and Lonny Price decided to return to the story of how the musical was made in a documentary titled The Worst Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened. Price, who played the original Charley Kringas, was deeply affected by the production’s collapse and set out to share the story of the casting and rehearsal process as well as the fallout after the production’s brief run. Some involved with the original production have since remarked that the expectations set for a Sondheim-Prince collaboration were high; perhaps some in the Broadway world were even rooting for their production to fail after such a long run of critical acclaim. But of primary concern was the issue of likability; audiences had trouble relating to Merrily We Roll Along’s protagonist, Franklin Shepard. From the show’s opening Frank seems to be hurting those who should have been closest to him, mishandling his friendships, romantic and business relationships, even living estranged from his son. Moving backwards through time, the audience was asked to piece together how Frank ended up disappointing so many people. Unfortunately by the time the curtain dropped, many audience members had given up on Frank; it was hard to care about him or the people in the world around him.

The Huntington Theatre Company will revive Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along under the direction of Maria Friedman, whose recent London production received the most five star reviews in London theatre history and accolades from audiences and critics alike. Of Friedman’s work Sondheim remarked, “This production of Merrily We Roll Along is not only the best I’ve seen, but one of

FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION

MUSICAL THEATRE TERMS TO KNOW The Book: The book, sometimes referred to as the

“libretto,” is the story of the musical and contains the major plot points, characters, and dialogue. The book is often written first.

The Score: The score is the music. Elements of the score include: overture, opening number, establishing songs, chorus numbers, musical scenes, segues, and reprises.

The Lyrics: The lyrics are the words that accompany the music. Writing lyrics is a specific skill as the words and music must synchronize.

Stephen Sondheim in rehearsals for the original production of Merrily We Roll Along in 1981


those rare instances where casting, direction, and show come together in perfect combination, resulting in the classic ideal of the sum being greater than the parts.” Sondheim was fortunate enough to see a production of his work 40 years later that finally hit the mark, solving the very issues that plagued the original opening.

Today many of Sondheim’s most successful shows remain at home on Broadway and regional theatres around the world, with recent productions of Sunday in the Park with George, Passion, and Sweeney Todd in New York and beyond.. At the age of 87, Sondheim continues to write. In the spring of 2015, Playbill published an article highlighting his upcoming musical collaboration with bookwriter David Ives on the new musical, Buñuel, based on two Spanish films with plots centered on an unusual evening for guests at a dinner party by the revolutionary filmmaker Luis Buñuel. The pair has been working on the piece since 2012 when the show was first announced, but is “coming along slowly” despite best efforts to complete it. Sondheim and Ives plan to workshop the piece before launching a full scale production at The Public Theater in New York City some time during the 2017-2018 season.

QUESTIONS:

1. What happened to the Sondheim/Prince collaboration after Merrily We Roll Along? Which members of the original cast found Broadway/Hollywood success after this show? How do you think this even affected the careers and lives of those who were involved?

2. Many theatre professionals, including Stephen Sondheim himself, believe that Maria Friedman’s work on Merrily We Roll Along resulted in its definitive production with the London cast; Friedman transformed Frank into a character with whom the audience could identify and root for. How do you think Friedman’s Boston production will compare to her work elsewhere? How might the Huntington’s production offer something unique for Boston audiences?

3. When do you think it is easiest to fail and then keep going: when you have achieved success already or when you are just starting out?

SPUTNIK: THE LAUNCH THAT “CHANGED EVERYTHING”The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) cites the first satellite to orbit the Earth as the impetus leading to the administration’s own existence. Russia, a political rival on the world stage, beat the United States in the quest to send an artificial satellite into orbit. On October 4, 1957, Sputnik I was launched successfully, orbiting the Earth continuously every 98 minutes, marking the beginning of the “space race” between the US and the USSR. This small machine, roughly the size of a beach ball and weighing less than 200 pounds, fundamentally changed the course of space exploration. The two countries were prompted to this particular rivalry by a mandate from the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) in 1952, which proposed a series of comprehensive tests to record global geophysical activities spanning between 1957 and 1958. This period, named the International

Lonny Price, Ann Morrison, Jim Walton, Sally Klein in the original Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along

A technician putts the finishing touches on Sputnik 1, humanity's first artificial satellite.


