Southampton Cultural Center Kicks Off Celebration With Reprise Of Sondheim's 'Merrily We Roll Along'

By Sept. 5 through Sept. 14

The cast of "Merrily We Roll Along".

The Southampton Cultural Center's "Sondheim Celebration" will revisit Stephen Sondheim's "Merrily We Roll Along" for two weekends - Sept. 5 through Sept. 14 and present "Company" on Oct. 17 to Nov. 2. Michael Disher directs and choreographs both productions. The season will close with "Into the Woods" next July, and "Sweeney Todd", in October 2009, and will continue the celebration of Sondheim's work.

"Presented for one weekend in March, 'Merrily We Roll Along' exceeded our dreams and expectations," Disher stated. "What we intended to be a concert version developed into a fully staged and choreographed production. Our audiences thought it deserved a longer run. Kirsten Lonnie, SCC Executive Director, and I agreed."

Vinski, Chizever and Sander will all recreate the roles they played so successfully in March, and Stephen D'Amico, who recently appeared to great acclaim in "The Comedy of Errors" in Greenport, will play the pivotal role of Franklin Shepard. Other actors include Rebekah White as temptress Gussie Carnegie, Jim Vignato as her husband, Joe Josephson, and Jacob Boergesson, Brendan Quinn, Lauren Rowland, Joe Giovingo, Colin Palmer, Bethany Dellapolla, Tess Leavay, Maggie Szalowski, and Ken Rowland rounding out the cast.

"Merrily We Roll Along" has a book by George Furth, based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. Furth and Sondheim retained the basic structure and overall theme of the play but updated it to encompass the years from 1957 and 1976. Its main protagonist is Franklin Shepard, a one-time composer of Broadway musicals who becomes a successful but disillusioned film producer. He and long-time friends, collaborator Kringas and best-selling author Flynn, are forced to reassess, readjust and re-evaluate their needs, need for one another and futures, with or without the security of their pasts. Like the play, the musical moves backward in time, showing how the young Frank, Mary and Charlie became the people they are today.

"In my opinion, this is one of Sondheim's best and, ironically, least-known scores," said Disher. "Its complexities are fierce and its subtleties are fuel for any actor and director who enjoy a challenge that reaps great benefits. It is a choice opportunity to see a rarely presented Sondheim/Furth musical. 'Merrily We Roll Along' has acquired a richly deserved 'cult status' among musicals. It is engaging, devilishly clever, poignant and a fine example of Sondheim's ability to present thought-provoking, heart-wrenching material within his lyrics and music." The score includes "Not a Day Goes By," "Old Friends." "Our Time," and "Good Thing Going" (which was covered by Frank Sinatra).

• Tickets are $25 general admission and $10 for students under 21. "Merrily We Roll Along" plays Sept. 5 through Sept. 7 and Sept. 12 through Sept. 14, with curtain Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Southampton Cultural Center is on Pond Lane, directly across from Agawam Park. Reservations are recommended and can be made at 631-287-4377 or scc@southamptonculturalcenter.org.

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