Take Two Productions’ ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ is a revelatory road trip

Since his passing in 2021, there’s been what seems to be a Sondheim-palooza. Recently, we’ve been offered productions of “Into the Woods, “Assassins,” “A Little Night Music” and “Sweeney Todd.” Take Two Productions has added “Merrily We Roll Along,” directed and choreographed by Stephen Peirick, to that list.

It’s clear that Peirick was drawn to the musical’s complex score and insightful commentary on ambition and friendship. With this inspiration, he has delivered a finely sung, emotionally resonant presentation powered by a cadre of vocally gifted performers who engender genuine charisma and elicit heartbreaking empathy.

“Merrily We Roll Along” is unique because it tells the story of three friends in reverse, beginning with their midlife challenges in the mid-1970s and moving backward to their early dreams in the late 50s. The rather unconventional narrative structure wasn’t well-received when “Merrily” debuted and promptly flopped in 1981. Maybe audiences weren’t ready for this approach and maybe it took a few decades of catching up to what, playwright George Furth and composer Sondheim were up to. But this story couldn’t achieve its cathartic, nostalgic ending any other way.

Peirick chose a solid, vocally talented cast for this production. Ryan Farmer delivers Franklin, a talented composer who compromises his artistic ideals for commercial success. You may not like all of Franklin’s choices, but Farmer ensures we understand them with his range and nuance.

Among the leads – as strong as they are – the best may be Michael Baird’s performance as Charley, Franklin’s witty-yet-scattered lyricist and best friend. Baird delivers a performance of Sondheim’s challenging lyrics with an impressive versatility full of emotion, frenetic energy, vulnerability and sharp comedic timing.

As the witty, sharp-tongued Mary, Grace Langford brings a genuine empathy to her character, who begins the musical as a bitter drunk and ends in a much sweeter place. Her performance of Mary beautifully blends sharp wit with deep emotional resonance, making her both a comic relief and a tragic figure.

Also notable is Brittany Kohl as Beth, Franklin’s long-suffering first wife. Kohl’s pure, expressive voice and her ability to convey Beth’s quiet strength and vulnerability were especially notable in the powerful ballad “Not a Day Goes By.”

It’s hard to like the character of Gussie, Franklin’s mistress and manipulative second wife. But Kristin Meyer’s strong performance reveals Gussie’s seductive allure and the complexity of her desires.

The ensemble ably ties the narrative together – especially during the “transitions” and delivers some of the best laughs, not the least of which are for their costumes. Under Peiricks’s direction, this production embraces the musical’s stripped-down aesthetic, though he clearly had fun as the costume designer and wig stylist. In the original Broadway production, the cast wore lumpy sweatshirts emblazoned with their names. Audiences weren’t keen on that sartorial choice, so Peirick (assisted by Abby Pastorello) avoids that issue by wrapping the cast in the questionable – and instantly recognizable – fashion trends from 1976 to 1957.  

The simple set and lighting design ensure the emphasis is placed on the cast. Under the music direction of Matthew Kauzlarich, the modest orchestra sounded bigger than it was and supported, without overwhelming, the singers.

“Merrily We Roll Along” concluded a two-week run on October 5th at Johnson Hall in the Third Baptist Church in the Grand Centers Arts District. For information on upcoming Take Two shows, visit Take Two Productions’ web site.