BOOK BY GEORGE FURTH

MUSIC & LYRICS BY STEPHEN SONDHEIM DIRECTED BY MARIA FRIEDMAN

LEGENDARY ACCLAIMED MUSICAL MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS

Standards 3

Guidelines for Attending the Theatre 4

Artists 5

Themes for Writing & Discussion 7

Mastery Assessment 10

For Further Exploration 12

Suggested Activities 17

© Huntington Theatre Company Boston, MA 02115

September 2017

No portion of this curriculum guide may be reproduced without written permission from the Huntington Theatre Company’s Department of Education & Community Programs

Inquiries should be directed to: Alexandra Smith / Interim Co-Director of Education [email protected]

This curriculum guide was prepared for the Huntington Theatre Company by: Marisa Jones / Education Associate Alexandra Smith / Interim Co-Director of Education COMMON CORE STANDARDS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS: Student Matinee performances and pre-show workshops provide unique opportunities for experiential learning and support various combinations of the Common Core Standards for English Language Arts. They may also support standards in other subject areas such as Social Studies and History, depending on the individual play’s subject matter. Activities are also included in this Curriculum Guide and in our pre-show workshops that support several of the Massachusetts state standards in Theatre. Other arts areas may also be addressed depending on the individual play’s subject matter.

Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 1 • Grades 11-12: Analyze the impact of the author’s choices • Grade 7: Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support regarding how to develop related elements of a story or drama analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the drawn from the text. characters are introduced and developed). • Grade 8: Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 5 an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences • Grade 7: Analyze how a drama’s or poem’s form or structure drawn from the text. (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning. • Grades 9-10: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to • Grades 9-10: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as to structure a text, order events within it (e.g., parallel plots), inferences drawn from the text. and manipulate time (e.g., pacing, flashbacks), create such • Grades 11-12: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to effects as mystery, tension, or surprise. support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as • Grades 11-12: Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how inferences drawn from the text, including determining where to structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of where to the text leaves matters uncertain. begin or end a story, the choice to provide a comedic or tragic Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 2 resolution) contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact. • Grade 7: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide Reading Literature: Craft and Structure 6 an objective summary of the text. • Grade 7: Analyze how an author develops and contrasts the • Grade 8: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and points of view of different characters or narrators in a text. analyze its development over the course of the text, including • Grade 8: Analyze how differences in the points of view of the its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an characters and the audience or reader (e.g., created through objective summary of the text. dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor. • Grades 9-10: Determine a theme or central idea of a text and • Grades 9-10: Analyze a particular point of view or cultural analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the including how it emerges and is shape and refined by specific United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature. details; provide an objective summary of the text. • Grades 11-12: Analyze a case in which grasping point of Determine two or more themes or central ideas • Grades 11-12: view required distinguishing what is directly stated in a text of a text and analyze their development over the course of the from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm, irony, or text, including how they interact and build on one another to understatement). produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text. Reading Literature: Integration of Knowledge and Ideas 7 Reading Literature: Key Ideas and Details 3 • Grade 7: Compare and contrast a written story, drama, or poem to its audio, filmed, staged, or multimedia version, analyzing • Grade 7: Analyze how particular elements of a story or drama the effects of techniques unique to each medium (e.g., lighting, interact (e.g., how setting shapes the characters or plot). sound, color, or camera focus and angles in a film). • Grade 8: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents • Grade 8: Analyze the extent to which a filmed or live in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a production of a story or drama stays faithful to or departs from character, or provoke a decision. the text or script, evaluating the choices made by the director • Grades 9-10: Analyze how complex characters (e.g. those with or actors. multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of • Grades 9-12: Analyze multiple interpretations of a story, drama, a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or or poem (e.g. recorded or live production of a play or recorded develop the themes. novel or poetry), evaluating how each version interprets the source text (Include at least one play by Shakespeare and one play by an American dramatist).

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 3 MASSACHUSETTS STANDARDS IN THEATRE

ACTING TECHNICAL THEATRE • 1.7: Create and sustain a believable character throughout a • 4.6: Draw renderings, floor plans, and/or build models of scripted or improvised scene (By the end of Grade 8). sets for a dramatic work and explain choices in using visual • 1.12: Describe and analyze, in written and oral form, characters’ elements (line, shape/form, texture, color, space) and visual wants, needs, objectives, and personality characteristics principals (unity, variety, harmony, balance, rhythm) (By the end of Grade 8). (By the end of Grade 8). • 1.13: In rehearsal and performance situations, perform as a • 4.13: Conduct research to inform the design of sets, costumes, productive and responsible member of an acting ensemble sound, and lighting for a dramatic production (Grades 9-12). (i.e., demonstrate personal responsibility and commitment to a CONNECTIONS collaborative process) (By the end of Grade 8). • Strand 6: Purposes and Meanings in the Arts–Students will • 1.14: Create complex and believable characters through the describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, integration of physical, vocal, and emotional choices (Grades 9-12). visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, when • 1.15: Demonstrate an understanding of a dramatic work by appropriate, interpret their meanings (Grades PreK-12). developing a character analysis (Grades 9-12). • Strand 10: Interdisciplinary Connections–Students will apply • 1.17: Demonstrate increased ability to work effectively alone and their knowledge of the arts to the study of English language collaboratively with a partner or in an ensemble (Grades 9-12). arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering READING AND WRITING SCRIPTS (Grades PreK-12). • 2.7: Read plays and stories from a variety of cultures and historical periods and identify the characters, setting, plot, theme, and conflict(By the end of Grade 8). • 2.8: Improvise characters, dialogue, and actions that focus on the development and resolution of dramatic conflicts (By the end of Grade 8). • 2.11: Read plays from a variety of genres and styles; compare and contrast the structure of plays to the structures of other forms of literature (Grades 9-12).

AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE Attending live theatre is a unique experience with many valuable educational and social benefits. To ensure that all audience members are able to enjoy the performance, please take a few minutes to discuss the following audience etiquette topics with your students before you come to the Huntington Theatre Company. • How is attending the theatre similar to and different from going to the movies? What behaviors are and are not appropriate when seeing a play? Why? • Remind students that because the performance is live, the audience’s behavior and reactions will affect the actors’ performances. No two audiences are exactly the same, and therefore no two performances are exactly the same — this is part of what makes theatre so special! Students’ behavior should reflect the level of performance they wish to see. • Theatre should be an enjoyable experience for the audience. It is absolutely all right to applaud when appropriate and laugh at the funny moments. Talking and calling out during the performance, however, are not allowed. Why might this be? Be sure to mention that not only would the people seated around them be able to hear their conversation, but the actors on stage could hear them, too. Theatres are constructed to carry sound efficiently! • Any noise or light can be a distraction, so please remind students to make sure their cell phones are turned off (or better yet, left at home or at school!). Texting, photography, and video recording are prohibited. Food, gum, and drinks should not be brought into the theatre. • Students should sit with their group as seated by the Front of House staff and should not leave their seats once the performance has begun.

