It is amazing to know that Sondheim had a hand in casting Daniel, especially if it was one of the last things he did. It shows that he really never gave up on this show. Daniel turned out to be brilliant casting and thank goodness he stayed committed to this show so we were all fortunate to be blessed with this amazing cast!❤
14:57 it’s the way Dan immediately stepped back and gently pushed the musicians forward so they could have their moment. He also went to the side and got some of the other musicians that weren’t directly behind him forward too😭 humble king
I was there this afternoon and it was EVERYTHING! Been home for two hours and I’m still sobbing! The audience was in tears - happy tears. I’ve loved this show for two years! Loved every show I attended! Absolutely wonderful!❤
I wanted to see this show so much, but never had the opportunity to see it…I had a horrible year and been in and out of the hospital. I had been trying to get tix this past month (after I was out of the hospital for heart surgery) and it was just so expensive, It was impossible for me to see. I even tried to win tickets through “Today’s Tix” with high hopes, but no luck. I love anything Sondheim, and I’m so sad this specific show is over. I love the play, and I can imagine the whole company was great, especially, the Big Three! How much I love Groff, Lindsey, and Radcliffe. I’m still crying my eyes out that I didn’t have a chance to see the show. To B’way: Please make tickets more affordable to people who love theatre but cannot afford the prices on tickets. Anything past $200 pp is just crazy. Even $150 is a cost, not that the plays aren’t worth it, but there should be at least 2 shows available to the “have nots”. After the Tonys, the tickets started at $650. pp. That was just impossible for a person such as myself. Congratulations to the show for all the Tonys! I wish the show wasn’t over. I’m actually grieving. I can only imagine how great it was.
Wow, the fact that even Daniel, who is very warm but generally less of a cryer than Jonathan, is weeping is testament to what this experience & its ending has meant to them
@@bwaySHO I was there as well for the final show. The ovation and sustained applause from the audience when he finished singing that song was like nothing I have ever witnessed in my many years of going to the theatre. Everyone around me looked at each other with tears in our eyes.
I bought the original cast recording of Merrily in March of 1982, the day it arrived in the record store. I was a geeky theatre major at a small college in the middle of nowhere where. I fell in love with the music and then learned, to my dismay, the show had already closed. No worries, I thought, they’ll be reviving this one in just a couple of years. 42 years later, I finally got to see this show, with this amazing cast. It was totally worth the wait and will be a memory I shall cherish for the rest of my life. Truly a dream come true.❤
The three main actors all said how difficult this was going to be for them. You can see it on their faces and in their tears and hugs. They were brilliant in this, and Maria Friedman deserved the Tony.
Sure - theater is theater, but I want to say that the way actors and theater people put their everything out there is indicative of all that is left in our world. Heart. Love. Talent. Guts. Just everything. Thank you.
Thank you so much for posting this 😭😭😭😭😭 WOW. What beautiful energy in that room. I wasn't fortunate enough to see it, but i cannot WAIT for the pro shot! I've loved this show for more than 20 years. But I have to say that it's mystifying to me why people say it was a masterpiece back then - it was a *very different show* when it opened! The opening number was "Rich and Happy" and the cast were all young, pretending to be older. THAT was the central theme, not friendship. People were confused about who was who, so the cast literally wore t shirts that had their names printed across. It seemed low budget and it didn't know who it was yet. But then it went through a bunch of revisions - the framing of having Frank's high school reunion came and went (as did some of the songs like "Hills of Tomorrow") and, finally, it became what we know and love now. But even then, you didn't have the direction that emphasized the THREE friends. It seemed like a show that was about the danger of selling out and not staying focused on your art. Mary was more a side character vs main character. The way this show was directed had a HUGE impact on how it was received (i was in and saw multiple productions like this). It felt like "this is a story about Frank and Charley's friendship and Mary is also there" So Maria Friedman, robbed of the Tony, is really deserving of FAR more accolades. Because the show as it is now existed for decades; it was Maria who REALLY got to its heart. She is the one who turned it into a masterpiece. ❤❤❤
If it is true that they recorded for posterity and broadcast - I hope they keep her speech. This generosity and heart is what makes theater - and more so, what the world needs more than ever. Thanks you!!!!
