SHIFTING THE SPOTLIGHT: The Star Understudies of Michael Arden's MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

The hustle and bustle of opening a show is a wonderful and exciting time for actors, creative teams, and audiences alike. The process of working in rehearsals and presenting a finished product to the masses brings a type of inexplicable energy to the stage that will forever be unparalleled in the world of entertainment. For two performers in Merrily We Roll Along, this energy was exponentially magnified just a few hours prior to their last preview before opening night.

Over at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, CA, the cast of Merrily We Roll Along was preparing to tackle one of Stephen Sondheim's most legendary musicals to date. With a notoriously complex score and intricate story line, Tony nominated director, Michael Arden, had taken this tribe of actors under his wing in order to bring this often underrated masterpiece to life. Five-time Emmy Award winner Wayne Brady (Broadway's Kinky Boots), Obie and Drama Desk Award winner and Tony Award nominee Saycon Sengbloh (Broadway's Eclipsed), Whitney Bashor (Broadway's The Bridges of Madison County), Aaron Lazar (Broadway's The Light in the Piazza, The Last Ship), Ovation Award nominee Amir Talai (What To Expect When You're Expecting; Pasadena Playhouse's Can-Can and The Fantasticks) and Donna Vivino (Broadway's original company of LES MISERABLES as "Young Cosette") lead the talented ensemble cast. With such a stellar group of performers and and capable director, this show was ready to hit the stages and bring a whole new meaning to Sondheim's wondrous work. On November 29, is was discovered that Wayne Brady sustained injuries preventing him from appearing onstage as lovable librettist, Charley Kringas. With just a few hours before the last preview and one day before opening, Eric B. Anthony (Broadway's Hairspray, The Lion King, Mary Poppins) and Lyle Colby Mackston (CARRIE: The Killer Musical Experience, Paper Mill Playhouse's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) filled in some very large shoes on very short notice.

"We were in rehearsals for our last preview day before the show," said Eric. "Wayne was missing, so I went to the stage manager and asked, 'Where's Wayne?' They told me that we were going to have a meeting to talk about it. Right after I asked that question, they called everybody to a pow-wow on the stage. We were all sitting there, and they told us, 'Wayne isn't coming. He's not going to be in the show right now because of an undisclosed injury.' We didn't know what it was at that moment, and he'd been at the doctor all morning. As soon as they figured out the severity of the injury, they said they'd let us know. They then told us that we'd need to figure out what was going to happen with the show that night. As they said that, they looked over at me, because there was only one thing that could happen, unless they cancelled the show. I said to myself, 'Well, here we go. This is the moment.'"

"It's funny, because I thought that they were going to tell us something completely different," said Lyle. "I was speaking with someone involved with the Wallis, and they said that we'd know in about a week if we'd have a transfer for the roles on the table. Then they started preparing us for the worst, and let us know that Wayne wouldn't be back until further notice. At that point, I realized that I'd be covering Eric's role in the ensemble. Before performing on the night before opening, we had four hours notice to go to fittings and learn our new parts. We were running back and forth to fittings, and the show was still being changed."

Despite the severe shift in performers, the audiences and creative team were a huge source of support for the two actors. Eric recounted the moments leading up to his first performance as Charley, saying, "This is the moment that, in terms of preparation, you dread. I hadn't gone into any rehearsals because I was building my own role within the show. Michael, the kind and gentle spirit that he is, told me, 'Look. If we have to sit and do a concert reading of the show tonight, we will.' It was so kind of him to sit down and let us know that we didn't have to cancel the show, but at the same time, the pressure was taken off of me and Lyle to go into a show that we hadn't rehearsed. I appreciated that so much, because for me, I am going to show up and do the job that I signed a contract to do. But, by the same token, I needed the preparation to do the job right. The only thing I felt bad about was that Wayne is my friend, and I just wanted him to be better. I really truly wanted him to be better for opening. I wish he didn't have to deal with what he dealt with. "

"This was my first Sondheim show ever, and I had been studying five people's tracks," said Lyle. "I had no idea what I was getting myself into, honestly. I knew Sondheim's music was challenging, but I threw myself into the hardest and most intricate Sondheim show ever. There was a huge level of support that everyone gave in the cast and creative team. Michael, of course, came up and checked in with us and asked how we were doing."