4 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE A TIMELINE OF COMPOSER/ LYRICIST STEPHEN SONDHEIM

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 5 BEST THING THAT EVER COULD HAVE HAPPENED: THE TRIUMPH OF MARIA FRIEDMAN’S MERRILY “It is, make no mistake, one of the great musical productions of this or any other era,” raved The Independent of Maria Freidman’s Merrily We Roll Along. The universally celebrated revival, which garnered a record-breaking number of five star reviews during its West End run, makes its American debut at the Huntington Theatre Company this fall. With a show that contains some of composer Stephen Sondheim’s most beautiful songs, including “Not a Day Goes By” and “Good Thing Going,” the resounding success of Friedman’s production seems intuitive. Those familiar with the play’s history, however, will know that Merrily We Roll Along has proved notoriously difficult to direct. Sondheim regularly challenges the most consummate performers with his fondness for complicated rhythms, tongue-twisting lyrics, and surprising harmonies. George Furth’s book for Merrily We Roll Along, based on the original play by George Kaufman and Moss Hart, adds the additional challenge of a nonlinear storyline. This puzzle of music and story confounded the original Broadway production, which closed after just 16 performances. Friedman’s success, therefore, shocked critics and proved that — under the right director — Merrily We Roll Along could be a hit. Most astonishing was the fact that this production marked the four-time Olivier Award-winning actress’s directorial debut. The key to Friedman’s success? As The London Telegraph put it, she “really understands what makes Sondheim tick.”

While she may have been new to directing, Maria Friedman’s Maria Friedman facility with Sondheim did not develop overnight. As an actress, Friedman has spent the better part of her career studying and changing the shape of their friendship, perhaps forever. The keen perfecting the art of interpreting Sondheim onstage. Friedman’s ability to track this friendship through Sondheim’s melodies and first Olivier Award nomination came from her portrayal of Dot George Furth’s plot proved the key to success for Friedman’s in Sunday in the Park with George, and her later role as Fosca revival. “She brings to the table a blazing inwardness,” writes critic in Sondheim’s Passion won her the award. While she has since Paul Taylor of The Independent. “Above all, this revival lays out enjoyed an illustrious acting career, which includes a long run on — with a more biting (yet compassionate) clarity than any I have BBC’s “East Enders” and a starring role in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s seen hitherto — the tricky narrative and emotional logic of [Merrily Woman in White, Friedman continues to revisit Sondheim time and We Roll Along].” time again. “Maria Friedman: Master of a Thousand Sondheimian Perhaps the highest praise for Friedman’s production came from Disguises” read a New York Times review of Friedman’s solo the emotive response of Stephen Sondheim himself. “He cried,” concert, entirely composed of Sondheim songs. “He appeals to Friedman reported of Sondheim’s visit to the Menier Chocolate every part of me as a performer,” Friedman explained. “He’s just Factory, where her production played before moving to the West got his finger on humanity and its foibles and difficulties.” End. “This production of Merrily We Roll Along is not only the The choice to make her directing debut with a Sondheim piece best I’ve seen,” Sondheim wrote, “but one of those rare instances was an easy one. “I think you should always do things you love where casting, direction, and show come together in perfect and have a connection with,” she revealed. “Merrily We Roll Along combination, resulting in the classic ideal of the sum being greater is a musical close to my heart.” Fittingly, love and connection are than the parts.” A tip of the hat from the master only reflects the themes at the heart Merrily We Roll Along, which follows the what the critics felt when they watched her production —Maria friendship between three promising young artists: Charley has a Friedman has found a way to solve the Sondheim riddle onstage. knack for writing lyrics, Frank is a gifted composer, and Mary is As articulated by Ian Shuttleworth of The Financial Times: “The an aspiring novelist. From their serendipitous first encounter atop truisms about Sondheim are that he is both an acquired taste and a roof to watch the launch of Sputnik, the three form a bond and the object of a fervent cult of devotees; Friedman’s production is a vital artistic partnership. As the years pass, however, ambition, likely to lead many through the first phase and quite a few into the romance, money, family, and heartbreak push and pull at the trio, second.”

6 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE THEMES FOR WRITING & DISCUSSION nile

hawver

The cast of Merrily We Roll Along

THE CONSEQUENCE OF CHOICE lives authentically and strives to achieve in the ways that matter most to him. He remains true to his wife Evelyn and his writing and, In Merrily We Roll Along, Frank reflects, “I’ve only made one despite struggling with Frank along the way, makes choices that are mistake in my life, but I’ve made it over and over,” acknowledging appropriate given the desires of his heart. When Frank says, “I swear, all the times he said “yes” when the right answer, the one that if I could go back to the beginning, if I could somehow be starting could bring him closer to his dreams, was “no.” It is only with a over with Charley, writing shows, trying to change the world, I’d give career behind him that he can begin to see the significance of all this up like that,” Frank knows he has chosen poorly. the choices he has made; choices that along the way might have even seemed inconsequential. When Frank initially commits to The refrain “dreams don’t die, so keep an eye on your dream” taking his first successful show to Hollywood instead of continuing suggests that losing sight of your goals will not necessarily make his musical collaboration with his best friends Charley and Mary, them disappear. In Merrily We Roll Along’s final scene, the young he changes the trajectory of his career and life, a fact that only Frank discusses how he, Charley, and Mary have the world before the passage of time can give him the perspective to understand. them; they are just starting out and all options and opportunities Although he ultimately ends up on the “A-list” as a wealthy movie appear wide open. Frank asks his friends, “Do you guys realize that producer — but due to his repeated mistakes, he is unhappy with now we are going to be able to do anything? I mean anything we almost every aspect of his life. ever dreamed of? What a time to be starting out. What a time to be alive.” But perhaps, for Frank, there were too many options and Frank also says yes to extra-marital affairs, first with Gussie and then too many choices. with Meg. In each moment, he believes he is following his heart, but the repercussions of his choice to engage in these affairs are QUESTIONS: estrangement from his romantic partners, his friends, and his only child. It is clear that Frank forgot the refrain, “One trip. All you get 1. Why is Frank ultimately miserable? Where did he go wrong? is one quick ride.” Frank believes he has plenty of time to reinvent 2. Why might a wealthy, famous person be unhappy? Don’t they himself, moving farther and farther away from the wonder of his have a life that many people envy? youth. At a party, Bunker asks, “Don’t you miss writing music?” 3. Do you agree or disagree with the assertion that the decisions Frank responds, “That was the old Frank Shepard.” In this moment you make today define your future? Frank reveals he has succumbed to Hollywood-style worship of power and money. He has given up a happy marriage and his art 4. When have you had to make a difficult decision? Have you ever and prioritized fame and fortune. By contrast, Frank’s friend Charley made a choice and then lived to regret it?

