The 2024 Tony Awards were a perfect full-circle moment for Merrily We Roll Along, which has officially transformed from an infamous flop to the best of Broadway. And in so doing, it made a statement that fans hopefully never forget.
Everyone now knows the story of how the musical was a disaster when Stephen Sondheim, George Furth, and Hal Prince originally brought it to the stage in 1981. There’s an entire documentary about how their take on the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart did not at all go as planned. It lasted just over a dozen performances and became the stuff of legend, but not in a good way. Decades later now it’s legendary for all the right reasons. Not only did Merrily We Roll Along earn the overall Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, but stars Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe won their respective acting categories, and Jonathan Tunick was recognized for his work with the show’s orchestra. It’s the kind of success that every Broadway show dreams of, but few actually reach—and for this one, seemed flat-out impossible.
That’s why Merrily‘s run at the Tony Awards goes beyond the usual awards show fetes that happen and are subsequently forgotten about. In an era where awards in any part of the entertainment industry are seen as popularity contests, this is one that actually matters. It matters to Merrily’s fans, its hardworking cast and crew, it matters to Broadway and it matters to anyone who’s ever had an artistic dream go wrong because this is how wrong can still be right.
Merrily We Roll Along’s Tony Wins Are Beautifully Poignant
Levels exist within Merrily We Roll Along‘s Tonys success. Of course, the show was tipped as a favorite on Sunday night, given its commercial windfall, which in turn was no shock considering the star power above the title. From the outside, what’s happened with Merrily sounds like the Broadway version of building a superteam that goes on to win the World Series or the Super Bowl. And it absolutely lived up to the sky-high expectations that came with that. But the reality is that it’s probably the most financially and critically successful underdog story in theatre.
There are two different, emotional, powerful lessons to take away from Merrily We Roll Along: the one in the musical and the one about it. For those who haven’t seen it yet before it closes in July, skip this next paragraph: though there’s a deservedly tragic element to the life of Franklin Shepard (played by Jonathan Groff), the play is not a tragedy. It’s one of the most hopeful stories on the stage as audiences watch and become captivated by the idealism that was at the heart of Frank’s friendships with Charley Kringas (Daniel Radcliffe) and Mary Flynn (Lindsay Mendez). That hope and belief in changing the world permeates the whole show; even if it doesn’t last for the characters, it lasts for the audience.
There’s an important message inside this musical about how art has value beyond commerce, and how ideas that aren’t popular still carry weight. That’s something more important in 2024 than it ever was as artists struggle with Google metrics, click counts, and social media numbers. So many meaningful stories and voices get lost or ignored because they don’t have those numbers, and creators often find themselves facing Frank’s crossroads of doing what they want versus being able to financially support themselves. It’s sad that some of them end up choosing as Frank does, but Merrily serves as a reminder that their voices are heard and that they shouldn’t give up on their dreams even if it’s a struggle. Even if the dreams don’t work out, we still need people to be dreaming.
But outside of that, Merrily We Roll Along is an example of just how many people and how much heart it takes to make any piece of entertainment successful. The three leads have gotten the lion’s share of the attention, understandably so, and they deserve every word of praise because in this show they’ve given the best performances of their already well-established careers. Yet hopefully the critical success of this production draws attention to everyone else involved, as Merrily is the most well-rounded musical in ages, potentially ever. There may be three names above the title, but the show always feels like one cohesive team effort.
The Merrily We Roll Along ensemble is both strong and versatile, as several actors have to play multiple parts and even those who don’t have to portray characters at vastly different points in their lives. What’s a pleasant surprise is that every single one of them has at least one moment where they shine on their own. Krystal Joy Brown and Katie Rose Clarke take what could have been standard female archetypes and make them feel like complete people, regardless of Frank’s role in Gussie and Beth’s lives respectively. Along those lines, Frank’s friend Tyler should have been an insufferable dude, but Corey Mach finds a way to communicate that Tyler was as far out of his depth as everyone else.