As time dwindled down, these two performers began to count the minutes before their debut.

"The day that I went on, it was so interesting. Out of everybody, I assumed Michael would be the most nervous, but I don't remember seeing him stressed once," said Eric. "Before the show, he came up to me, hugged me, and said 'Have fun.'"

"The whole process of that first night was an amazing challenge, because I had to start shifting the choreo and traffic throughout the entire show. It went well, because we had everyone behind us 100%," said Lyle.

As the curtains rose and the show began, many different thoughts ran through Lyle and Eric's heads. For Eric, there was a certain song that was going to be the biggest challenge of the night.

"That first show... It was the weirdest thing, because I wasn't nervous at all. The whole entire community in that building was so behind us. They lifted and supported us and were there for us. I never once thought I'd fail with their support. To be honest, all I could think was, as long as I make it through Frank Shepard Inc., I was good for the rest of the show. If you fail during that song, there's nobody else to blame- you're singing by yourself and staging a breakdown for five minutes straight while still trying to be funny for audiences."

As opening night approached the next day, the cast prepared to take on the material with Eric and Lyle in their new positions once again. After a successful opening, these impromptu men of Merrily took a well deserved sigh of relief.

"After the show, we were completely mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally exhausted," said Lyle.

"After that first show, I was on cloud nine," said Eric. "Everyone was so kind to me, especially after opening. People could've decided not to come after hearing that Wayne would be out. But we ended up filling the house, and it was absolutely magical. I just wish my family could've been here. I've done three Broadway shows, but this was a different kind of process that I wish they could've seen."

Aside from the opening night buzz, the highlight of the night was meeting Broadway and entertainment royalty, Angela Lansbury.

"Meeting Angela Lansbury was unbelievable," said Lyle. "I've never felt more like I was in the presence of royalty. She had done a show with Aaron Lazar, so she ended up coming backstage. Aaron spoke so highly of her, and she was such a class act."

Eric fondly reminisced his encounter with Lansbury, saying, "While she was leaving, Angela Lansbury saw me coming out from the dressing room, and she stopped and asked, 'Are you the miracle man?' I don't care if anybody ever thinks I'm talented ever again, Angela Lansbury saw me in a show and called me a miracle man. It was definitely the highlight of opening night."

Aside from the opening night excitement, Lyle and Eric both shared their wonderful experiences with this cast, and what they'd take away from this production.

"My favorite part of this whole process was that I got to observe most of the time," said Lyle. "Observing this specific show so many times, and the way Michael feels about it conceptually in relation to life and feeling certain things puts into perspective how I got to be here. That question is the motif of the show. The experience, as a whole, has realigned my track in life. In your mid twenties, things get confusing, and you wonder what you're supposed to do with your life. This show helped me realize that. Plus, it's amazing to see Michael Arden in this directing element- the man is a conceptual genius. He takes things and reinvents them so masterfully. When he developed the staging for the show, I had chills."

"Going on stage and performing as Charley- I really feel like it's a moment to be proud of yourself as an artist, because you gain an opportunity to step into what is for you, and you show up. Either you do it or you don't. I'm so grateful that God gave us this opportunity to step up."

You can follow Eric B. Anthony on Twitter and Instagram under the username @EricBAnthony, and on Facebook under his official page, Eric B. Anthony. He is represented under The Siegel Company.

Single tickets for Merrily We Roll Along are now available for $29 - $110. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit TheWallis.org, call 310.746.4000, or stop by in person at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts Ticket Services located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Ticket prices subject to change.