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 7 ART AND MONEY Although its thematic emphasis is on the pursuit of dreams, Merrily We Roll Along also portrays the conflict between artistic and financial aspirations. Frank Shepard, full of ambition and ideas, must put aside fulfilling creative projects in order to pay the bills. When Gussie offers him a lucrative opportunity, saying, “Joe has just optioned a vehicle that can change my life. And yours. We both want you and your partner to do the score,” Frank hesitates, citing work on his and Charley’s three-year effort to see their show Take a Left fully produced. But Gussie argues that Frank “can do [her project] much faster” — get paid and get out. Gussie and Joe have the ability to help Frank become financially successful, even if it means setting aside his and Charley’s hard work in order to get there. Gussie remarks, “I’ve explained to Frank, you compose a Broadway show, you’re something in New York. But you produce a movie, you’re something all over the world.” She sees the possibilities the film industry holds for Frank and dedicates herself to helping him pursue these options.

Frank’s then-wife, Beth, asks him to continue working with Joe. When Mary intervenes, suggesting Frank maintain his focus on his own material, Beth pushes back: “You don’t have a child, Mary, tristram and you just had yourself a best seller. So of course, that’s all very easy for you to say.” Beth argues that Frank is not just looking out for himself, he also has a family to keep in mind. After Beth leaves kenton him, Frank seems swayed to her perspective. “Charley, I am 31 years old,” he explains. “Beth wiped me out with the divorce. I’ve got a son to consider. So forgive me, Charley, if I happen to need Mark Umbers as Frank Shepard and Damian Humbley as money.” Charley Kringas in the London production of Merrily We Roll Along For his part, Charley does not express any moral superiority when THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP evaluating Frank’s choices, only disappointment. He sings, “the At the center of Merrily We Roll Along is an in-depth exploration of stocks get sold, and the rest of us he keeps on hold. And he’s the friendship between Frank, Charley, and Mary. When we meet into making movies. And he’s now a corporation, right?” Charley these three characters, their relationship has completely dissolved. recognizes that their artistic partnership has been split because Mary describes their breakup when she reminisces about old times. Frank has abandoned it to pursue financial success. Charley admits “Come on. It was so much better, Charley. The three of us,” she that “Frank does the money thing very well. But you know what? laments. Charley reframes their current reality: “We’re not the three There are other people who do it better,” before highlighting of us any more, Mary. Now we’re one and one and one.” As the where Frank’s strengths actually lie. “Frank does the music thing story moves back through time to the plot’s origins, the audience very well,” Charley declares. “And you know what? No one does it sees the trios early days of friendship and collaboration; the better.” Charley’s problem is not that Frank is making money – he cabaret they organized, a marriage, a musical, another baby. But it can understand the need and desire to do so – but he rejects the also reveals the ways in which Frank grows apart from his friends, idea that making money and art are mutually exclusive. Charley is resulting in an unhappy ending. disappointed that Frank has chosen one over the other. Charley and Mary are great friends to Frank. They speak the truth QUESTIONS: when it is hard to do so and offer advice even when it is repeatedly 1. Is it fair that Frank’s friends think he should give up his rejected. They care for Frank and want to see him succeed on his Hollywood lifestyle to pursue music? Was it selfish of Charley and own terms, not according to the world’s expectations. When the Mary to push back on Frank’s career plans? Is there any evidence trio is at a party and performing for the room, Gussie begs Charley that the people closest to Frank knew he would regret the choice and Frank for an encore, but Charley knows better and says it is to pursue financial success at the expense of his musical genius? best to leave an audience wanting more. Despite Frank’s desire to keep the performance going, Charley advises restraint: “You 2. What are some of the challenges of pursuing a life in the arts? know what true greatness is? Knowing when to get off.” Frank 3. What is a “sell out”? Is “selling out” is a fair label to place on ignores Charley’s guidance and keeps the performance going. artist who is just trying to pay the rent? What does the “starving The results are disappointing when Frank is ignored by the artist” stereotype mean to you? uninterested crowd.

8 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE At the end of the play, which is of course the beginning of the their story, as is Frank’s relationship with his son, Frank Jr. Mary friends’ relationship, it is hard to imagine their lives would be reveals that she had received a letter from Frank’s son “to thank thrown so wildly off course. Fortunately, Merrily We Roll Along [her] for coming to his graduation,” but Frank himself did not ends with the reminder that this band of friends was once full of attend, nor was he invited. Connections between people can hope and life, working together to achieve their dreams, even if dissolve quickly and it is too easy to let an important moment they are never fully realized. pass. Frank arrives in his mid-life with many regrets and wishes he could reverse the clock. Merrily We Roll Along’s book writer George QUESTIONS: Furth and lyricist and composter Stephen Sondheim do this for 1. What could Frank have done differently to preserve his Frank by telling the story in reverse order, allowing the audience relationships with Charley and Mary? Was Frank a good friend? the benefit of knowing what is to come and ending with all the Was he a good person? Why or why not? promise and hope only a future can provide.

2. Have you ever been worried about a friend? What did you try QUESTIONS: to do to help this person? 1. Do you think the “backwards” storytelling of this musical was 3. Friendships can change over time. Did you ever have a best a successful theatrical device? Were you left feeling hopeful at friend from whom you grew apart? Why do you think this the end of the show? How would you have felt at the end of the happened? Why is it important to have friends in your life? show if the scenes had been played in chronological order? THE TEST OF TIME 2. Consider the musical’s title Merrily We Roll Along. In what sense does this title relate to the idea that the passage of time is a key The reverse-chronological structure of Merrily We Roll Along idea to this story? Did these characters, in fact, roll along merrily? emphasizes the cause and effect behind the changes the 3. Agree or disagree with the following statements and defend characters face over two decades of their lives. Their stories show your position using examples from both how quickly time passes and the lack of permanence in almost Merrily We Roll Along all aspects of life. Frank, for example, has three different romantic and real life. relationships during the course of the show. His once strong Time is on your side. friendship with Charley and Mary is in shambles at the end of Time is the enemy.