But past that, too, there are little highlights throughout like the news anchors portrayed by Leana Rae Concepcion and Brian Sears (now succeeded by Coby Getzug) who take themselves way too seriously. Or Beth’s parents Mr. and Mrs. Spencer, played by Jacob Keith Watson and Sherz Aletaha, who are everyone’s in-laws with snarky comments that always hit the bullseye. Jamila Sabares-Klemm has one of Broadway’s most memorable entrances when a certain character finally appears (to say who would take all the fun out of it). The ensemble members are so good that it’s easy to see how even these smaller characters impact Frank, Charley and Mary’s lives.
And by the way, several of these performers are making their Broadway debuts while stealing scenes.
It’s not just the actors who shine in Merrily, though. The orchestra plays an incredible part in the show, crafting an underscore that is understated and subtly complements the action on stage. The scenic and costume design by Soutra Gilmour is a wonderful example of “doing more with less,” and is more remarkable considering that the show fluidly moves through different years that all have to have their own visual identity. The conceit of the reverse timeline would be blunted if it was just spoken and not seen in action.
And then there’s Maria Friedman, whose lengthy history with this production as both an actor and director gives it a special and singular vision. It’s so uncommon to have a director who’s actually played one of the leads and can see from that perspective, on top of having lived with this musical for years. The transformation of Merrily We Roll Along from failure to triumph wouldn’t have happened without someone at the top who not only loved it but understood it enough to make critical changes that didn’t take away from its intentions. Merrily We Roll Along is the end product of the right people finding the right production at the right time, and those things don’t come together very often.
Jonathan Groff Is Finally a Tony Award Winner
There’s a special place for Jonathan Groff winning his Tony Award, and that’s because his victory is so incredibly overdue. Groff is one of the most popular actors in theatre, but he’d been living in that limbo of being a fan favorite but never getting the critical acclaim he deserved. He’d previously been Tony-nominated for his performances in Spring Awakening and Hamilton but missed out on both awards. And while he’d gone on to find opportunities in both TV and film, his heart has always been in theatre, so there was something particularly disappointing about him missing out on what would be such a meaningful accomplishment. It was like an IndyCar driver being a champion but never winning the Indy 500. They’ve done so much, but there’s always something missing.
Merrily We Roll Along was Jonathan Groff erasing that “but” out of his history. As fans, it’s neat when someone we enjoy wins an award, yet it’s kind of like brownie points because it doesn’t change much. This was one of those times when viewers knew it was a life-altering occasion, even before his incredibly vulnerable and touching acceptance speech. And there’s something to be said for when it happens to someone of Groff’s caliber. For him to finally have that moment in the sun after being not only one of Broadway’s best performers but also one of its best people was a reminder that the good guys do win. The same can be said of Daniel Radcliffe, who earned his Tony after spending almost every night going out to meet the massive stage door crowds. Good people getting great results isn’t only about them; it gives all of us a reason to hope and to be inspired.
Here’s the part where I take off my journalist badge and take a personal aside. I’ve been very lucky to have several influences across my career; I’ve talked about some of them. None will ever be more important than the self-improvement that Jonathan Groff inspired, prompting me to look at myself in a new and much more forgiving light. I took my mental health journey because I felt safe seeing his individuality. The culmination of that journey came with Merrily We Roll Along. It was my first opportunity to see Groff on stage, and I was able to follow the show from off-Broadway to Broadway, to share the experience with some of my dearest friends and my family, to be touched by the lessons in the story that reaffirmed what I’d learned about myself. It is incredible and emotional to see my hero finally win his Tony Award for a production that became a meaningful part of my life.
Chances are no one will remember this or the other article I wrote about Merrily, but I’ve learned that doesn’t matter because I’m not doing this for exposure. I’m doing this for me and for everyone involved with a remarkable musical that I don’t think we’ll see the likes of again any time soon. Merrily We Roll Along winning at the Tony Awards is a representation of how much this musical has flourished and enabled so many people to flourish with it. Jonathan Groff pouring his heart out is all of us in some way, and the fact that this once-forgotten show has become a triumph is the kind of motivating story we don’t hear often enough. Franklin Shepard and Charley Kringas set out to change the world, and at the Tony Awards, they did exactly that, along with all of their old friends.
Merrily We Roll Along plays at Broadway’s Hudson Theatre through July 7, 2024.