Geophysical Year, predicted a high point of sunspot activity within an 11-year cycle. The following year, the US formed a national scientific committee to investigate aurora, airglow, cosmic rays, features of longitude and latitude, geomagnetism, glaciology, gravity, meteorology, and solar activity among many other points of interest, and while conducting this research, the US also began its quest to develop an orbiting satellite. In 1954, the ICSU decreed that satellites were necessary for the purpose of scientific research and exploration, so in 1955, the White House officially announced plans for the US’s first launch. The USSR, however, was able to launch its own satellite first.

A major technical achievement for Russia and its space program, the Sputnik I satellite shocked the world and terrified the US. While the US Naval Research Laboratory had developed a comprehensive proposal, the USSR’s actual launch was more impressive in size and scope. Tensions did not ease as Sputnik II was launched the following November boasting a cargo which included a canine named Laika. Fears began to circulate that the USSR now had not only a scientific edge but a military one as well. Did the capacity to catapult a dog into the heavens also mean the Russians were one step closer to accurately firing missiles at will towards any point on American soil? Public fury led to increased funding for space exploration and ignited political action.

Following the Sputnik success, American aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun and his team began work on the Explorer Satellite project. On January 31, 1958, Explorer I was launched successfully into space. This satellite carried a small scientific payload that eventually discovered the magnetic radiation belts around the Earth. That same year, Congress passed the National Aeronautics and Space Act, formally creating NASA as an agency dedicated to winning the space race.

QUESTIONS:

1. Mary, Frank, and Charley witness the Sputnik’s flight across the New York City skyline:

Mary: Phenomenal. Charley: Don’t you wish it was ours. Frank: It’s everybody’s. Mary: Do you call it, Sputnik— Or Sputnik? Charley: You call it a miracle. God.

How does each character individually respond to the Sputnik launch? How might their differences in reflecting upon this moment foretell their responses to future events?

2. Do you think Americans were right to be fearful of Russia’s scientific progress in the late 1950s? Was it a leap to assume that satellite capacity was a threat to physical safety on the ground?

3. How has the space program modified its objectives over the last 60 years? Name a current NASA program that you believe will lead to scientific discovery during the next decade.

ROE V. WADE: A LANDMARK CASEDecisions handed down from the Supreme Court of the United States have lasting implications for the law of the land and often reflect or prompt cultural shifts. Roe v. Wade, the 1973 court case that made abortion legal in the US is perhaps the court’s most well-known decision, inspired by a strong feminist movement and the sweeping sexual revolution of the 1960s. While the case has stood the test of time, the controversy surrounding the ruling has never subsided. The decision to terminate a pregnancy continues to be complicated for women who must make this choice in the midst of political, religious, and ethical debates.

The original lawsuit was filed by attorneys Linda Coffee and Sarah Weddington, two recent graduates of the University of Texas Law School. They brought a lawsuit on behalf of Norma L. McCorvey (Jane Roe) suggesting that Roe’s constitutional rights were violated by the strict abortion ban. Roe’s life was not endangered, but she did not have the funds necessary to travel outside of the state to obtain a legal and safe abortion. In a Texas federal court, the lawsuit was filed against the Dallas County District Attorney, Henry Wade. The case made its way to the Supreme Court and was heard during the 1971-1972 court session.

