It Will Be Interesting To See How It Is Handled, This Time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Roundabout, albeit at the Laura Pels Theatre,  Off-Broadway, is dong "Merrily We Roll Along."  The Sondheim musical, not the Kaufman and Hart play.

                                 Performances are said to begin January 19, with an opening on February 19.  Noah Brody, of the Fiasco Theatre Company, in residence at Roundabout, is handling the staging. Alexander Gemignani,  son of Paul, who was Musical Director on the 1981 original, will take his father's place, for this production.  He is currently in "Carousel," so see this show ASAP, as he will have to leave it, to take on 'Merrily.'

                                  Fiasco is famous for a production they did of "Into The Woods," where the cast was pared down to ten.  I admit, I would like to have seen how that worked.

                                   As for 'Merrily,' I say to them two things.

                                  Please find a decent staging concept.

                                 Keep "The Hills Of Tomorrow" as its frame.

                                 And casting!  Oh yes, Casting is CRUCIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Will Celia want to do it again?  I wonder?  How about Andrew?

                                  "Carousel" cannot exist, without Jessie Mueller, so she cannot do it!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   How the hell are they going to cast it?????????????  Does talent enough still remain out there to do it???????????????

                                    I am available, anytime, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You want me to audition!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I'll give you an audition, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!  Just like when Margaret Hamilton said, "I'll give you Auntie Em!!!!!!!!!!!" in "The Wizard Of Oz!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                    This could be like pulling the rabbit out of a hat.  It will either be the biggest disappointment of the season, or a surprise, like when they did "Assassins," which was brilliant."

                                     And the score is always a pleasure to hear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!