RELATED WORKS AND RESOURCES Continue your research of Stephen Sondheim and his contributions to the world of musical theatre. The following suggested works were also used in the development of this curriculum guide and will enhance your study of Merrily We Roll Along.

OTHER MUSICALS BY STEPHEN SONDHEIM: Company (with George Furth: book) Into the Woods (with James Lapine: book) Sunday in the Park with George (with James Lapine: book) West Side Story (with Leonard Bernstein: composer & Arthur Laurents: book)

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Documentary: The Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened. Directed by Lonny Price. Abramorama Studios, 2017. Film: Hidden Figures. Directed by Theodore Melfi. 20th Century Fox, 2016. Kennedy, John F. Profiles in Courage. Cardinal, 1956. Faux, Marian. Roe v. Wade: The Untold Story of the Landmark Supreme Court Decision that Made Abortion Legal. Cooper Square Press, 2000. Sondheim, Stephen. Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions. Scarecrow Press, 2010. Hansen, James R. Spaceflight Revolution. NASA, 1995.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 9 MASTERY ASSESSMENT ACT ONE PROLOGUE 1. How does Merrily We Roll Along begin? What is the purpose of the “slides” that appear onstage?

SCENE ONE 2. Where and in what year does Frank’s party in this scene take place? 3. In what industry do the party guests work? 4. What kinds of things do most of Frank’s guests say about him? 5. Mary reveals she’s received a letter. Who wrote it? Describe Frank’s relationship with the letter-writer. 6. Which drink does Frank offer Mary and why does he make this suggestion? 7. Why is Frank defensive about his work when speaking to Mary? 8. Why does Frank initially reject Meg’s advances? nile

9. Who is Charley Kringas and how is he connected to Frank? hawver 10. What does Mary suggest about Frank’s “success”?

11. Scotty brings news from the East Coast. Why is he excited to share it? Mark Umbers as Frank Shepard, Damian Humbley as Charley Kringas, and Eden Espinosa as Mary Flynn 12. According to Dory, what does Mary do for a living? 13. What happens to Meg while she cleans up the bar? 29. How did Gussie offend Mary? To make up for it, what does Gussie say she will do? 14. How are Frank and Gussie connected? 30. To whom is Gussie married? 15. How does Frank find fulfillment in his career? 31. What does Charley want Frank to do regarding his personal 16. Why is Gussie angry with Meg? How does Gussie exact her revenge? relationships? SCENE TWO 32. Why does Charley express concern about Mary? What does he 17. Where and in what year is does scene two take place? want Frank to do for Mary? Why does Frank refuse? 18. Why is Charley frustrated with Frank? What does Charley 33. What does Gussie decide about her marriage? Why is Frank believe is distracting Frank from working on their show? upset by this news? 19. How does Mary think Charley can “save” Frank? SCENE Four 20. With whom does Charley accuse Mary of being in love? 34. Where and in what year does Scene Four take place? 21. What do Charley and Frank argue about? What are they 35. The reporter, K.T., interrogates Joe and Gussie. What reasons do supposed to be doing in that moment? Joe and Gussie give for being called to testify at Frank and Beth’s 22. Where did Charlie go to college? Where did Frank study? divorce proceedings? 23. Why does Frank feel betrayed following the interview? 36. What charges have been filed against Frank?

SCENE THREE ACT TWO 24. Where and in what year does scene three take place? SCENE ONE 25. Who arrives to greet Frank? 1. Where and in what year does Scene One take place? 26. From where is Frank returning? How did Charley and Mary 2. Why is Evelyn going to the hospital? Why won’t she let plan surprise him? Why did they miss Frank at the port? Charley go with her? 27. What is an “option agreement”? Why is Frank excited to share 3. Beth says she is only asking for one thing of Frank. What is this news with Mary and Charley? How do they respond? her request? 28. Who is Frank Jr.’s mother? What happened between her 4. What does Charley mean when he says, “I’ll do one more for and Frank? Joe Josephson. But just one more”?

10 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION: SCENE TWO 5. Where and in what year does Scene Two take place? A CHRONOLOGY OF MERRILY 6. Why does Frank believe he was invited to this party? 7. Who, according to Gussie, are “the most important people”? WE ROLL ALONG IN SONG 8. Who did Gussie choose to be Frank’s agent? “Overture” 9. What game do Gussie and Frank play? 10. How does Beth introduce Mary to Gussie? How does she PROLOGUE describe Mary’s profession? “Merrily We Roll Along”...... Company 11. Why is Charley confused by Gussie’s comment that they are working on a “big show”? ACT I Scene 1: Frank’s Beach House, Bel Air, California — 1976 SCENE THREE “That Frank”...... Company 12. Where and in what year does Scene Three take place? 13. What big news does Frank share with his audience at the Scene 2: NBC Studio, New York City — 1973 Downtown Club? “Old Friends — Like it Was”...... Mary, Charley 14. What idea does Tyler have? Why does he need Joe’s help? “Franklin Shepard, Inc.”...... Charley

15. What does Mary say she loves about Frank? Scene 3: Frank’s Apartment, New York City — 1968 16. What was Gussie’s name before she changed it? “Old Friends”...... Mary, Frank, Charley 17. How does Beth test Frank to see if he really wants to “Growing Up — Part 1”...... Frank marry her? “Growing Up — Part 2”...... Gussie 18. What does Mr. Spencer offer Frank? Does he want his daughter to get married? Scene 4: Manhattan Courthouse, New York City — 1967 “Not a Day Goes By”...... Beth SCENE FOUR “Now You Know”...... Scotty, Mary, Tyler, Charley, 19. Where and in what year does Scene Four take place? Frank, Joe, Jerome, Company 20. What are Frank, Charley, and Mary each working on? ACT II 21. What game does this scene seem to mimic? Scene 1: Alvin Theatre, New York City — 1964 22. What series of terrible events does the trio struggle with? “Musical Husbands Finale”...... Gussie 23. Do Frank, Charley and Mary think that life in New York City “It’s a Hit”...... Joey, Frank, Mary, Beth, Charley is worth the hassle? 24. Who does Frank hire to sing? Scene 2: Gussie and Joe’s Brownstone, New York City — 1962 SCENE FIVE “The Blob”...... Gussie 25. Where and in what year does Scene Five take place? “Growing Up”...... Gussie 26. Why does Frank say two years of military service was a “Good Thing Going”...... Charley, Frank waste? What inspires this comment? Scene 3: The Downtown Club, New York City — 1960 27. What idea does Frank share with Charley after he reads Charley’s play? “Bobby and Jackie and Jack”...... Charley, Frank, Beth, Pianist 28. What is Take a Left about? “Not a Day Goes By”...... Beth, Mary, Frank 29. How did Frank and Charley meet Mary? Scene 4: New York City — 1958–1959 30. Do either of men plan to marry? “Opening Doors”.Charley, Frank, Mary, Joe, Auditionees, Beth

31. What does Mary hope to do in her future career? Scene 5: A Rooftop on 110th Street, New York City — 1957 32. How did Charley meet his future wife, Evelyn? “Our Time”...... Frank, Charley, Company 33. Why is Frank inspired as he, Charley, and Mary stand on the roof? What does he think it all means for their futures?

