Merrily We Roll Along
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by George Furth
Based on the play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
The beloved classic musical Merrily We Roll Along moves backwards in time to tell the story of three friends as they face critical choices that change the trajectory of their lives.
Blank Theatre Company is excited to bring Chicago audiences this moving story, featuring one of Stephen Sondheim's greatest scores!
This production is made possible by our generous season sponsors, Michael and Mona Heath.
UPDATE 7/18/23
We are saddened to share the news that late last night, after our performance of Merrily We Roll Along at Invictus Theatre, there was a fire next door. While, thankfully, no one was hurt, and Invictus was spared from the brunt of the fire, we will be unable to conclude our run of Merrily We Roll Along in our regular space this weekend.
We will instead be presenting a concert staging of the show a few blocks away at City Lit Theatre (1020 W. Bryn Mawr). This Thursday’s performance will be cancelled as we rehearse in this new version of our production, while Friday, Saturday and Sunday will go on as scheduled in this new venue. We are improvising and figuring out details quickly, but we can assure you this version of the show will be just as exciting, invigorating, and moving as the work we have been presenting at Invictus Theatre, and will feature our entire cast and orchestra performing the entire show--music, dialogue, and staging--without design elements (set, costumes, lighting cues).
Ticket holders should have already received an email from us. If you have not, please contact us at info@blanktheatrecompany.org and we will be happy to offer an exchange or refund, or to welcome you to the performance at our new venue.
As City Lit has a larger capacity than our previous venue, performances that were previously sold out now have more availability! As we continue to reschedule patrons, additional seats may continue to open up.
We deeply wish we could continue to welcome audiences into our regular home this weekend, but in light of the circumstances, we are excited to continue to share this beautiful piece with our community.
Praise for Merrily We Roll Along
"An immensely enjoyable evening... This is the kind of show where the audience soaks up all the young talent, forgives any rough edges and appreciates that this is the kind of crew capable of rejuvenating the city’s storefront theater scene just when it needs them the most."
- Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune
"I’ve seen several versions of Merrily over many years (all of them in Chicago), and this is by far the most effective [...] this is storefront Sondheim at its best." - Albert Williams, Chicago Reader
"A reminder of everything that live theatre is, or should be, all about... Blank Theatre Company has conjured up a poetic miracle of a musical production, with hardly a wrong note at any moment from beginning to end, and with a wonderful surprise at its conclusion. In a long lifetime of theatre-going, I don’t think I have ever seen a better or more heartfelt small-theatre production, nor even a better musical of any size." - Michael Antman, Chicago Theatre Review
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Cast
Franklin Shepard: Christopher Johnson
Charley Kringas: Dustin Rothbart*
Mary Flynn: Brittney Brown
Gussie Carnegie: Brandy Miller
Beth Spencer: Justine Cameron
Joe Josephson: Aaron Mann*
Scotty/Ensemble: Jodi Gage
Jerome/Ensemble: Nick Arceo
Ru/Ensemble: Kyle Johnson
Mr. Spencer/Ensemble: Eddie Ledford
K.T./Ensemble: Sophie Murk
Dory/Ensemble: Sophie Smekens
Tyler/Ensemble: Evan B. Smith
Meg/Ensemble: Danielle Smith
Understudies: Rebecca Mactaggart, Halli Morgan, Nicholas Ford Kinney, Mack Spotts
Production Team
Director: Danny Kapinos*
Music Director: Aaron Kaplan
Scenic Designer: Adrian Luka Tirado
Costume Designer: Cindy Moon
Lighting Designer: Benjamin Carne
Stage Manager: Bobby Lee
Assistant Director: Grant Carriker
Associate MD: Sachio Nang
*Denotes Blank Company Member
June 23 - July 23, 2023
NEW LOCATION:
City Lit Theatre
1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave
Chicago, IL 60660
Run time: 2hr 30min with one 15-minute intermission
Tickets: $15 - $35
Health & Safety
All patrons understand that there is a risk of exposure to COVID-19 in any public place where people are present. Those purchasing tickets and attending Blank Theatre Company productions voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.
If you have purchased tickets and before your scheduled performance you test positive for COVID-19 or experience symptoms, please contact the box office at info@blanktheatrecompany.org to reschedule your tickets for a later date.
