
Photo: Joan Marcus
By Brian Scott Lipton
How did it happen? How did British director Maria Friedman do what hasn’t been done before: Deliver a triumphant production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s short-lived 1981 Broadway musical “Merrily We Roll Along,” now on stage at New York Theatre Workshop in a sadly limited and sold-out run. The answer comes down a smart but subtle re-examination of the show’s book, trust in the audience’s appreciation of the superb score -- which includes such landmark songs as “Our Time,” “Good Thing Going,” “Not A Day Goes By,” and “Old Friends” – and, above all, perfect casting. Continue Reading...