Événement

Merrily We Roll Along

Stephen Sondheim is generally acknowledged as the greatest musical theatre composer alive today. He is known for having taken the musical artform into darker, less cheery terrain with discordant melodies and mature subject matter, often holding up the mirror to life's unpleasantries. From the failed connections of the romantic relationships in Company to the bloody horrors of Sweeney Todd, Sondheim's works are among the most challenging and musically complex works in the musical theatre canon. The high schools that do tackle Sondheim usually pick the more accessible dark/light fairy-tale laden Into the Woods. Few, however, take on the cautionary musical tale of Merrily We Roll Along.

A legendary bomb when it opened in 1981, the musical closed in a month after largely negative reviews, although the music remained a fan favorite for years. Several retoolings and revised productions later, the musical has been reworked and redeemed, winning Britain's version of the Tony Awards in 2012 for Best Musical. The play has an unusual dramatic structure in that it goes backwards in time. The story begins in 1976 and follows Franklin Shepard, a successful Hollywood producer who appears to have it all - fame, fortune and all the trappings of success. But as the play unfolds, we go back in time to see he was once an up-and-coming musical theater composer, who sold out this talent, family, friends and ideals in the quest for commercial success. It is the haunting, heart-breaking tale of potential wasted, and recommended for mature audiences. Mr. DeLeo & chorus director Mr. Brandt are obsessed with the show and promise to deliver a moving play for West Springfield's Cappies Show entry for 2015.