The court ruled in a majority decision (7-2) that the widespread abortion bans were unconstitutional as they violated a person’s right to privacy, and declared that the First, Fourth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual’s “zone of privacy,” which include major life events such as marriage, contraception, and raising children. States were forbidden from

Norma McCorvey, who was Jane Roe in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, with her attorney, Gloria Allred


outlawing abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy and within the second and third trimesters restrictions allowed only with reasonable accommodations for the mother’s health. Only in the third trimester of pregnancy would the court allow protections for the unborn fetus. Exceptions to abortion regulation were allowed at any point in time in order to protect the life of the mother. The state of Texas, among others, argued that lifting the abortion ban would encourage sexual promiscuity and was a health concern for the woman, but the court rejected both claims. The court also ruled that the opinion that a fetus is a person with rights was not a view held with a consensus and therefore protecting a fetus at the expense of a woman’s right to terminate was unjustified.

As medical advances continue, issues of fetus “viability” (living outside of the mother’s womb) become increasingly complex. In Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), the court rejected the trimester schedule adopted by the Roe v. Wade case. The court affirmed the idea that viability was possible as early as 23-24 weeks of gestation. Critics of the original Roe v. Wade decision who wish to ban abortion continue to argue that abortion is paramount to murder and any constitutional objection overlooks a fetus’s rights as a human. Critics supporting abortion rights suggest that the original case was poorly argued and decided, which left the door open to further challenges legally and in the court of public opinion. The defenders of the decision maintain that Roe v. Wade protects a most basic right of privacy and personal liberty, clearly defined by the Constitution and perhaps the greatest achievement of the Supreme Court of the United States.

QUESTIONS:

1. For Mary and the other women considering marriage and children during the course of Merrily We Roll Along, how might the Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion change their outlook?

2. The cast sings about many of the advancements and “blessings” they are experiencing including “the pill.” Compare and contrast family planning options in 1970s with those of today.

3. Consider the idea that “justice delayed is justice denied.” Roe v. Wade was first filed in 1970 but the Supreme Court did not definitively rule on the case until 1973, long after Jane Roe’s third child was born. Although Roe “won” the case, did she receive justice? Could you be satisfied with a ruling in your favor even if it came at a time too late for you personally?

THE KENNEDY FAMILY LEGACYA primary conflict in Merrily We Roll Along centers around the production of Frank and Charley’s show, Take a Left. Joe suggests that Frank, Charley, and Mary can maintain their artistic integrity by pushing their “political flop” forward, but first they need to find commercial success. Take a Left is once again sidetracked, but given the political and social times during which Merrily We Roll Along’s characters are beginning their careers, it is not surprising that their deep convictions and political interests are evident in their work. As Frank and Beth decide to get married, they feel confident in their

decision to start a family as the world is changing, because as they sing in “Bobby and Jackie and Jack,” “Nixon lost” and the Kennedys were “bringing back style to the White House.”

John F. Kennedy served as the 35th president of the United States, beating out Richard Nixon by a narrow margin. The first president of Irish Catholic descent, Kennedy served as president for only three years before he was assassinated in 1963. Kennedy’s influence, however, on the Democratic Party and American history proved long-lasting. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard in 1940 before joining the US Naval Reserve. He served during World War II and received the Navy and Marine Corp Medal for Service. He was elected to Massachusetts 11th Congressional District in 1947 and successfully campaigned for United States Senate, where he served from 1953-1960. Kennedy, while serving as a senator, wrote Profiles in Courage which won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography. His military and intellectual accomplishments would help propel him into the White House in 1960.

While most Americans continue to name JFK as one of the greatest presidents of all time, experts contend that his tenure in the White House was not more successful than many others who served before and after him. He struggled through the Cold War, narrowly escaping a nuclear event during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which followed the failed attempt to oust communist dictator Fidel Castro. While a champion of the Civil Rights movement, he garnered little success in the way of legislation during his short time in office. His legacy, many historians contend, is the genius posturing of his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the wake of his assassination.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and John F. Kennedy photographed by Richard Avedon in 1961


