Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, original play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart and book by George Furth is currently being presented by the Community Players of Pawtucket through April 13.

At the heart of Merrily We Roll Along is its unconventional storytelling method. The show moves backward through the lives of three central characters: Franklin Shepard, Charlie Kringas, and Mary Flynn. We follow them through their disillusionment, examining their friendship and careers – first of their failures before rewinding to their youthful, idealistic beginnings.

The challenge for any director staging Merrily We Roll Along is to maintain the emotional stakes while the plot consistently moves backward. The show asks its audience to hold two emotional states at once – the poignant realization of loss and the youthful glow of unrealized potential. This reverse structure in the hands of the skillful director, John McElroy II,  becomes both emotionally powerful and intellectually stimulating. While McElroy II, does a very good job staging this production with some creative blocking and character development, his addition of the first scene in an assisted living residence did not enhance an already lengthy production, nor did the final ending: bringing back the elderly character from the first scene.

The strength of Merrily lies in its lead characters who must be strong enough to embody a youthful enthusiasm and the weary wisdom of this narrative. And this production had gifted leads, an excellent ensemble with supporting leads, specifically: Jason Denton as Joe, Melanie Kane as KT, and Hannah Van Meter as Gussie.

Franklin Shepard, played by Dan Pickar, the show's central figure, is a dreamer gone astray. He begins as an idealistic composer, full of promise, only to end up as a jaded film producer whose moral compass has been crushed by the realities of success. Pickar delivers a stellar performance of Frank; conveying not just the tension between these two personas, but also the deep regret and loneliness he feels as his own identity slips away. Pickar navigates the soaring musical numbers and the quiet, reflective moments.

Charlie Kringas, portrayed by Tyler Rebello, Frank’s close friend and collaborator, is equally compelling. Charlie's bitterness toward Franklin’s betrayal of their shared ideals runs deep, but there’s a vulnerability in Charlie’s character, a hunger for validation. Rebello performs with sensitivity as the audience’s window into the emotional core of the story: the painful recognition that no dream stays intact forever.

Mary Flynn,  rendered by Meghan Smith, the third part of the trio, is the emotional anchor of the show. Initially a witty, sharp-tongued woman, Mary’s journey backward through time unveils a tragic figure who has failed to achieve the artistic success she so deeply craved as she watches her friends drift apart. Smith’s portrayal is spot-on accompanied by a magnificent voice.

Richie Sylvia masterfully conducts the orchestra through a score filled with intricate rhythms, shifting time signatures, and melodies that are deceptively simple yet profoundly evocative. This is Sondheim at his most musically sophisticated. Musicians must be up to the task, which was not always the case during Friday’s opening night.

Merrily We Roll Along reveals how our pasts are never fully behind us, our relationships are never fully resolved, and we often live with the ghosts of unfulfilled dreams. It is reckoning with what we hoped for versus what we achieved, and whether it was all worth it. The show ends on a nostalgic longing, a cry for redemption, a plea for meaning and to the incredible humanity of those who dare to dream, despite the odds.

What:  Merrily We Roll Along

Where:  The Community Players
Jenks Auditorium
350 Division Street, Pawtucket

When:  Friday & Saturday, April 11 & 12 – 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 6 & 13 – 2:00 p.m.

Tickets: Adults: $30.00/Students $18.00 

Box Office:  401-726-6860
www.thecommunityplayers.org