Even as one of the most acclaimed writers of the 20th century, Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along comes with a certain divisiveness. The story itself has been criticized for being too ambitious and few have been able to put it on in a successful manner. Even with this in mind, it features one of his catchiest songbooks doing retro musical pastiches that transfixes theater communities to try and crack its code. Whereas the original notoriously enjoyed an abrupt closure, it has gone on for a near 40 years inspiring people to make it their own. Among that list is Cal State University Fullerton’s theater group which has recently finished its run of the show. As the packed theater and a song midway through would suggest, it’s a hit!
One of the difficulties of appreciating this musical is that it takes an attentive ear to understand what’s going on. Starting narratively at the end of Franklin Shepherd’s journey, he is seen downtrodden as people sing around him “How’d you get to be here?” It’s one of many recurring motifs that insert themselves into the story. The mystery lies in the fact that several songs devolve throughout the show, where melodies and lyrical passages appear in different places. It’s the idea of Franklin trying to understand what was the value of being a composer in the first place. If the show has one thing that’s effective, it’s the idea of finding where your inspiration comes from and the brilliance is how they’re often originating in something unrelated.
Because of the structure, the story’s bitterness overwhelms the early run and what audiences first see is the break-up of the main trio: Franklin, Charlie, and Mary. They each have their problems (for example, Mary is first seen as a deadbeat alcoholic), but the audience doesn’t know why. Sometimes the answers come in the next scene, but others require patience to fully appreciate where things are going. The show’s ability to work as a memory unraveling its deeper meaning is beautiful, and it’s the heart of what the show does best. If there’s an issue, those opposed to unlikeable leads may have issues understanding the sincerity and purpose of why these three talked to each other so often. If nothing else, it creates theater as a provocative conversation with the audience, making them wonder how it applies to their own lives.
Credit should go to the staging, which is deceptively simple. With a piano placed at center stage, it becomes clear how much of this story is based around finding a song. While it’s sometimes played, it’s often decoration as the surroundings become filled with glamorous figures and family squabbles all fighting for space in their lives. The backdrops are especially impressive, managing to turn this same space into an NBC news show interview and even dingy bars where everyone got their start. In the closing minutes, it becomes something even more radiant, turning the whole excess into a minimalist vision of bittersweet dreams to come.
All of this works better because of the central cast who know how to carry the emotional weight. What’s more impressive is not the first half where the burden of decades of bad decisions has hurt these characters, but the slow removal of it. What becomes present is naivety before controversies and tragedies emerge. There’s that trust that makes the audience wince because they know what’s to come. It’s a clever approach done by the gifted actors who manage to sell the saccharine undertones of the final song without feeling as bitter as what has been seen. It’s cute, sincere, and a perfect conclusion to a difficult story.
While it can be argued that the story is flawed on a narrative level, the effort to make it work is definitely a high point for CSUF. With lavish costuming and intriguing use of staging, there’s enough here to make up for the moments that lag or may feel redundant. Sometimes the actors may not feel as old as their characters need them to, but when taken as a whole, it actually works. It’s not an easy show to put on, but to watch them get to moments like “Franklin Shepherd, Inc.” and see them cleverly deliver the sound effect-driven melodies is a worthwhile sight. More than anything, it’s a great love letter to what the show has always been about. It’s trying to find the reason artists follow a career path that may not always end well. It’s not any of the misery found along the way, but the initial uncertainty. Does having that bittersweetness make them change their path? Does it do it for any of us?
Merrily We Roll Along as a show may still be difficult to be given due diligence, but the effort on display here is impressive. Everything about it is brought to life with enthusiasm and purpose as the cast understands the emotional nuance. On the surface level, it’s a clever take on the musical format. However, to go deeper is to see how audiences form their own memories of different moments and how nostalgia is both beautiful and tragic. Everything leaves behind questions that only the individual can answer. As evident in the show’s theme, it’s difficult to answer. The least one can do is try to get halfway there.
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