Jacqueline Kennedy is one of the most popular First Ladies of all time, primarily because of her deep appreciation for art, fashion, and history, which she shared with the American people by opening the White House through a personally guided televised tour presented by CBS News. Jackie remarked, “I feel so strongly that the White House should have as fine a collection of American pictures as possible. It’s so important . . . the setting in which the presidency is presented to the world to foreign visitors. The American people should be proud of it. We have such a great civilization. So many foreigners don’t realize it. I think this house should be the place we see them best.” The custom for presidents when retiring from the White House had been to take items and furnishings with them and when Jackie arrived, she was dismayed to discover that the White House was not bursting with fine art and antiques. She set out on a mission to restore the White House’s interior with historically accurate design; she financed it (as the first $50,000 designated by the government for the project was spent almost immediately) by creating a White House guide book sold to visitors and anyone interested in purchasing it. Jackie also pressed for legislation that designated the White House furnishings as property of the Smithsonian Institution, as the “People’s House” needed to be protected and preserved.

Following her husband’s untimely death, Jackie immediately went into preservation mode, this time for her family and JFK’s legacy. Refusing to sneak out a back door and into hiding following the assassination of her husband in a Dallas motorcade, Jackie

signaled that she would not be leaving the public eye without first setting the tone for her departure. A week after her husband was assassinated, Jackie sat down for an interview with Life magazine reporter Theodore H. White. She carefully dictated that the Kennedy’s time in the White House should be named the “Camelot Era.” Her effort to seal her husband’s image as noble, righteous, and akin to royalty was largely successful. She would later ask President Johnson to name the new space center after her late husband and would play a large part in the creation of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, forever solidifying JFK’s significance not only for his role in Massachusetts state politics, but nationally and internationally as well.

QUESTIONS:

1. With which political party do you think Mary, Charley, and Frank would align? How do they feel about JFK’s election victory? Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

2. Do you think JFK was a great American president? What features or characteristics made him unique among his peers? Continuing your research of JFK, what events or qualities about him made him typical among his peers? Do you believe he lived up to the ideal image his wife created of him after his death?

3. Why might the production of Merrily We Roll Along be considered timely, given the current political climate? What issues facing the United States today are reminiscent of those dogging the JFK presidency?

The London cast of Merrily We Roll Along

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SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES

GROUP COLLABORATION: STORY WRITING!In Merrily We Roll Along, Frank, Charley, and Mary collaborate on the work important to them, but working in groups can pose challenges, especially when individuals have strong opinions or ideas in which they are invested. Working together on a project can also be extremely rewarding, capitalizing on the strengths of all team members.

In groups, set out to write a “fast story” taking up no more than a couple of pages!

STEP ONE: CASTING!Divide into groups of three or four. Try to diversify your group by considering the talents of each individual. Perhaps one person is known for having “big ideas” and someone else is known for writing poetry. You might have an actor in the group and an avid reader, for example.

STEP TWO: PREWRITING! Before setting to work you must first have an idea. What is your story about? Who is your audience? Outline the details after deciding the following:

• Characters• Setting• Central Conflict• Resolution• What happens before the conflict is resolved?

What happens after?

STEP THREE: WRITING!Once you have determined what you want to write about, how will you get the words down on the paper? Will you have a “secretary” who writes down the ideas of the group or will each individual member take a part to write? Keep the entire story under three minutes long.

STEP FOUR: READING!Once your group has finished the “fast story” select a member of the group to read it to the whole class.

Now, tell the story backwards using all of the members of your group. This exercise does not need to be scripted. How difficult (or easy) was changing the order of events and then presenting it to an audience?

STEP FIVE: REFLECTION!Was writing in a group frustrating or exhilarating? Did one person dominate the discussion or were everyone’s voices heard? Were you happy with the final product? How did your audience respond?

LEARNING ABOUT THE PAST, PREDICTING THE FUTUREMerrily We Roll Along has a unique scene organization because the story is told from end to beginning, looking back over roughly two decades of the characters’ lives.

The Past: Write a fact from your past on a piece of paper (for example, you weighed 11 pounds at birth, you never learned to swim, your dog’s name was Candy, etc.). Do not put your name on the paper. When everyone is finished, put the papers in a pile and as a group try to figure out which fact belongs to which person by considering the facts one at a time.

