Merrily We Roll Along May 1981 Working Draft

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The May 1981 working draft is a unproduced version of Merrily We Roll Along (Sondheim/Furth)

The script is dated 5/29/81

Major Differences[edit | edit source]

  • Both Hills of Tommorow and Rich and Happy are radically different from the Broadway show.
  • Meg is explicitly said to be 18 by Gussie
  • Charley's play is not mentioned
  • Multiple characters (Tom, Bill) are mentioned early on and not mentioned later.
  • The spoken bits by Charley and Mary are cut from the second transition
  • Charley has set up the Polo Lounge scene, and sings Old Friends (with lyrical changes)
  • Frank's "Africa" speech is different from later versions, and there is no physical altercation
  • Franklin Shepard Inc. is not in the show. The interview contains no song. Charley discusses being unhappy and being dissatisfied with his work and home life.
  • Many of the transitions are not yet written
  • Frank puts a beard on in front of the audience
  • Old Friends has major lyrical changes
  • Charley mentions wanting to make a movie with Frank in the 1968 scene. Charley has just gotten out of jail for protesting.
  • Mary is engaged to an unknown man
  • The Radical Chic party exists, but the song is not there
  • Mary has two hit books
  • Charley expresses excitement towards Frank and Beth's divorce
  • Evelyn is going into labor in this version of the scene. We do not see her.
  • Charley expresses disgust towards Musical Husbands
  • Joe is not present in It's a hit, Charley sings many of his lines. Minor lyrical changes.
  • The Blob is longer and Charley has slightly more lines during Gussie's party, mostly about not being able to find Evelyn
  • Bobby, Jackie and Jack does not exist. "Thank You For Coming" takes its place. Charley is a mime.
  • The cut song "Honey" is sung by Frank and Beth
  • Frankly Frank is called The Writers' Block
  • Opening Doors has mild changes. Ted writes music for it. They audition the singers with a bit from Thank you for Coming.
  • The roof scene has a lot more lines. Frank and Charley discuss having sex with women. Mary mentions being from Providence, RI. It is noted that Charley didn't have good enough vision to go into the military
  • Minor changes to The Hills of Tommorow
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