Twenty-Two Years Later, After "The Sound Of Music," This Opened On Broadway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      That is right, girls, forty-one years ago tonight, "Merrily We Roll Along" opened at what was then the Alvin Theatre, and today is the Neil Simon.

                                         I remember it well.  And the show has become a life experience for me, having been as old as some of the Original Cast,--the most golden throated rendering of the score since The Children in "The Sound Of Music"-- and, having met, chatted, and seen them perform along the way, I feel like in some ways I have lived the experience, though I was not a part of the show, and have yet to be in a production of it.  Well, I can hope!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          I saw the show twice.  The first was on Halloween night, 1981, where I met a friend of mine, the late David Semonin.  And I found out later that a future co-worker of mine, and still friend of mine, was at that day's matinee!!!!!!!!!! How the stars align.

                                            The show was still in previews, on Halloween, but had opened by my second viewing.  After the reviews, I knew the show did not have long to run, but I just HAD to hear that score again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  And so, I did.

                                             Of course, I have seen almost every subsequent production in the NYC area.  And isn't it interesting that in five days, the New York Theatre Workshop is going to launch its production of it, with Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez, and Daniel Radcliffe?  What a cast, and what a hot ticket.  I cannot get one.  I, The Raving Queen!  Simply indecent.  But I am already hearing rumors of a move; the show has been extended already by two weeks, so maybe something will happen.

                                                 Will it be videotaped?  Will there be a cast recording?  I cannot wait!

                                                  So, Happy Birthday to 'Merrily', and a salute to all the originals!!!!!!

                      Here is an excerpt from the original, including the heartbreaking song "Our Time," whose understanding comes only with age.  Listen to these golden voices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!