The Future: Write down a prediction about your future (you will have six children, you will move across the country, you will play professional baseball, etc.). Do not put your name on the paper. When everyone is finished, put the papers in a pile and as a group try to figure out who belongs to each personal prediction.

What new information did you learn about your classmates? Were you surprised by the facts you learned about your friends? Do you think the future will resemble what is predicted by your peers?

Damian Humbley as Charley Kringas and Mark Umbers as Frank Shepard in the London production of Merrily We Roll Along

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SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESNAME THAT TUNE!Divide the class into two teams. The point will be given to the first team to name the song, all from Sondheim musicals. An additional point will be added if the team can also name the musical. After several rounds, the team with the most points wins!

Suggested titles include but are not limited to:

• “Send in the Clowns” – A Little Night Music

• “Johanna” – Sweeney Todd

• “Now You Know” – Merrily We Roll Along

• “Anyone Can Whistle” – Anyone Can Whistle

• “Another 100 People” – Company

• “Losing My Mind” – Follies

SONG WRITING!Songs in musical theatre often let the audience know about the emotional struggles of the character, explain major conflicts, and might even advance the plot. Take your turn and write a song to share with your class! Select a tune you know well, it does not have to be from a Sondheim musical, and write lyrics which address a conflict or problem. Suggestions for conflicts include:

• Being dumped by text message.

• Losing your dog at the park.

• Being caught cheating on a test.

• Believing your dad is actually the tooth fairy.

• Discovering your best friend won student of the year. You won nothing.

After you have chosen a tune and a conflict, write down your lyrics. What are the challenges putting words to music? Did you feel compelled to rhyme or not?

You can read the “song” to the class OR you can sing it!

Haydn Gwynne as Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music

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DESIGN CHALLENGEThe book of Merrily We Roll Along includes stage directions that call for the use of projection screens to provide the audience with important context or details. Create the slides that are noted at the top of the show:

As the number (“Merrily We Roll Along”) progresses, we see slides projected onto the scrim, slides which tell us the story we are about to see: photos of FRANKLIN SHEPHARD, MARY FLYNN, and CHARLEY KRINGAS each at the age of eight, then at their individual high schools and colleges, followed by a variety of things such as: the three of them posing for humorous pictures in amusement-palace booths; their initial success as writers; FRANKLIN’S marriage and divorce; reviews, Variety articles, gossip columns, the newspaper accounts of the breakup of Franklin’s and Charley’s partnership; Franklin’s movie career; Charley’s Pulitzer Prize; etc., leading finally to a huge slide of a formal invitation which coincides with the end of the number...

1. Decide the materials you will use to make these screens. Are they projections? Actual physical copies of articles and pictures blown up and attached to a board?

2. Create renderings of the various slides the audience needs to see. Do you think the actors cast in these rolls were asked for things like graduation pictures to create these slides?

3. Present your designs to the class. Do you think you were able to convey the information dictated by the stage directions through your renderings? What are the challenges in designing a magazine article or party invitation for large-scale viewing?

4. Compare and contrast your design choices with those of the design team who worked on the Huntington’s production. How did the Huntington’s production communicate the same information in different ways?”

Mark Umbers as Frank Shepard, Eden Espinosa as Mary Flynn, and Damian Humbley as Charley Kringas

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QUOTABLE MOMENTSChoose one of the following quotes from Merrily We Roll Along and write an essay analyzing its meaning. Consider:

• Which character said it?

• Does the character mean it literally or is there an unspoken subtext?

• What does this statement reveal about the character’s way of looking at the world?

• How do the character’s actions support or contradict the quote?

• Do other characters seem to agree or disagree?

• How does the quote contribute to the forward progression of the scene and of the plot as a whole?

“Dreams don’t die, so keep an eye on your dream.”

“The worst vice in the world is “advice,” so I don’t give any.”

