Aaron Krause, Theater Critic

In Zoetic Stage Company’s vivacious production of “Merrily We Roll Along,” we witness characters celebrating with a high five and a hip bump. We may wish to join them as they energetically sing about a hopeful future filled with endless possibilities in the infectiously upbeat closing number, “Our Time.”

But as optimistic as it seems, a hint of unease lingers. Since the play is constructed backwards, we already know their later years will not be exactly rosy. Just before Franklin Shepherd walks confidently into that future after a moment of hesitation, we may find ourselves wishing to stall him a little longer.

Happily, nothing stalls Zoetic’s fluid, multifaceted production, which glides along as easily as the words of the title moving freely on the long conveyor belt/runway-like stage. With minimal scenery, projections, and audiences seated on either side of the long stage, Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s layered classic musical comes alive within the intimate Carnival Studio Theater at Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center. The running time is just under three hours, including an intermission.

Under Stuart Meltzer’s sensitive, upbeat direction, a dozen talented actors disappear into their characters, delivering performances that brim with vigor and nuance. To grasp the production’s intensity, notice, for instance, the spit occasionally flying from John Reed’s mouth as he deftly captures fictional playwright Charley Kringas’s passion.

“Merrily We Roll Along,” which famously flopped on Broadway in 1981 — closing after just 16 performances — charts the turbulent 20-year friendship between three fictional creatives: composer Frank Shepard, lyricist/playwright Charley Kringas, and author/critic Mary Flynn. But instead of unfolding chronologically, librettist George Furth tells their story in reverse, beginning with their break-up at a superficial Hollywood party in 1976 and ending in the late 1950s, when the wide-eyed young friends are optimistic about their future.

The reverse chronological order forces audiences to consider how the relationships unraveled, revealing the “why” behind the betrayals and disappointments. By the final scenes, the “good” moments feel poignant—yet inevitably too good to last.

The production begins with the cast entering the stage all in white, perhaps suggesting their purity before cynicism and disillusionment take hold. They sing the serene title song tranquilly, a melody they will repeat seven times throughout the show.

Beyond opening the production, the song serves as a structural, thematic, and emotional anchor, guiding audiences as the narrative moves backward in time. Its lyrics reflect Shepard’s growing confusion over how his life unraveled and, by describing a journey in which people “merrily roll along,” contrast the characters’ actual turbulent path to cynical adulthood.

In Zoetic’s production, Alex Jorth’s Shepard appears bewildered during these opening moments —he turns this way and that, while the others circle him — conveying a man overwhelmed, as though wondering how he arrived at such disappointment.

After the introductory scene, the production seamlessly segues into a shallow Hollywood party set in 1976. Sporting sunglasses, holding cigars, and talking almost all at once, the insiders mingle and lavishly praise Shepard in song as he takes it all in.

Jorth’s Shepard appears content, charismatically hosting his guests, though unease creeps in at the mention of Charley Kringas, his former best friend and musical collaborator. All the partygoers still wear white, emphasizing their similarities, except forone striking figure — Gussie Carnegie, resplendent in a shimmering outfit, earrings, and lipstick. She is Shepard’s wife, fully aware of his infidelity. Her presence adds tension to the otherwise lively gathering.

Another guest at the party, and clearly none too happy, is Flynn, portrayed by Joline Mujica, who exudes sarcasm and disgust. She resents the shallowness of the other attendees and Shepard’s abandonment of his true talent, music. Watch her roll her eyes and whisper something vehemently before stomping off. As the action consistently shifts backward from this point, we witness the characters gradually becoming more idealistic, culminating in the final scene, when the uncorrupted college students are wide-eyed with wonder and anticipate great things to come.

With subtle shifts in posture, tone, and gesture, the characters gradually soften. The inclusion of Shepard’s young son, Frank Jr., raises the emotional stakes, giving Shepard a powerful incentive to change his ways amid the custody battle with his former wife, Beth.

In a resolute tone, Jorth’s Shepard exclaims, “I can’t live without my son!” From the convincingly heartfelt way child performer Spencer Hanan endears us to Frank Jr., we instantly empathize with him. The boy runs to his father, who wraps him in a tight hug, making it clear they have been apart and missed each other deeply. Hanan evokes the joy of a happy child at his favorite video game store during Christmas, yet he also conveys vulnerability and pain.

In one scene, Frank Jr. tries to reach his father but is held back, crying out desperately, “Daddy!” Later, separated from his father, the boy stands with his head down, clearly upset, as an adult places comforting hands on his shoulders.

Just as the boy and his father long to be together, Shepard, Kringas, and Flynn yearn for the days when their friendship was stronger. They express this musically in the engaging and catchy song “Old Friends,” which suggests a playful, intimate bond. During the number, the characters physically connect — hugging and holding hands — reinforcing their desire to recapture the closeness of the past.

Yet another song that conveys strong emotion is “Not a Day Goes By,” which appears twice in the musical.

In Act I, Beth sings it during her divorce from Frank, expressing the lingering, painful love that remains even as the relationship collapses. Later in the show, the same number takes on a tone of hopeful love, made especially poignant because the audience already knows how the relationship will ultimately end.

Award-winning South Florida performer Lindsey Corey pours her soul into the song, emphasizing lyrics such as “day after day after day.” Corey renders Beth emotionally intense and determined without sacrificing naturalism, and she is equally at ease in lighter, more celebratory moments.

Witness, for instance, “It’s a Hit,” which Beth sings with Shepard, Kringas, and Flynn when they rejoice at the success of one of Shepard’s and Kringas’s plays. As the performers sing, the number carries the same jubilant energy as “The Rain in Spain” from “My Fair Lady,” celebrating a long-awaited triumph.

A similar intensity flows through an earlier number, “Franklin Shepard, Inc.,” though it expresses a very different mood. In the song, Kringas, spewing sarcasm and anger, laments on television the rift in his partnership with Shepard. It’s a patter-like number, with the performer rapidly singing and quickly shifting positions and gestures. Such a fast-paced song could trip up an inexperienced performer, leaving them out of breath by the end. But Reed maintains impressive stamina while sitting, standing atop a chair, jumping off, and —after the relatively long number — suddenly stopping. Following a pause, the television host says, “Let’s take a commercial break,” and we laugh, agreeing that a break is indeed in order.

The performers possess clear, strong, and expressive voices, richly accompanied by a live band under music director Jeff Hess. The ensemble includes Hess, Jyllian Brown, Orin Jacobs, Kate Arkins, Nelson Martinez, David Winograd, and Casandra Del Valle.

In addition to impressively acting and singing, the cast moves quickly and vibrantly, reflecting their characters’ vivacity.

As the trio at the heart of the show, the three lead actors share palpable chemistry, whether arguing heatedly or interacting playfully. They make their characters’ decades-long friendship —and eventual falling out — completely convincing. They shine both as a group and individually, delivering textured performances that consistently impress.

Just as the three lead performers command attention, so, too, does Leah Sessa as Carnegie. She walks with purpose and emerges as a force of nature, standing tall and proud. Sessa’s Carnegie communicates with her entire body, whether sensually seductive or fiercely confident. She is impossible to look away from, even for a second.

In the short-lived 1981 Broadway debut of “Merrily We Roll Along,” the young cast members wore outfits bearing their characters’ names — an approach that may have seemed amateurish and contributed to the production’s premature closing. In Zoetic’s production, however, costume designer Dawn C. Shamburger outfits the performers in attire that reflects both the time period and the characters.

Audiences at the original Broadway production may have struggled to follow a story told in reverse chronological order. But Meltzer, Zoetic’s artistic director, ensures the story can easily be followed. Projections clearly display the year of each scene, and actors also state the years aloud, helping orient the audience within the backward-moving structure. Also, projected titles list locales where scenes take place.

Sondheim (1930–2021) was a legendary lyricist and composer known for his precision, emotional complexity, and integrated musicals, in which intricate lyrics, rich melodies, and narrative seamlessly intertwine. He never shied away from dark subject matter, and in “Merrily We Roll Along,” Sondheim sensitively illuminates the passage of time and the delicacy of relationships.

Zoetic Stage’s connection to Sondheim is strong: the multi-award-winning professional nonprofit theater company has made a point of exploring his work, having previously staged six of his musicals.

In his program note, Meltzer writes that “Sondheim is the artist whose work I connect with in very personal and profound ways.” That connection is evident in this moving and intense production of a musical whose creators persevered despite a slow start on Broadway.

With a fairly recent, award-winning Broadway revival, the show continues to move forward smoothly and steadily —  and its future seems as bright as that of its three young, hopeful main characters in late-1950s New York.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Zoetic Stage Company’s powerful professional production of the classic musical, “Merrily We Roll Along.”

 

WHEN: Through Sunday, April 5. Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m; Sunday at 2:30 p.m 

 WHERE: Carnival Studio Theatre at the Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami.

TICKETS: $78.39

INFORMATION: (305) 949-6722 or  www.arshtcenter.org