Official Blurb: Following sold-out runs in London and at the New York Theatre Workshop, Merrily We Roll Along is back on Broadway — and with Maria Friedman’s widely acclaimed production, it is poised at last to take its place in the pantheon of great American musicals. Featuring one of Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal scores, and moving backwards in time, Merrily charts the turbulent relationship between three lifelong friends — played by Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez — and traces every milestone of their lives for nearly two decades as they navigate success, show business and unbreakable bonds.
It’s our time, breathe it in;
worlds to change and worlds to win.
My take: This cast is everything! And although I came for Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff, my heart got stolen by Lindsay Mendez, I knew she was good, but here she is spectacular, give her all the awards! This is not about the music or the spectacle (both are serviceable if not memorable) but to me transported through 30 years of their emotional performances. I actually was very impressed with Daniel Radcliffe’s voice, he totally holds his own against the other two powerhouse vocals. This is definitely a theatrical experience that you have to see, and you have to see with this cast and this staging, you will not regret it.
One of my favorite things of the press tour of this show was this vanity fair interview, the lie detector test and I think you guys need to watch it:
Official Blurb: Grammy Award-winning artist Alicia Keys and Pulitzer Prize-finalist playwright Kristoffer Diaz bring their exhilarating coming-of-age musical HELL’S KITCHEN to The Public this fall. In a cramped apartment hanging off the side of Times Square, 17-year-old Ali is desperate to get her piece of the New York dream. Ali’s mother is just as determined to protect her daughter from the same mistakes she made. When Ali falls for a talented young drummer, both mother and daughter must face hard truths about race, defiance, and growing up. Ali feels trapped, until the sound of a neighbor playing piano opens the door to an unexpected friendship and a radically different future. Choreography by Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown, direction by Tony Award nominee Michael Greif, and book by Pulitzer Prize-finalist Kristoffer Diaz, HELL’S KITCHEN is an unforgettable new show loosely based on Alicia Keys’ personal experiences, featuring both newly created music and many of her soulful, iconic songs.
My take: Get yourself a ticket to the Broadway transfer of this because it is amazing! I knew the music was going to be amazing, because Alicia Keys is amazing. However I was very impressed by quite a few things music wise: there were quite a few songs I did not know that sounded great. The big hits had interesting arrangements that made them unique and appropriate for the show. I didn’t feel like they were singing a Alicia Keys smash hit, they were quite reinvented so that new life was thrown into them. also the songs are quite appropriate for the storyline.
The cast is fabulous. Maleah Joi Moon is going to be a star, she has a hell of a voice. Also nothing wrong can be said about the singing duo of Shoshana Bean and Brandon Victor Dixon, its worth the price of admission. The highlight of the show acting wise was surprising for me, it was Kecia Lewis. Her piano teacher was like a stoic heart of the show and i really enjoyed it.
Two thumbs up for the projections! the elevator is so well done
Tati's Tidbits 