MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Available to Watch at the New York Public Library

A live capture of Merrily We Roll Along is now available to watch at the New York Public Library.

The library's Theatre on Film and Tape Archive has announced that the Tony-winning revival is now available for viewing. However, this recording is one of two filmed versions of the production.

In June, it was announced that the production was going to be professionally filmed for future release. That pro-shot is separate from what is now available at the library, which is not available for public viewing.

The library's website states that only theater professionals, students, or researchers with a New York Public Library card and a Special Collections account can watch the film. According to the listing on the library's website, the version that is now available to watch at the New York Public Library was filmed on March 29, 2024. It features Max Rackenberg as Frank Jr. and eight minutes of footage of Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez conducting a live auction for BCEFA after curtain call. 

The film that was recorded in June was filmed by RadicalMedia, a production company behind the live captures of Hamilton and Come From Away. Producers previously told BroadwayWorld that "the show producers are filming their production of Merrily for posterity. That doesn’t happen very often. We’ll see what happens." Since then, there was been no update on when or where it will be available.

Spanning three decades in the entertainment business, Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends — writer Mary and lyricist & playwright Charley. An inventive, cult-classic ahead of its time, Merrily We Roll Along features some of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal songs.

Directed by Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along features music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a book by George Furth, and is based on the original play by George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart.

Merrily We Roll Along won four Tony Awards: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Jonathan Groff, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Daniel Radcliffe, Best Orchestrations, and Best Revival of a Musical. 

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus