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Video: MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Cast Celebrates Opening Night
May 16, 2024
Merrily We Roll Along officially opens Tuesday, October 10, but the show held its red-carpet Opening Night celebration on Sunday, October 8. BroadwayWorld was on hand for the big night and we're taking you inside the festivities in this video.
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0:30
Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World
0:46
Stephen Sondheim and George First Musical, Merylowe-Long, is back on Broadway. And we're here on opening night to celebrate with the company led by Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez
0:57
First of all, welcome home to Broadway. How does it feel, my friend
1:01
It's good. I'm, like, less nervous now than I was a few hours ago, which is nice
1:06
You know, it's always a nerve-wracking show, the opening, just because you want it, you know
1:10
you want it to be good and live up to the feeling that's in the theater. So, yeah, I'm relieved that it all went well
1:15
and just, like, yeah, excited to just get to do it now, honestly. Welcome home to Broadway my friend How does it be Yeah Richie Ridge It feels so good Yeah it feels so good It feels I had a moment when I got into my dressing room tonight
1:31
where I just hysterically cried. As I was taking off my costume, yeah
1:35
I just had like 30 seconds of full out weeping. Just this is everything I ever dreamt of
1:40
with people that are pure heaven. Yeah, it's incredible. You have done some incredible things in your career
1:48
but I know this sits right at the thing. top of them. What's made this so special for you? Well, number one, it's, you know
1:54
Steven Sondheim and George Firth. You know, it's, it's just the pinnacle of what we do
1:59
getting to do that here. And number two, it's sharing it with this incredible company
2:04
I really feel like every night, every moment is just like a huge gift. I'm just like
2:12
I can't believe I get to act with these guys every night and do this. And I'm just, it's like a
2:19
It's fully like the most dreamy experience of my acting life. What's made this so special for you with being a part of Maryland
2:30
I mean, working with all these people is very easy. Look, the material is amazing
2:35
The material is a gift as an actor to be able to do. But working with this group at Lindsay and Jonathan, Katie, Crystal, Reg
2:43
Reg Rogers I just you know I am like every night on stage I just looking around going like I am so lucky to be here I so overjoyed to be working with all of these people
2:56
It's really special. What's made this so special for you with working on Merrily
3:01
I think the connections that we've made, I think the fact that we get the opportunity to take this show
3:06
that didn't really succeed back in 1981 and ran only 16 shows
3:11
and we get to do something and see the reception. that people really love the show
3:16
They're excited about this cast, this company, this journey, and this new life
3:20
And that's like a rare opportunity to give something a second life. I just wish George Perth and Zondheim
3:25
were here to see it. So when my dad said, I'm going to be on Broadway
3:32
I was so excited. My sister was like, someone pinched me. What's your favorite part of the show
3:40
Do you have a favorite? Yes, the apartment scene. Opening doors. What is it like singing Sondheim
3:50
A dream come true. An absolute dream come true. And not a day goes by
3:56
A song that we all have sung in the mirror and certainly me
4:01
And I, of course, I've memorized Queen Bernadette Peter's iteration of it
4:06
And yeah it a real dream come true I cannot believe that I get to do this I grew up listening to a lot of Sondheim My mom and dad were huge Sondheim fans and played a lot in the car I thought Sondheim was normal music for road trips
4:19
Turns out not. But, yeah, the idea that I am on a Broadway stage singing Sondheim is so incredibly surreal
4:25
and, yeah, exciting. And it's, we keep finding stuff. Like, we keep..
4:31
The other day, we realized that the insides I sing at the end of Franklin Cheperding
4:35
are the same notes as our time. And there's things like that where you just go
4:38
God, like, his genius is, like, constantly being revealed. When you took your bow tonight, do you remember what you were thinking
4:46
I was thinking, I can't believe we are here. I can't believe, and I was also thinking about what Steve and Hal and George would think
4:56
to know that this is being received the way it is at this point
5:01
42 years later that you never know the impact you have on the world when you put something out there
5:06
Like, oh my God, look at this. I'm just, I'm so honored to be part of it
5:11
and I'm so thrilled that it's getting this time. Yeah, I was like, because we hug each other every night at the bow
5:17
the three of us, and then we bow, and we were just all crying
5:21
So I remember just thinking, like, here we are together, opening this show on Broadway
5:29
That's what I felt, like, holy shit. Yeah. It was a moment of, like, awe, shock, all, and great emotion
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