11:16 You truly could actually see how amazing they all are, and the intensity of the genuine connections in the real relationships involved. I’ve seen other Broadway shows, sometimes from much better seats than I had for this one- but I’ve never felt so emotionally invested in a cast as how this bunch drew me in! It was a great privilege to have the opportunity to be in that room seeing this production!💖✨
Thank you so much for posting this. I was lucky to be there, and was hoping to see the curtain call again (and again). The audience was so passionate, it was truly awe inspiring. And so nice to see the people working behind the scenes being given such love. Thank you!
Great video! I was up in the balcony. That show, the standing ovations just the energy in the room. The excitement and the sadness, ugh it was everything!
Thanks to everyone, especially the Friedman Sisters, Jonathan, Lindsay, and Daniel (thanks for being the first to sign up, Daniel!), the rest of the cast and crew, and a special thanks to my Broadway hero, Stephen Sondheim, who is up in heaven rejoicing.
I was shedding tears throughout this video. What all of them achieved was amazing! I got to see it back in May…Lindsay had an u feature…it was still AMAZING! So lucky I got to experience it.
I saw the original. At that time, the first 2 scenes were a disaster. People were completely confused and were walking out. But if you stuck it out, by the end everybody was in tears because you finally saw the connection. Harold Prince just didn't know what to do. I knew the score was a gem on the very first hearing and I prayed that it would be recorded. Thankfully it was so you got a glimmer of what Sondheim & Furth had done. After 30+ years of refinements, it has become the masterpiece it so rightly deserves to be. Puccini had to do similar tinkering before Madama Butterfly became the masterpiece it is.
If there is anything that could make me ugly cry, it would be this right here! God this show was so good and now it is a thing of the past but it certainly will not be forgotten!
Absolutely sobbing my face off in Bali watching this. Merrily is my favourite show and this is the perfect synergy of everything that makes it perfectly imperfect.
Thank you so much for filming this!! I’m from Brazil, went to NY just to see merrily in february and cannot stop thinking about it ever since. What a brilliant masterpiece ❤️
@@bwaySHO I live in Austin Texas and couldn't afford to come see Merrily in person. I am so happy to see ALL the videos you've posted and I just subscribed. Keep them coming; I'll watch every one and live vicariously through your wonderful videos. I appreciate all the effort and all the heart you put into every single one. Thank you! You are truly helping those of us who wish we could see every Broadway and off Broadway show.
Thank you for sharing! I was fortunate enough to see this show twice and it holds a special place in my heart. The cast and crew are wonderful especially the golden trio. I’m sad it’s over, but I’ll always remember it with happiness.
The bond that those three young men will have for the rest of their lives… And if you’re not not, there was three young people playing Frank Junior… So it’s really special with this closing video
I was there for opening night. Maria Friedman came out before the curtain went up to say it was the first performance on Broadway since the first production in 1981.
Thanks for sharing the final curtain call and speeches with lots of bittersweet moments and tears. I was lucky to catch the show in October last year and in January before ticket prices became prohibitive. Great production and Tony winning cast. Hope to see the recorded version on PBS or somewhere online soon.
Thanks for watching! Thrilled to hear you got to see it. Such a special production and I really hope the proshot finds a home on an accessible platform ♥️
I was lucky enough to see it in March and May… I’d love to see it again right now. Maybe I’ll live long enough for it to be revived once again! This kind of beauty and art will never get old.
this was beautiful! 🥲💓 it's their last curtain call OMG the tears be flooding 🥲🥲🥲 thank you so much for sharing! can't wait to get back to this again as soon as the film version is released 🤩 also that's incredible to know that Dan Rad was the first of the trio to be cast, and by Sondheim himself! Dan is the cornerstone! that explains the magic ✨💖💖💖✨ I'm really super eager to see the film version now because I want to see the rest of the cast, them just taking their bows here and i could sense how remarkable each of them are. 👏👏 👏
When Maria Friedman didn't return to EastEnders I was dismayed about it. She was terrific in the part of Elaine. But now, seeing what she did with Merrily, I am so glad. I'm so appreciative of what she did to bring this amazing show back to life!