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 11 FOR FURTHER EXPLORATION SONDHEIM’S GREATEST CHALLENGE: WHEN MERRILY COULDN’T “ROLL ALONG” Considered the father of the modern musical, Stephen Sondheim’s contributions to the field of musical theatre are as significant as any of his contemporaries. His artistic journey began in childhood and led to one of the most prolific writing careers in American theatre history. Notable Sondheim musicals and collaborations include West Side Story, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Sweeney Todd. He has received an Academy Award, Pulitzer Prize, and multiple Tony and Grammy Awards, but for all of his success over decades of work on Broadway and in Hollywood, his career faced some challenges and one major disappointment with the original production of Merrily We Roll Along.

Sondheim collaborated with director Harold Prince for five major Broadway hits before the pair teamed up with book writer George Furth for Merrily We Roll Along, an adaptation of a play by the same name written by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart in 1934. The Broadway production kept many of the key elements in place but revised the time period to follow the characters through the years 1957 to 1976. The cast was local, young, and relatively unknown, but the creative team believed the story would resonate with audiences, and with Broadway giants Sondheim and Prince collaborating once again, it seemed likely to be a hit. Stephen Sondheim in rehearsals for the original When it began performances on Broadway, however, audience production of Merrily We Roll Along in 1981 members were literally leaving their seats during the production’s preview performances. Many critics immediately disliked the Original Broadway cast members Jason Alexander, Liz Callaway, show, citing confusion based on the backward recounting of the and Lonny Price decided to return to the story of how the story and a lack of character recognition, which Prince tried to musical was made in a documentary titled The Worst Best Thing eliminating by dressing the cast in costumes with their character That Ever Could Have Happened. Price, who played the original names printed on them. Despite a brilliant cast recording and some Charley Kringas, was deeply affected by the production’s collapse critics’ belief that it was Sondheim’s best work, the show closed and set out to share the story of the casting and rehearsal after 52 previews and 16 regular performances — barely stretching process as well as the fallout after the production’s brief run. to a two week run. It seemed ironic for the Broadway superstars Some involved with the original production have since remarked writing about the successes and failures of Broadway superstars to that the expectations set for a Sondheim-Prince collaboration then hit their own struggles in real life after so much acclaim. were high; perhaps some in the Broadway world were even rooting for their production to fail after such a long run of critical acclaim. But of primary concern was the issue of likability; audiences had trouble relating to Merrily We Roll Along’s MUSICAL THEATRE TERMS TO KNOW protagonist, Franklin Shepard. From the show’s opening Frank seems to be hurting those who should have been closest to him, The Book: The book, sometimes referred to as the mishandling his friendships, romantic and business relationships, “libretto,” is the story of the musical and even living estranged from his son. Moving backwards through contains the major plot points, characters, time, the audience was asked to piece together how Frank ended and dialogue. The book is often written first. up disappointing so many people. Unfortunately by the time the curtain dropped, many audience members had given up on The Score: The score is the music. Elements of the Frank; it was hard to care about him or the people in the world score include: overture, opening number, around him. establishing songs, chorus numbers, musical scenes, segues, and reprises. The Huntington Theatre Company will revive Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along under the direction of Maria Friedman, whose The Lyrics: The lyrics are the words that accompany recent London production received the most five star reviews in the music. Writing lyrics is a specific skill as London theatre history and accolades from audiences and critics the words and music must synchronize. alike. Of Friedman’s work Sondheim remarked, “This production of Merrily We Roll Along is not only the best I’ve seen, but one of

12 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 2. Many theatre professionals, including Stephen Sondheim himself, believe that Maria Friedman’s work on Merrily We Roll Along resulted in its definitive production with the London cast; Friedman transformed Frank into a character with whom the audience could identify and root for. How do you think Friedman’s Boston production will compare to her work elsewhere? How might the Huntington’s production offer something unique for Boston audiences? 3. When do you think it is easiest to fail and then keep going: when you have achieved success already or when you are just starting out?

SPUTNIK: THE LAUNCH THAT “CHANGED EVERYTHING” The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) cites the first satellite to orbit the Earth as the impetus leading to the administration’s own existence. Russia, a political rival on the world stage, beat the United States in the quest to send an artificial satellite into orbit. On October 4, 1957, Sputnik I was launched successfully, orbiting the Earth continuously every 98 minutes, marking the beginning of the “space race” between the US and the USSR. This small machine, roughly the size of a beach ball and weighing less than 200 pounds, fundamentally changed the Lonny Price, Ann Morrison, Jim Walton, Sally Klein in the course of space exploration. The two countries were prompted to original Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along this particular rivalry by a mandate from the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) in 1952, which proposed a series of those rare instances where casting, direction, and show comprehensive tests to record global geophysical activities spanning come together in perfect combination, resulting in the classic between 1957 and 1958. This period, named the International ideal of the sum being greater than the parts.” Sondheim was fortunate enough to see a production of his work 40 years later that finally hit the mark, solving the very issues that plagued the original opening. Today many of Sondheim’s most successful shows remain at home on Broadway and regional theatres around the world, with recent productions of Sunday in the Park with George, Passion, and Sweeney Todd in New York and beyond.. At the age of 87, Sondheim continues to write. In the spring of 2015, Playbill published an article highlighting his upcoming musical collaboration with bookwriter David Ives on the new musical, Buñuel, based on two Spanish films with plots centered on an unusual evening for guests at a dinner party by the revolutionary filmmaker Luis Buñuel. The pair has been working on the piece since 2012 when the show was first announced, but is “coming along slowly” despite best efforts to complete it. Sondheim and Ives plan to workshop the piece before launching a full scale production at The Public Theater in New York City some time during the 2017-2018 season.

