Friends and Neighbors

Eddie Cantor’s 1935 song “Merrily We Roll Along” (later immortalized as the Looney Tunes theme) is about a couple who stick together through hardship and poverty because they believe in each other and what they do. Stephen Sonheim and George Furth’s 1981 musical of the same title borrows the title (but not the song) to deeply ironic effect, as by the time the musical starts all of the idealism and joy it represents have long since wasted away, and despite how the main characters’ wealth means poverty is no longer an issue, all of the hardship remains. The challenge of material like this is to keep the sense of bitter irony that runs throughout the narrative from becoming overwhelming. This new production from Lyric Arts, directed by Scott Ford, never truly loses the show’s bitter streak, but smooths the edges by showing us not just what has happened, but also what might have happened, and why the core friendship at the musical’s center meant so much.

George Furth’s book tells, in reverse chronological order, the story of a composer’s rise from poverty to the height of Hollywood, and how he lost everything he loved along the way. Frank (Brendan Veerman) begins at the top of the world, the Producer of a hit movie. But even at the party he holds in celebration it’s clear all of his success is a facade. As the show goes back in time we see how it all fell apart, with each scene giving us a clue about the loss we’re about to witness. Frank was dear friends with his composing partner Charley (Noah Hynick) and their fellow writer Mary (Maureen O’Malley), with the three of them bonding as they all started out with nothing, and in classic showbiz story fashion their friendships become compromised when Frank’s ambition and desire to chase money supplants his artistic integrity. Other characters who weave in and out of Frank’s orbit include various wives, lovers, Producers, etc. but the heart of the story is always in the bond between him, Charley, and Mary (or more accurately, him and Charley – as Mary, Maureen O’Malley unfortunately has little to do during the runtime but quietly pine for Frank). Noah Hynick’s performance is a highlight of the show, filled with energy and humor. His performance of “Franklin Shepard, Inc” in particular shows early on that he’s a force to be reckoned with. Hyner is able to capture the character’s anger as well as his warmth beautifully, and he enlivens the show whenever he’s on stage. His earnestness makes a great contrast to Brendan Veerman’s Frank, who we first see as a Hollywood phony and only gradually are able to see Veerman rebuild the humanity that he had lost.

If the first act of the musical is bitter and ironic to an almost unbearable degree (even the ensemble seems to be angry at Frank for frittering away his potential), it’s the second act that creates a shift into poignancy, reminding us of exactly what that potential was. These are the early years when Frank, Charley, and (to a lesser extent) Mary are genuinely enjoying their lives, despite the desperation they sometimes feel over their lack of success. You see the excitement, the joy, the promise in these sequences, and it becomes even more painful to remember where these characters are all going to end up. Credit goes to Scott Ford, who is able to manage the tone of the show skillfully and find humor that takes the edge off the bleaker moments in the show. The supporting cast should also get their flowers, such as Emily Grodzik and Faith Winship Smith, who play the women Frank marries over the course of the play and Steven Ramirez as the producer who truly believes in Frank’s talent even if his advice is what ultimately drives Frank towards the world of crass commercialism. They’re also helped by a wonderful chorus of performers playing multiple ensemble roles.

Merrily We Roll Along tells the sort of story that makes you want to re-examine your own life and think about friendships that may have fallen by the wayside. It reminds you that those human connections are the things that really matter. No matter how much ambition or success you have, if you don’t have people who you can share it with, what’s the point?

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG plays at Lyric Arts in Anoka through October 4th.