Yeah. Whenever I get a choice, I go to closing, especially if it’s a local production when I know people, or a production that I am part of. A lot of the music hits harder I’ve found, it may not musically be as flawless but the emotion is there. This year the song sung to the seniors was Seasons of Love, it’s just fun being in and around theatre
I loveeeeee the emotion of closing! I’m SHO fortunate I saw it Off-Broadway, first preview, opening & closing. The emotion of all of those performances were out of this world!
It is amazing to know that Sondheim had a hand in casting Daniel, especially if it was one of the last things he did. It shows that he really never gave up on this show. Daniel turned out to be brilliant casting and thank goodness he stayed committed to this show so we were all fortunate to be blessed with this amazing cast!❤
That was my favorite fun fact of the curtain call
10,000 points to gryffyndor!😊
those little boys r gonna look back on this when they’re older and be in awe that they were in such a master piece
Such a core memory for them
14:57 it’s the way Dan immediately stepped back and gently pushed the musicians forward so they could have their moment. He also went to the side and got some of the other musicians that weren’t directly behind him forward too😭 humble king
@@isaruiz6173 he really is the best
I was there this afternoon and it was EVERYTHING! Been home for two hours and I’m still sobbing! The audience was in tears - happy tears. I’ve loved this show for two years! Loved every show I attended! Absolutely wonderful!❤
The audience was electric! Thrilled you were there. Such a beautiful day on Broadway!
@@bwaySHO Absolutely! Emotional and beautiful! I’ve NEVER experienced anything like it!🥰❤️
Do I envy you!!! Glad you were there!
I wanted to see this show so much, but never had the opportunity to see it…I had a horrible year and been in and out of the hospital. I had been trying to get tix this past month (after I was out of the hospital for heart surgery) and it was just so expensive, It was impossible for me to see. I even tried to win tickets through “Today’s Tix” with high hopes, but no luck.
I love anything Sondheim, and I’m so sad this specific show is over. I love the play, and I can imagine the whole company was great, especially, the Big Three! How much I love Groff, Lindsey, and Radcliffe. I’m still crying my eyes out that I didn’t have a chance to see the show.
To B’way: Please make tickets more affordable to people who love theatre but cannot afford the prices on tickets. Anything past $200 pp is just crazy. Even $150 is a cost, not that the plays aren’t worth it, but there should be at least 2 shows available to the “have nots”. After the Tonys, the tickets started at $650. pp. That was just impossible for a person such as myself.
Congratulations to the show for all the Tonys! I wish the show wasn’t over. I’m actually grieving. I can only imagine how great it was.
Watching it at home now, sobbing!
Wow, the fact that even Daniel, who is very warm but generally less of a cryer than Jonathan, is weeping is testament to what this experience & its ending has meant to them
I could only imagine how emotional it was! His final Franklin Shepard Inc. was EMOTIONAL
See him do his final speech for How to succeed in business without really trying 😢❤
Nah Dan always weeps 🥹 watch him on the last day of Harry Potter and how to succeed in business without really trying
@@bwaySHO I was there as well for the final show. The ovation and sustained applause from the audience when he finished singing that song was like nothing I have ever witnessed in my many years of going to the theatre. Everyone around me looked at each other with tears in our eyes.
I bought the original cast recording of Merrily in March of 1982, the day it arrived in the record store. I was a geeky theatre major at a small college in the middle of nowhere where. I fell in love with the music and then learned, to my dismay, the show had already closed. No worries, I thought, they’ll be reviving this one in just a couple of years. 42 years later, I finally got to see this show, with this amazing cast. It was totally worth the wait and will be a memory I shall cherish for the rest of my life. Truly a dream come true.❤
Wow! What a phenomenal story, thanks for sharing :)
The little ones holding hands and hugging! I CAN'T 😭😭😭
The sweetest moment!!
Did you see the cute little pinky promise situation? I hope they're still friends in 10 years.