QUESTIONS: 1. What happened to the Sondheim/Prince collaboration after Merrily We Roll Along? Which members of the original cast found Broadway/Hollywood success after this show? How do you think this even affected the careers and lives of those who A technician putts the finishing touches were involved? on Sputnik 1, humanity's first artificial satellite.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 13 Geophysical Year, predicted a high point of sunspot activity within an 11-year cycle. The following year, the US formed a national scientific committee to investigate aurora, airglow, cosmic rays, features of longitude and latitude, geomagnetism, glaciology, gravity, meteorology, and solar activity among many other points of interest, and while conducting this research, the US also began its quest to develop an orbiting satellite. In 1954, the ICSU decreed that satellites were necessary for the purpose of scientific research and exploration, so in 1955, the White House officially announced plans for the US’s first launch. The USSR, however, was able to launch its own satellite first.

A major technical achievement for Russia and its space program, the Sputnik I satellite shocked the world and terrified the US. While the US Naval Research Laboratory had developed a comprehensive proposal, the USSR’s actual launch was more impressive in size and scope. Tensions did not ease as Sputnik II was launched the following November boasting a cargo which included a canine named Laika. Fears began to circulate that the USSR now had not only a scientific edge but a military one as well. Did the capacity to catapult a dog into the heavens also mean the Russians were one step closer to accurately firing missiles at will towards any point on American soil? Public fury led to increased funding for space exploration and ignited political action. Norma McCorvey, who was Jane Roe in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, with her attorney, Gloria Allred Following the Sputnik success, American aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun and his team began work on the Explorer ROE V. WADE: A LANDMARK CASE Satellite project. On January 31, 1958, Explorer I was launched Decisions handed down from the Supreme Court of the United successfully into space. This satellite carried a small scientific States have lasting implications for the law of the land and often payload that eventually discovered the magnetic radiation belts reflect or prompt cultural shifts. Roe v. Wade, the 1973 court case around the Earth. That same year, Congress passed the National that made abortion legal in the US is perhaps the court’s most Aeronautics and Space Act, formally creating NASA as an agency well-known decision, inspired by a strong feminist movement and dedicated to winning the space race. the sweeping sexual revolution of the 1960s. While the case has stood the test of time, the controversy surrounding the ruling has QUESTIONS: never subsided. The decision to terminate a pregnancy continues 1. Mary, Frank, and Charley witness the Sputnik’s flight across the to be complicated for women who must make this choice in the midst of political, religious, and ethical debates. New York City skyline: The original lawsuit was filed by attorneys Linda Coffee and Mary: Phenomenal. Sarah Weddington, two recent graduates of the University of Charley: Don’t you wish it was ours. Texas Law School. They brought a lawsuit on behalf of Norma Frank: It’s everybody’s. L. McCorvey (Jane Roe) suggesting that Roe’s constitutional Mary: Do you call it, Sputnik— Or Sputnik? rights were violated by the strict abortion ban. Roe’s life was not Charley: You call it a miracle. God. endangered, but she did not have the funds necessary to travel outside of the state to obtain a legal and safe abortion. In a Texas How does each character individually respond to the Sputnik federal court, the lawsuit was filed against the Dallas County launch? How might their differences in reflecting upon this District Attorney, Henry Wade. The case made its way to the moment foretell their responses to future events? Supreme Court and was heard during the 1971-1972 court session. 2. Do you think Americans were right to be fearful of Russia’s scientific progress in the late 1950s? Was it a leap to assume that The court ruled in a majority decision (7-2) that the widespread abortion bans were unconstitutional as they violated a person’s satellite capacity was a threat to physical safety on the ground? right to privacy, and declared that the First, Fourth, Ninth, 3. How has the space program modified its objectives over the last and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual’s “zone 60 years? Name a current NASA program that you believe will of privacy,” which include major life events such as marriage, lead to scientific discovery during the next decade. contraception, and raising children. States were forbidden from

14 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE outlawing abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy decision to start a family as the world is changing, because as they and within the second and third trimesters restrictions allowed sing in “Bobby and Jackie and Jack,” “Nixon lost” and the Kennedys only with reasonable accommodations for the mother’s health. were “bringing back style to the White House.” Only in the third trimester of pregnancy would the court allow protections for the unborn fetus. Exceptions to abortion John F. Kennedy served as the 35th president of the United regulation were allowed at any point in time in order to protect States, beating out Richard Nixon by a narrow margin. The first the life of the mother. The state of Texas, among others, argued president of Irish Catholic descent, Kennedy served as president that lifting the abortion ban would encourage sexual promiscuity for only three years before he was assassinated in 1963. Kennedy’s and was a health concern for the woman, but the court rejected influence, however, on the Democratic Party and American both claims. The court also ruled that the opinion that a fetus is history proved long-lasting. Kennedy was born in Brookline, a person with rights was not a view held with a consensus and Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard in 1940 before joining therefore protecting a fetus at the expense of a woman’s right to the US Naval Reserve. He served during World War II and received terminate was unjustified. the Navy and Marine Corp Medal for Service. He was elected to Massachusetts 11th Congressional District in 1947 and successfully As medical advances continue, issues of fetus “viability” (living campaigned for United States Senate, where he served from outside of the mother’s womb) become increasingly complex. 1953-1960. Kennedy, while serving as a senator, wrote Profiles in In Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), the court rejected the Courage which won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography. His military trimester schedule adopted by the Roe v. Wade case. The court and intellectual accomplishments would help propel him into the affirmed the idea that viability was possible as early as 23-24 White House in 1960. weeks of gestation. Critics of the original Roe v. Wade decision who wish to ban abortion continue to argue that abortion is While most Americans continue to name JFK as one of the greatest paramount to murder and any constitutional objection overlooks presidents of all time, experts contend that his tenure in the White a fetus’s rights as a human. Critics supporting abortion rights House was not more successful than many others who served suggest that the original case was poorly argued and decided, before and after him. He struggled through the Cold War, narrowly which left the door open to further challenges legally and in the escaping a nuclear event during the Cuban Missile Crisis, which court of public opinion. The defenders of the decision maintain followed the failed attempt to oust communist dictator Fidel Castro. that Roe v. Wade protects a most basic right of privacy and While a champion of the Civil Rights movement, he garnered little personal liberty, clearly defined by the Constitution and perhaps success in the way of legislation during his short time in office. His the greatest achievement of the Supreme Court of the United legacy, many historians contend, is the genius posturing of his wife States. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the wake of his assassination.

