One of the productions that the Collierville Schools theater department will be doing this season is a lesser-known musical called Merrily We Roll Along. While it is an exceptionally good musical, with heartfelt songs and joyful dance numbers, it’s not as popular as other Broadway hits, which means not as many people have heard of it. If you’re one of those people, but your interest has been piqued, then keep reading to prepare yourself for when it hits the Pickler Auditorium stage in November.
One of the most notable and interesting aspects of Merrily We Roll Along is the way it begins in the present and slowly tracks backwards through the lives and complicated, failing friendship of three friends: Frank the composer, Charley the playwright, and Mary the theater critic. The story begins with the three miserable and estranged, and slowly reverses through their lives to show how exactly their friendship was driven apart and corrupted by success, effectively demonstrating how damaging and changing obtaining fame can be to a person.
By the end of the musical, we have gone all the way back in time from 1976 to 1957, back to a time when Frank, Mary, and Charley were close-knit friends and nothing more than a trio of young, aspiring artists, not yet damaged by fame and wealth. Although this production has many mature themes and may not be suitable for young children to watch, it’s a very interesting and emotional story that has many deeper and important messages about just how much money and popularity can change a person and ruin even their dearest relationships, as well as messages about the dangers of doing what you’re passionate about for money rather than doing it for yourself.
If this has caught your attention, or if you’re curious about how exactly the group fell apart and lost themselves to their own respective battles, then be sure to go see the Collierville High production of Merrily We Roll Along in November!