Their sweet, authentic feelings in the moment converted me into a blubbering mess -- a human version of this 🥹
@@xogirlwonderI missed the littles doing the pinky promise; do you have a time stamp?
@@amoebaj 2:26 - It's a blink and you miss it moment, but you can briefly see it before the adults get in the way
The three little boys constantly hugging each other and holding hands 🥹
@@javierasalgadoreyes the Frank jr.’s are the sweetest!!!
The three main actors all said how difficult this was going to be for them. You can see it on their faces and in their tears and hugs. They were brilliant in this, and Maria Friedman deserved the Tony.
They were really a special group
With respect to the material, it was the chemistry of the cast that gave this production its magic.
The chemistry was unmatched!
Sure - theater is theater, but I want to say that the way actors and theater people put their everything out there is indicative of all that is left in our world. Heart. Love. Talent. Guts. Just everything. Thank you.
Thank you so much for posting this 😭😭😭😭😭 WOW. What beautiful energy in that room. I wasn't fortunate enough to see it, but i cannot WAIT for the pro shot! I've loved this show for more than 20 years. But I have to say that it's mystifying to me why people say it was a masterpiece back then - it was a *very different show* when it opened! The opening number was "Rich and Happy" and the cast were all young, pretending to be older. THAT was the central theme, not friendship. People were confused about who was who, so the cast literally wore t shirts that had their names printed across. It seemed low budget and it didn't know who it was yet. But then it went through a bunch of revisions - the framing of having Frank's high school reunion came and went (as did some of the songs like "Hills of Tomorrow") and, finally, it became what we know and love now. But even then, you didn't have the direction that emphasized the THREE friends. It seemed like a show that was about the danger of selling out and not staying focused on your art. Mary was more a side character vs main character. The way this show was directed had a HUGE impact on how it was received (i was in and saw multiple productions like this). It felt like "this is a story about Frank and Charley's friendship and Mary is also there"
So Maria Friedman, robbed of the Tony, is really deserving of FAR more accolades. Because the show as it is now existed for decades; it was Maria who REALLY got to its heart. She is the one who turned it into a masterpiece. ❤❤❤
You’re SHO welcome! Thanks for sharing!
If it is true that they recorded for posterity and broadcast - I hope they keep her speech. This generosity and heart is what makes theater - and more so, what the world needs more than ever. Thanks you!!!!
11:16 You truly could actually see how amazing they all are, and the intensity of the genuine connections in the real relationships involved. I’ve seen other Broadway shows, sometimes from much better seats than I had for this one- but I’ve never felt so emotionally invested in a cast as how this bunch drew me in! It was a great privilege to have the opportunity to be in that room seeing this production!💖✨
19:13 And how full of love they all are!!!🥹💖
I was lucky enough to see the 3rd to last show yesterday and all I can say is WOW incredible!!! Worth every Tony and then some!
Amazing!!!
I was there for that one too!
I can’t wait for the pro shot!!!
SAME
Me too!
Me three! We’re so blessed to be getting one - otherwise the FOMO would be unbearable 😂
Thank you so much for posting this. I was lucky to be there, and was hoping to see the curtain call again (and again). The audience was so passionate, it was truly awe inspiring. And so nice to see the people working behind the scenes being given such love. Thank you!
@@jimburesh6694 you’re SHO welcome! & thanks for watching & commenting!! I love getting to share the special moments of theatre with everyone :)
Great video! I was up in the balcony. That show, the standing ovations just the energy in the room. The excitement and the sadness, ugh it was everything!
Love to hear it! Such a special SHO. Thanks for watching my curtain call video :)
Thanks to everyone, especially the Friedman Sisters, Jonathan, Lindsay, and Daniel (thanks for being the first to sign up, Daniel!), the rest of the cast and crew, and a special thanks to my Broadway hero, Stephen Sondheim, who is up in heaven rejoicing.
@@ordinarypeople20 SHO grateful to everyone who made this production of Merrily possible!
Best show I’ve ever seen. Grateful to have been blessed the opportunity.
Best thing that could have happened to Broadway!
I was shedding tears throughout this video. What all of them achieved was amazing! I got to see it back in May…Lindsay had an u feature…it was still AMAZING! So lucky I got to experience it.