QUESTIONS: 1. For Mary and the other women considering marriage and children during the course of Merrily We Roll Along, how might the Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion change their outlook? 2. The cast sings about many of the advancements and “blessings” they are experiencing including “the pill.” Compare and contrast family planning options in 1970s with those of today. 3. Consider the idea that “justice delayed is justice denied.” Roe v. Wade was first filed in 1970 but the Supreme Court did not definitively rule on the case until 1973, long after Jane Roe’s third child was born. Although Roe “won” the case, did she receive justice? Could you be satisfied with a ruling in your favor even if it came at a time too late for you personally?

THE KENNEDY FAMILY LEGACY A primary conflict in Merrily We Roll Along centers around the production of Frank and Charley’s show, Take a Left. Joe suggests that Frank, Charley, and Mary can maintain their artistic integrity by pushing their “political flop” forward, but first they need to find commercial success. Take a Left is once again sidetracked, but given the political and social times during which Merrily We Roll Along’s characters are beginning their careers, it is not surprising that their deep convictions and political interests are evident in their work. As Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and John F. Kennedy Frank and Beth decide to get married, they feel confident in their photographed by Richard Avedon in 1961

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The London cast of Merrily We Roll Along

Jacqueline Kennedy is one of the most popular First Ladies of all signaled that she would not be leaving the public eye without first time, primarily because of her deep appreciation for art, fashion, setting the tone for her departure. A week after her husband was and history, which she shared with the American people by assassinated, Jackie sat down for an interview with Life magazine opening the White House through a personally guided televised reporter Theodore H. White. She carefully dictated that the tour presented by CBS News. Jackie remarked, “I feel so strongly Kennedy’s time in the White House should be named the “Camelot that the White House should have as fine a collection of American Era.” Her effort to seal her husband’s image as noble, righteous, pictures as possible. It’s so important . . . the setting in which and akin to royalty was largely successful. She would later ask the presidency is presented to the world to foreign visitors. The President Johnson to name the new space center after her late American people should be proud of it. We have such a great husband and would play a large part in the creation of the John F. civilization. So many foreigners don’t realize it. I think this house Kennedy Library and Museum, forever solidifying JFK’s significance should be the place we see them best.” The custom for presidents not only for his role in Massachusetts state politics, but nationally when retiring from the White House had been to take items and and internationally as well. furnishings with them and when Jackie arrived, she was dismayed to discover that the White House was not bursting with fine QUESTIONS: art and antiques. She set out on a mission to restore the White 1. With which political party do you think Mary, Charley, and Frank House’s interior with historically accurate design; she financed would align? How do they feel about JFK’s election victory? Use it (as the first $50,000 designated by the government for the evidence from the text to support your answer. project was spent almost immediately) by creating a White House guide book sold to visitors and anyone interested in purchasing 2. Do you think JFK was a great American president? What features or characteristics made him unique among his peers? Continuing it. Jackie also pressed for legislation that designated the White your research of JFK, what events or qualities about him made House furnishings as property of the Smithsonian Institution, as the him typical among his peers? Do you believe he lived up to the “People’s House” needed to be protected and preserved. ideal image his wife created of him after his death? Following her husband’s untimely death, Jackie immediately went 3. Why might the production of Merrily We Roll Along be into preservation mode, this time for her family and JFK’s legacy. considered timely, given the current political climate? What Refusing to sneak out a back door and into hiding following issues facing the United States today are reminiscent of those the assassination of her husband in a Dallas motorcade, Jackie dogging the JFK presidency?

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Damian Humbley as Charley Kringas and Mark Umbers as Frank Shepard in the London production of Merrily We Roll Along

GROUP COLLABORATION: STORY WRITING! STEP FOUR: READING! In Merrily We Roll Along, Frank, Charley, and Mary collaborate Once your group has finished the “fast story” select a member of on the work important to them, but working in groups can pose the group to read it to the whole class. challenges, especially when individuals have strong opinions or Now, tell the story backwards using all of the members of your ideas in which they are invested. Working together on a project group. This exercise does not need to be scripted. How difficult (or can also be extremely rewarding, capitalizing on the strengths of easy) was changing the order of events and then presenting it to all team members. an audience?

In groups, set out to write a “fast story” taking up no more than a STEP FIVE: REFLECTION! couple of pages! Was writing in a group frustrating or exhilarating? Did one STEP ONE: CASTING! person dominate the discussion or were everyone’s voices heard? Divide into groups of three or four. Try to diversify your group by Were you happy with the final product? How did your audience considering the talents of each individual. Perhaps one person respond? is known for having “big ideas” and someone else is known for writing poetry. You might have an actor in the group and an avid LEARNING ABOUT THE PAST, reader, for example. PREDICTING THE FUTURE Merrily We Roll Along has a unique scene organization because the STEP TWO: PREWRITING! story is told from end to beginning, looking back over roughly two Before setting to work you must first have an idea. What is your decades of the characters’ lives. story about? Who is your audience? Outline the details after deciding the following: The Past: Write a fact from your past on a piece of paper (for example, you weighed 11 pounds at birth, you never learned to • Characters swim, your dog’s name was Candy, etc.). Do not put your name on • Setting the paper. When everyone is finished, put the papers in a pile and • Central Conflict as a group try to figure out which fact belongs to which person by • Resolution considering the facts one at a time. • What happens before the conflict is resolved? The Future: Write down a prediction about your future (you will What happens after? have six children, you will move across the country, you will play professional baseball, etc.). Do not put your name on the paper. STEP THREE: WRITING! When everyone is finished, put the papers in a pile and as a group Once you have determined what you want to write about, how will try to figure out who belongs to each personal prediction. you get the words down on the paper? Will you have a “secretary” who writes down the ideas of the group or will each individual What new information did you learn about your classmates? Were member take a part to write? Keep the entire story under three you surprised by the facts you learned about your friends? Do you minutes long. think the future will resemble what is predicted by your peers?

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 17 SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES NAME THAT TUNE! Divide the class into two teams. The point will be given to the first team to name the song, all from Sondheim musicals. An additional point will be added if the team can also name the musical. After several rounds, the team with the most points wins!

Suggested titles include but are not limited to:

• “Send in the Clowns” – A Little Night Music • “Johanna” – Sweeney Todd • “Now You Know” – Merrily We Roll Along • “Anyone Can Whistle” – Anyone Can Whistle • “Another 100 People” – Company • “Losing My Mind” – Follies

SONG WRITING! Songs in musical theatre often let the audience know about the emotional struggles of the character, explain major conflicts, and might even advance the plot. Take your turn and write a song to share with your class! Select a tune you know well, it does not have to be from a Sondheim musical, and write lyrics which address a conflict or problem. Suggestions for conflicts include:

• Being dumped by text message. • Losing your dog at the park. • Being caught cheating on a test. • Believing your dad is actually the tooth fairy. • Discovering your best friend won student of the year. You won nothing.

