MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

Spanning three decades, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends — writer Mary and lyricist and playwright Charley. Originally produced on Broadway in 1981, then becoming an inventive cult classic ahead of its time, the musical features some of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal songs. The 2023-2024 Broadway production, directed by Maria Friedman, redefined the show for a new era, bringing Stephen Sondheim’s intricate score and George Furth’s book to vivid life with extraordinary depth and clarity. MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG shattered the Hudson Theatre’s house record on Broadway, solidifying its place as a landmark event in Broadway history. The critically acclaimed production won the 2024 Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical and Best Orchestrations. Additionally, in London, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG garnered the most five-star reviews in West-End history.

“For those who are already fans, as well as those who aren’t initiated into the world of Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece, Maria Friedman’s protape is sure to be an engaging, cinematic experience worth a trip out to your nearest multiplex.” – FandomWire

James Lapine was born in 1949 in Mansfield, Ohio and lived there until his early teens, when his family moved to Stamford, Connecticut.

He has written the book for and directed Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Passion and the multi-media revue Sondheim on Sondheim. He also directed Merrily We Roll Along as part of Encores! at New York City Center. With William Finn he has collaborated on March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland, later presented on Broadway as Falsettos, A New Brain, Muscle and Little Miss Sunshine at Second Stage Theatre.

On Broadway, he has also directed David Henry Hwang’s Golden Child, The Diary of Anne Frank, Michel Legrand’s Amour, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He directed Jenny Allen’s solo piece I Got Sick and Then I Got Better with Darren Katz. Lapine directed the 2012 Broadway revival of Annie. He co-produced and directed the HBO documentary Six By Sondheim. In 2014, Lincoln Center Theater produced his stage adaptation of the Moss Hart memoir Act One. Lapine has also directed several productions off-Broadway as well as three films.

He is the recipient of three Tony Awards, five Drama Desk Awards and the Pulitzer Prize. In 2011, he was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. Lapine is a member of the Dramatist Guild Council and for the last twelve years has been a mentor for TDF’s Open Doors Program. He is also on the board of Arts Nova Theatre. He currently lives in Martha’s Vineyard and New York City.