I saw the original. At that time, the first 2 scenes were a disaster. People were completely confused and were walking out. But if you stuck it out, by the end everybody was in tears because you finally saw the connection. Harold Prince just didn't know what to do. I knew the score was a gem on the very first hearing and I prayed that it would be recorded. Thankfully it was so you got a glimmer of what Sondheim & Furth had done. After 30+ years of refinements, it has become the masterpiece it so rightly deserves to be. Puccini had to do similar tinkering before Madama Butterfly became the masterpiece it is.
I didn't walk out those many years ago but I did come to understand why my Thursday evening ticket was such a bargain!@
If there is anything that could make me ugly cry, it would be this right here! God this show was so good and now it is a thing of the past but it certainly will not be forgotten!
Yupppp. Jonathan was crying at the end of the SHO & I almost made it through & then BOOM. Tears everywhere
Absolutely sobbing my face off in Bali watching this. Merrily is my favourite show and this is the perfect synergy of everything that makes it perfectly imperfect.
You and me both!
9:40 the three little boys hugged Daniel 🥹
To think that we all as humans have this in us. This LOVE! Lets pull more from this energy
Thank you so much for filming this!! I’m from Brazil, went to NY just to see merrily in february and cannot stop thinking about it ever since. What a brilliant masterpiece ❤️
Same with me, flew all the way from Ecuador. Still can’t believe I got to saw it last Wednesday ❤️❤️❤️ It was sensational.
Thank you for recording and posting this. I cried buckets of tears. What a beautiful cast, direction, production and everything team!
@@jenniferwistey7323 thanks for watching!!! It was hard to keep the video still while getting emotional! It was so beautiful to witness ♥️
@@bwaySHO I live in Austin Texas and couldn't afford to come see Merrily in person. I am so happy to see ALL the videos you've posted and I just subscribed. Keep them coming; I'll watch every one and live vicariously through your wonderful videos. I appreciate all the effort and all the heart you put into every single one. Thank you! You are truly helping those of us who wish we could see every Broadway and off Broadway show.
Thank you for sharing! I was fortunate enough to see this show twice and it holds a special place in my heart. The cast and crew are wonderful especially the golden trio. I’m sad it’s over, but I’ll always remember it with happiness.
Such a special place in my heart too ♥️ thanks for watching!
The bond that those three young men will have for the rest of their lives… And if you’re not not, there was three young people playing Frank Junior… So it’s really special with this closing video
I love how the three young boys love Daniel. Kids and animals know.
They are the sweetest! Everyone in the cast bonded so well
Thank you for filming and posting this!!
You’re welcome!!
Thanks for watching!!
I never noticed that the orchestra is in costume! That is such a great touch!!
We were excited about that too!! Glad they got a moment in the spotlight :)
I was there for opening night. Maria Friedman came out before the curtain went up to say it was the first performance on Broadway since the first production in 1981.
Johnathan is such a watering pot! How sweet that he wears his ❤ on his sleeve!
Broadway is such a family. What we need!
Definitely!
Thanks for sharing the final curtain call and speeches with lots of bittersweet moments and tears. I was lucky to catch the show in October last year and in January before ticket prices became prohibitive. Great production and Tony winning cast. Hope to see the recorded version on PBS or somewhere online soon.
Thanks for watching! Thrilled to hear you got to see it. Such a special production and I really hope the proshot finds a home on an accessible platform ♥️
@@bwaySHO 🤞
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for posting this!
You’re SHO welcome!!
The love on that stage; in that theatre…
It was everything! You could feel the love in the air. Magical 💖
OMG thank you for sharing
of course!!!
Thank you for posting this! What a joy to watch.
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching :)
Loved this video!! I'm going to miss them all so much!!
♥️♥️♥️
Thank you for sharing this!! Had me sobbing. ❤️
I shall be watching this every time I need a good cathartic cry 😭
@@mshalo1822 you & me both!
I was lucky enough to see it in March and May… I’d love to see it again right now. Maybe I’ll live long enough for it to be revived once again! This kind of beauty and art will never get old.