“I ’ve made only one mistake in my life. But I made it over and over and over. That was saying ‘yes’ when I meant ‘no.’”

“ I swear, if I could go back to the beginning, if I could somehow be starting over … writing shows, trying to change world, I’d give all this up like that.”

“ ...You compose a Broadway show you’re something in New York. But you produce a movie, you’re something all over the world.”

“ Listen, Frank does the money thing very well. But you know what? There are other people who do it better. And Frank does the music thing very well. And you know what? No one does it better.”

“. ..I have loved you no matter what you did, but I guess because I don’t live my life like you or the way you’d like me to, you had to shoot me down and watch me bleed.”

“ If you were right, I would be the first to admit it. But with you, there is no other side. There’s only your way and the wrong way.”

“ When the hell am I ever going to meet a waiter who’s just a waiter?”

“ This moment that the three of us are sharing here together. Nothing’s ever going to be the way it was, not ever again. Do you guys realize that now we are going to be able to do anything? I mean anything we ever dreamed of. What a time to be starting out. What a time to be alive.”

Jenna Russell, Clare Foster, Mark Umbers, and Damian Humbley in the London production of Merrily We Roll Along

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QUOTABLE SONDHEIMChoose one of the following quotes by Stephen Sondheim and write an essay in which you argue for or against Sondheim’s perspective. Use evidence from musicals both by Sondheim and others to support your opinion.

“ Although one can’t underestimate the importance of songs, it’s the book that the musical theatre is all about, and I’m not being modest.”

“ At least half my songs deal with ambivalence, feeling two things at once…I like neurotic people. I like troubled people.”

“ I usually write lying down, so I can go to sleep easily. I write about ten minutes and sleep for two, on the average.”

“ Obviously the hardest kind of lyric in the world to set is often the best kind to read. Iambic pentameter is wonderful to read and terrible to set. I learned from Oscar and Cole Porter: as you’re writing a lyric, get a rhythm even if you don’t have a tune in your head.”

“ We Americans have a special tendency to ignore history. We remember only what is pleasant. We must have a sense of the past. Without it the present is meaningless and stupid.”

“ As for humor in lyric writing, it’s always better to be funny than clever — and a lot harder.”

“ People mistake sentimentality for feeling. I believe in sentiment but not sentimentality.”

“I believe it’s the writer’s job to educate the audience…to bring them things they would never have expected to see. It’s not easy, but writing never has been.”

SONDHEIM TRIVIACircle the best answer for each question. Additional research outside of this guide may be required to answer the questions correctly.

1. Sondheim’s musical Sunday in the Park with George is inspired by a painting by which artist?

A. Pablo Picasso

B. George Seurat

C. Claude Monet

D. Edgar Degas

2. Sondheim won the Tony Award for Best Original Score three times consecutively for which combination of musicals?

A. Merrily We Roll Along, Passion, Into the Woods

B. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, West Side Story, Assassins

C. Company, Follies, A Little Night Music

D. Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Anyone Can Whistle

3. Which Broadway Theatre housed the most Sondheim Shows?

A. The Winter Garden Theatre

B. The Broadhurst Theatre

C. The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre

D. The Shubert Theatre

4. How many total Tony Awards have Sondheim musicals received?

A. 32

B. 56

C. 75

D. 88

5. Which famous lyricist read and critiqued Sondheim’s first show, a musical named By George that he wrote about his school experience?

A. Fred Ebb

B. Ira Gershwin

C. Lorenz Hart

D. Oscar Hammerstein II

Answers on back cover.

Stephen Sondheim

264 HUNTIN

GTON AVENUE

BOSTON, MA 02115

-4606

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG SEPT. 28

TARTUFFE NOV. 17

MALA JAN. 18 & 25

SKELETON CREW MAR. 15

TOP GIRLS MAY 32017-2018 STUDENT MATINEES

Sondheim Trivia Key:

1B, 2C, 3A, 4C, 5D

TH · 4 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE ACTING • 1.7: Create and sustain a believable...

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