The cast of Merrily We Roll Along at Signature Theatre. Photo by Daniel Rader
Sondheim is finally back at Signature Theatre with the team’s recent launch of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s “Merrily We Roll Along.” Thank goodness, because Signature Theatre does Sondheim very well, and under Matthew Gardiner’s visionary direction, no one does it better.
Telling the story of three “Old Friends,” the musical covers a tumultuous 20-year saga between Franklin “Frank” Shepard, Charley Kringas, and Mary Flynn, in reverse. We first meet a successful Frank reveling in his financial success as a Hollywood producer, and it is revealed that he abandoned and stepped on many friends to get there. Then the story follows the trio back to their first meeting, with the youthful excitement of just starting out.
…under Matthew Gardiner’s visionary direction, no one does it better…incredible cast…dynamic performances.
While originally opening on Broadway to lackluster reviews and closing after only 16 performances, the musical has since seen several notable productions, including the 2023 Tony Award-winning revival starring Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez. Immediately following this performance, the director/choreographer, Matthew Gardiner, took the stage to share that this is a show he had hoped to direct for 20 years. We are so lucky that it’s happening now with this incredible cast he’s assembled.
Upon entering The MAX Theatre, there is multi-tiered set with the orchestra visible on the top, six doors lining the sides, and explosive party and house lamps decorating the stage, expertly designed by Wilson Chin. As the performance unfolds, the set gradually “undresses” from the party to a clean slate, showcasing the mess that Frank inevitably gets himself into. The lamps are also slowly removed from the stage as the actors become more in the dark about future transgressions than the audience—a strong lighting design choice by designer Cory Pattak. By the end of the show, the stage is dark and barren, leaving a strong message about the chaos Frank caused during the 20-year journey.
Ivania Stack’s expert costume design brought the 1970s, 60s, and 50s eras to life, crafting unique and period-appropriate looks for the full ensemble as the story traveled back in time. The costumes for Gussie, Frank’s long-time lover and eventual wife, were especially jaw-dropping and exuded opulence in major production numbers.
Rounding out the technical excellence was the perfect melding of Jon Kalbfleisch’s music direction with Gardiner’s direction and choreography. The 12-piece band added to the overall magic of the performance. This was especially showcased in “Franklin Shepard, Inc.”and “Opening Doors,” where the orchestra and actors’ actions were perfectly coordinated to varying comedic and dramatic effect.
The production is filled with dynamic performances. The show’s ensemble was highly effective, portraying not only a myriad of characters but also strong chemistry between the characters and a clear sense of what those relationships would look like in reverse. At the helm of this production were Jason Gotay as Franklin Shepard, Jake Loewenthal as Charley Kringas, and Melanie Field as Mary Flynn. They each delivered heavily nuanced performances, bringing a subdued anger and hope to Frank, pain and naivety to Charley, and devotion and hurt to Mary—all depending on where they fell in the time loop.
From the moment Field took a swig of her drink during “That Frank,” I knew we were in for a top-tier performance. In a role that can often feel air-headed to me, Mary felt grounded and relatable in Field’s caring hands. Staged in Gardiner’s vision as a reflection of Frank’s life, Gotay seemed to be the only performer aware of the passage of time, as shown by him looking longingly at cast members during the transition songs. I gasped during his looks of love and despair during the “Third Transition”and the introduction to Beth, performed by Kerstin Anderson. From their first meeting in “Opening Doors” to the end, Gotay and Anderson’s chemistry was electric and both also showed incredible vocal and emotional control.
In one of the more famous rewrites of this production, Beth now sings “Not A Day Goes By,” and Anderson didn’t leave a dry eye in the house. Of course, she had stunning vocals, but her quiet betrayal was the perfect juxtaposition to Frank’s breakdown in “Now You Know,” tactfully building to the end of the act.
Loewenthal skillfully handled the vocal sprint in “Franklin Shepard, Inc.,” a song that could easily flop. I secretly wished the lengthy number went on even longer! Maria Rizzo as Gussie was also a standout, providing smooth vocals in “Growing Up” with Gotay and in “Gussie’s Opening Number.” Rizzo was the perfect sexy and fast-talking foil to Anderson’s sweet and quiet Beth.
With a compelling ensemble and tight vocals on one of Sondheim’s iconic scores, Signature is doing what they do best, and “It’s a Hit!”
Running Time: Two hours and 30 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission.
Advisory: Recommended for mature teens and up. Contains adult themes including alcohol use, sex, and depictions of drug use. Effects include theatrical lighting effects, herbal cigarettes, and theatrical haze. Children under 6 are not admitted at Signature.
“Merrily We Roll Along” runs through November 1, 2026, at Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. Masks required at the September 15th 7:30 PM show. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (703) 820-9771, email tickets@sigtheatre.org, or go online.