That’s wonderful! I’m excited about the pro shot too!
Music and art. That's what it's all about always.
thank you SO MUCH for this
You’re SHO welcome ♥️♥️♥️. Thanks for watching & commenting!
❤ first and last out… That’s how we do it as a stage manager whether it’s a little theater in downtown Annapolis or Broadway
@@kevinb7810 yesss
I'm not crying! You're crying!
Saw this July 5th, second row. I’m still floating on a cloud ❤
Love to hear it!
An extraordinary show and cast. I am grateful to have seen it! Bravo! Well done!
Such a special moment in theatre history. Thrilled I got to see it too :)
@@bwaySHO Keep doing your thing. Love watching you on TH-cam!
I'm so happy you got into the show!
this was beautiful! 🥲💓 it's their last curtain call OMG the tears be flooding 🥲🥲🥲 thank you so much for sharing! can't wait to get back to this again as soon as the film version is released 🤩
also that's incredible to know that Dan Rad was the first of the trio to be cast, and by Sondheim himself! Dan is the cornerstone! that explains the magic ✨💖💖💖✨
I'm really super eager to see the film version now because I want to see the rest of the cast, them just taking their bows here and i could sense how remarkable each of them are. 👏👏 👏
I loved hearing that Daniel Radcliffe / Stephen Sondheim story!!
Thank you ❤
SHO fabulous! The Frank Jrs were adorable to watch 💕
They are the cutest!!! Had to give them a spotlight!
When Maria Friedman didn't return to EastEnders I was dismayed about it. She was terrific in the part of Elaine. But now, seeing what she did with Merrily, I am so glad. I'm so appreciative of what she did to bring this amazing show back to life!
Yeah. Whenever I get a choice, I go to closing, especially if it’s a local production when I know people, or a production that I am part of. A lot of the music hits harder I’ve found, it may not musically be as flawless but the emotion is there. This year the song sung to the seniors was Seasons of Love, it’s just fun being in and around theatre
I loveeeeee the emotion of closing! I’m SHO fortunate I saw it Off-Broadway, first preview, opening & closing. The emotion of all of those performances were out of this world!
You did change the world. More.
So lucky to have seen this show (not this performance). Thanks for filming this wonderful ending
Great show! Saw it two weeks ago!
Fantastic!
Hoping to see it when it comes out in video!!!!! Missed it on Broadway!😢
I’m thrilled they’re making a pro shot for everyone to get to experience ir
I am not crying...
We all are! (Especially Jonathan Groff) 😂😭
Now please make the movie!!!! We need more musical movies!!!! With this original Broadway cast, please!!!! We need Sondheim, always!❤❤❤❤❤❤
They filmed a pro shot! I’m very excited for it to come out :)
@@bwaySHO Oooo.....I am so excited too! Can not wait! Thank you for the information and this video!
Has a tentative release date been mentioned for the release?
I wanted so much to get tickets for this show, but they were just too expensive.
Yeah it was pretty wild! We lucked out with cancellation line tix, but they were still pretty pricey
I didn’t know Huey, dewey and lewey were in this play!
Can anyone confirm if it was filmed for DVD or streaming
They haven’t announced how the pro-shot will be released or when!
SHO do you know when and where the proshot will come out? if you do find out could you reply to this comment to let me know 🥹🙏
No news about that yet
Hiya! I wish I had more news, but Sonia Friedman did make a comment about us seeing Merrily with this cast in a new format in the near future!
@@bwaySHO yes! i picked up on that 😂
Is this the very first performance or the first one right after the Tony Awards? I don't understand the reason for the sobbing and the speeches.
It’s the last ever performance, has finished its run now.
Is that middle boy Dan's because...he really looks like him. 😁
No,his son is only a year old
🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
sho please delete this I can’t deal with this rn emotionally
You’re SHO right 😭😭😭
No don't delete... just pass me an entire box of tissues 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹
I so wish I got to see this. I was supposed to see it multiple times. Regret not going. I wish I could be there😓😢🩷🩷
I’m so sorry to hear that. At least there’s going to be a pro shot of this! I hope that helps ♥️