After you have chosen a tune and a conflict, write down your lyrics. What are the challenges putting words to music? Did you feel compelled to rhyme or not?

You can read the “song” to the class OR you can sing it! t . charles

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Haydn Gwynne as Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music

18 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES nile

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Mark Umbers as Frank Shepard, Eden Espinosa as Mary Flynn, and Damian Humbley as Charley Kringas

DESIGN CHALLENGE The book of Merrily We Roll Along includes stage directions that call for the use of projection screens to provide the audience with important context or details. Create the slides that are noted at the top of the show:

As the number (“Merrily We Roll Along”) progresses, we see slides projected onto the scrim, slides which tell us the story we are about to see: photos of FRANKLIN SHEPHARD, MARY FLYNN, and CHARLEY KRINGAS each at the age of eight, then at their individual high schools and colleges, followed by a variety of things such as: the three of them posing for humorous pictures in amusement-palace booths; their initial success as writers; FRANKLIN’S marriage and divorce; reviews, Variety articles, gossip columns, the newspaper accounts of the breakup of Franklin’s and Charley’s partnership; Franklin’s movie career; Charley’s Pulitzer Prize; etc., leading finally to a huge slide of a formal invitation which coincides with the end of the number...

1. Decide the materials you will use to make these screens. Are they projections? Actual physical copies of articles and pictures blown up and attached to a board? 2. Create renderings of the various slides the audience needs to see. Do you think the actors cast in these rolls were asked for things like graduation pictures to create these slides? 3. Present your designs to the class. Do you think you were able to convey the information dictated by the stage directions through your renderings? What are the challenges in designing a magazine article or party invitation for large-scale viewing? 4. Compare and contrast your design choices with those of the design team who worked on the Huntington’s production. How did the Huntington’s production communicate the same information in different ways?”

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Jenna Russell, Clare Foster, Mark Umbers, and Damian Humbley in the London production of Merrily We Roll Along

QUOTABLE MOMENTS Choose one of the following quotes from Merrily We Roll Along “Dreams don’t die, so keep an eye on your dream.” and write an essay analyzing its meaning. Consider: “The worst vice in the world is “advice,” so I don’t give any.” • Which character said it? “I’ve made only one mistake in my life. But I made it over and over • Does the character mean it literally or is there and over. That was saying ‘yes’ when I meant ‘no.’” an unspoken subtext? • What does this statement reveal about the “I swear, if I could go back to the beginning, if I could somehow be character’s way of looking at the world? starting over … writing shows, trying to change world, I’d give all this up like that.” • How do the character’s actions support or contradict the quote? “...You compose a Broadway show you’re something in New York. • Do other characters seem to agree or disagree? But you produce a movie, you’re something all over the world.” • How does the quote contribute to the forward “Listen, Frank does the money thing very well. But you know what? progression of the scene and of the plot as a There are other people who do it better. And Frank does the music whole? thing very well. And you know what? No one does it better.”

“...I have loved you no matter what you did, but I guess because I don’t live my life like you or the way you’d like me to, you had to shoot me down and watch me bleed.”

“If you were right, I would be the first to admit it. But with you, there is no other side. There’s only your way and the wrong way.”

“When the hell am I ever going to meet a waiter who’s just a waiter?”

“This moment that the three of us are sharing here together. Nothing’s ever going to be the way it was, not ever again. Do you guys realize that now we are going to be able to do anything? I mean anything we ever dreamed of. What a time to be starting out. What a time to be alive.”

20 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES SONDHEIM TRIVIA Circle the best answer for each question. Additional research outside of this guide may be required to answer the questions correctly.

1. Sondheim’s musical Sunday in the Park with George is inspired by a painting by which artist? A. Pablo Picasso B. George Seurat C. Claude Monet D. Edgar Degas

2. Sondheim won the Tony Award for Best Original Score three times consecutively for which combination of musicals? A. Merrily We Roll Along, Passion, Into the Woods B. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, West Side Story, Assassins C. Company, Follies, A Little Night Music Stephen Sondheim D. Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Anyone Can Whistle QUOTABLE SONDHEIM 3. Which Broadway Theatre housed the most Sondheim Shows? Choose one of the following quotes by Stephen Sondheim and write an essay in which you argue for or against Sondheim’s A. The Winter Garden Theatre perspective. Use evidence from musicals both by Sondheim and B. The Broadhurst Theatre others to support your opinion. C. The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre “Although one can’t underestimate the importance of songs, it’s D. The Shubert Theatre the book that the musical theatre is all about, and I’m not being 4. How many total Tony Awards have Sondheim musicals received? modest.” A. 32 “At least half my songs deal with ambivalence, feeling two things at B. 56 once…I like neurotic people. I like troubled people.” C. 75 “I usually write lying down, so I can go to sleep easily. I write about D. 88 ten minutes and sleep for two, on the average.” 5. Which famous lyricist read and critiqued Sondheim’s first show, “Obviously the hardest kind of lyric in the world to set is often the a musical named By George that he wrote about his school best kind to read. Iambic pentameter is wonderful to read and experience? terrible to set. I learned from Oscar and Cole Porter: as you’re writing a lyric, get a rhythm even if you don’t have a tune in your A. Fred Ebb head.” B. Ira Gershwin “We Americans have a special tendency to ignore history. We C. Lorenz Hart remember only what is pleasant. We must have a sense of the D. Oscar Hammerstein II past. Without it the present is meaningless and stupid.”

“As for humor in lyric writing, it’s always better to be funny than clever — and a lot harder.”

“People mistake sentimentality for feeling. I believe in sentiment but not sentimentality.”

“I believe it’s the writer’s job to educate the audience…to bring them things they would never have expected to see. It’s not easy, but writing never has been.” Answers on back cover.

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG CURRICULUM GUIDE 21 BOSTON, MA 02115-4606 264 HUNTINGTON AVENUE

SEPT. 28

2017-2018 STUDENT MATINEESMAR. 15 MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG TARTUFFE NOV. 17 MAY 3 MALA JAN. 18 & 25 SKELETON CREW TOP GIRLS

Sondheim Trivia Key: 1B, 2C, 3A, 4C, 5D 4C, 3A, 2C, 1B,