Merrily We Roll Along
Book by George Furth
Based on the play Merrily We Roll Along by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart
The Notion
"Franklin Shepard, a successful songwriter and movie producer in his forties, reviews his life, both professional and personal, especially his relationships with his best friends, Mary Flynn and Charley Kringas (his songwriting collaborator), and his two wives, Beth and Gussie. The action moves backward in time from 1981 to 1957."
- Stephen Sondheim in Finishing the Hat -
Songs
Act One
Overture
Merrily We Roll Along
That Frank*
First Transition
Old Friends (Part I) / Like It Was
Franklin Shepard, Inc.
Second Transition
Old Friends (Part II)
Growing Up* (Part I)
Third Transition
Not a Day Goes By (Part I)
Now You Know
*added for the 1985 revised version
Act Two
Gussie's Opening Number*
It's a Hit
Fourth Transition
The Blob / Growing Up (Part II)*
Fifth Transition
Good Thing Going
Bobby and Jackie and Jack
Not a Day Goes Bay (Part II)
Sixth Transition
Opening Doors
Seventh Transition
Our Time
Removed Songs
Used in the original Broadway production but removed/replaced in the revised version
Rich and Happy (replaced with "That Frank")
The Hills of Tomorrow
Cut Songs
First /Second / Third / Fourth Transitions [original versions] (replaced with new versions)
Darling!
Thank You for Coming (replaced with "Bobby and Jackie and Jack")
Honey
Albums
Video
The following are unofficial video recordings, and as such, they are subject to being taken down at any time. Not all videos are the complete show.
Productions & Casts
Awards
1981 Original Broadway Production
Other winners:
Maury Yeston: Tony Award for Musical Score & Drama Desk Award for Music (Nine)
Kenry Krieger, Tom Eyen, & David Foster: Grammy Award for Best Cast Show Album (Dreamgirls)
Tony Awards
1 Nomination
0 Wins
1994 Off-Broadway Revival
Show Boat won the following:
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical
Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Revival of a Musical
Other winners:
Matthew Broderick: Drama Desk Award for Leading Actor (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying)
2000 London Revival
Bob Fosse & Ann Reinking won the Olivier Awardfor Choreography (Fosse)
Olivier Awards
4 Nominations
3 Wins
2012 London Revival
Chimerica won the following:
Lyndsey Turner: Olivier Award for Direction
Carolyn Downing: Olivier Award for Sound Design
Other winners:
Zrinka Cvitešić: Olivier Award for Leading Actress (Once)
Stephen Ashfield: Olivier Award for Supporting Role (The Book of Mormon)
Mark Thompson: Olivier Award for Costume Design (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
Olivier Awards
6 Nominations
2 Wins
2019 Off-Broadway Revival
Other winners:
Fiddler on the Roof: Drama Desk Award for Revival of a Musical
Rachel Chavkin: Drama Desk Award for Direction (Hadestown)
Rick & Jeff Kuperman: Lortel Award for Choreography (Alice by Heart)
2022 Off-Broadway Revival
Parade won the following:
Drama Desk & Outer Critics Circle Awards for Revival of a Musical
Michael Arden: Outer Critics Circle Award for Direction
Other winners:
A Raisin in the Sun: Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival
Bryan Carter & Charlie Rosen: Outer Critics Circle Award for Orchestration (Some Like It Hot)
Thomas Kail: Drama Desk Award for Direction (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)
Annaleigh Ashford: Drama Desk Award for Leading Performer (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)
Marla Mindelle: Lortel Award for Leading Performer (Titaníque)
Alex Newell: Drama Desk Award for Featured Performer (Shucked)
A.J. Shively: Lortel Award for Featured Performer (A Man of No Importance)
2023 Broadway Revival
The Outsiders won the following:
Danya Taymor: Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical
Cody Spencer: Tony Award for Best Sound Design of a Musical
Other winners:
Sarah Paulson: Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance (Appropriate)
Kecia Lewis: Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Hell's Kitchen)
Tony Awards
7 Nominations
4 Wins
Awards from All Productions
Tony Awards: 4 wins from 8 nominations
Laurence Olivier Awards: 5 wins from 10 nominations
Drama Desk Awards: 1 win from 11 nominations
Drama League Awards: 2 wins from 5 nominations
Evening Standard Awards: 1 win from 1 nomination
London Critics' Circle Theatre Awards: 2 awards
Lucille Lortel Awards: 1 win from 6 nominations
Obie Awards: 2 awards
Outer Critics Circle Awards: 2 wins from 7 nominations
Theatre World Awards: 1 award
Grammy Awards: 0 wins from 2 nominations (2025 results pending)