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VIDEO: Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez Answer Audience Questions After Cancelled MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG Performance

Audiences asked about their pre-show rituals, whether doing the same show every night becomes repetitive, what they've learned from the musical, and more.

By: Dec. 29, 2022
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On December 26, New York Theare Workshop's Merrily We Roll Along was postponed due to technical issues, causing the audience to wait for an hour before it was finally canceled. As a result of a cold front during the holiday weekend, necessary production equipment froze up. Despite this, Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez took time out of their busy schedules to give the audience a private Q & A about Merrily!

Audiences asked about their pre-show rituals, whether doing the same show every night becomes repetitive, what they've learned from the musical, and more.

When asked why Merrily We Roll Along is finding success now, as opposed to its original 1981 run, Lindsay Mendez answered, "I think it was done originally by people a lot younger, and I think that the spread of life that happens with these characters - I think I would not know how to handle the later part of these characters' lives at the age of the people who played it originally, because it's really intense and there's a lot of tread on the tires if you will by then. And so for me, it feels like I wouldn't be Ready to Play this role until now in my life."

@dramafiendspod

Replying to @emilymc75 Lindsay Mendez, Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff answer more audience questions after a performance of Merrily We Roll Along is cancelled due to technical difficulties

♬ original sound - Drama Fiends Podcast


When asked if doing the same show from day to day ever gets old, Jonathan Groff responded with an enthusiastic no, adding lessons he's learned from the show, saying, "Because it's told in reverse you have to erase everything that came before. Where usually with a show you're kind of building momentum until the end. There's something about this that forces me to be ultra-present because you have to erase what happened in your mind and show up in the present moment, which I'm finding is bleeding into my real life in an amazing way."

@dramafiendspod

Replying to @maggieslookbook more from the merrily we roll along q&a with jonathan groff, daniel radcliffe, and lindsay mendez last night @nytw79 ❤️

♬ original sound - Drama Fiends Podcast

Watch more videos of the spontaneous talkback below!

@dramafiendspod

jonathan groff answered our question!!! #fyp

♬ original sound - Drama Fiends Podcast

Spanning three decades in the entertainment business, Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard (Jonathan Groff) and his two lifelong friends-writer Mary (Lindsay Mendez) and lyricist & playwright Charley (Daniel Radcliffe). An inventive, cult-classic ahead of its time, Merrily We Roll Along features some of Stephen Sondheim's most celebrated and personal songs. 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 and Moss Hart.

The production is directed by Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman and choreographed by Tim Jackson. Maria Friedman first directed the musical at London's Menier Chocolate Factory which subsequently transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre to critical acclaim-the most five-star reviews in West End history-winning the Olivier Award for Best Musical.

The cast also includes Sherz Aletaha as Scotty/Mrs. Spencer/Auditionee, Krystal Joy Brown as Gussie, Katie Rose Clarke as Beth, Leana Rae Concepcion as Newscaster/Waitress/Auditionee, Carter Harris as Frank Jr. (alternates with Colin Keane), Colin Keane as Frank Jr. (alternates with Carter Harris), Morgan Kirner as Swing, Corey Mach as Tyler/Make-Up Artist, Talia Robinson as Meg, Reg Rogers as Joe, Amanda Rose as Swing, Jamila Sabares-Klemm as Dory/Evelyn, Brian Sears as Photographer/Bunker, Evan Alexander Smith as Swing, Christian Strange as RU/Newscaster/Reverend, Koray Tarhan as Swing, Vishal Vaidya as Jerome, Natalie Wachen as KT and Jacob Keith Watson as Terry/Mr. Spencer.

The creative team includes Soutra Gilmour (Scenic & Costume Design), Amith Chandrashaker (Lighting Design), Kai Harada (Sound Design), Cookie Jordan (Hair & Wig Design), Catherine Jayes (Music Supervisor), Alvin Hough, Jr. (Music Director), Jim Carnahan, CSA & Jason Thinger, CSA (Casting), Taylor Williams, CSA (Additional Casting), UnkleDave's Fight-House (Fight & Intimacy Direction) and Jhanaë K-C Bonnick (Stage Manager)







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