Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez electrified Broadway audiences with the celebrated revival of “Merrily We Roll Along,” and now, this acclaimed production is reaching a wider audience with a new filmed adaptation debuting on December 5 across Canada. This revival, described as both a cultural moment and a testament to friendship and ambition, has set a new standard for musical theater while earning Radcliffe Broadway musical interview acclaim.
“Merrily We Roll Along,” with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by George Furth, has always enjoyed a cherished place in the theater community, yet the latest revival transformed it into an unprecedented phenomenon. The show’s singular storytelling, moving backwards through time to explore evolving friendships and ambitions, resonated powerfully, creating performances considered unforgettable by both critics and theatergoers.
The 2024 Broadway revival, led by Radcliffe, Groff, and Mendez, received considerable praise and a raft of accolades, notably winning four Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Lead Actor in a Musical for Groff, Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Radcliffe, and Best Orchestrations for Jonathan Tunick. The chemistry among the cast and the vision of director Maria Friedman were frequently cited as key to the production’s power.
A Journey from Stage to Screen: The Cast’s Reflections
As the filmed version prepares for its Canadian premiere, Daniel Radcliffe shared his excitement about the revival’s preservation and broader access, reflecting on the nine-month stage run of eight performances a week:
“It’s really wonderful and so exhilarating. It is so lovely that this now exists both on a selfish level, so that in 20 years we can all kind of nostalgically look back and go, ‘Ah, wasn’t that cool? Weren’t we amazing (laughs)?’
Also, as you say, there’s so many people who couldn’t see the show. Fortunately, we got a lot of people that were able to come and see us live but there’s infinitely more out there who were not able to either travel to New York or make it to us. So, I am thrilled this film now exists in perpetuity, for people who didn’t see it, and for those who did who just want to relive it and see it again. It’s nice that there is something to come back to now.” — Daniel Radcliffe, Actor
For Lindsay Mendez, the camaraderie and teamwork offstage were just as vital to the production’s success as the on-stage performances. She attributed much of their strong connection to timing and the intentional efforts to bond as a group:
“Well…. let me let you in on why (all three laugh)! You know, I think in a lot of ways it was just the right place, right time, right people. We all got linked together. I think Jonathan started a text chain between us then we started sending videos. We forced Dan into a friendship but honestly, just from the very beginning, there was just an ease about what we had together. We had so much fun making this show and all three of us were very honest and very dedicated to making this show work, to giving the best that we could for Sondheim and for all the fans of this show who loved it.”
— Lindsay Mendez, Actor
The experience of working closely as a team was further highlighted by Mendez, who emphasized the shared goal the trio adopted during their time together:
“We loved it and believed in it, and we believed in Maria Friedman, our director. And our common goal was working as a cohesive team. There was no, ‘Where am I? Who am I?’ It was, ‘What are we doing? How are we doing this together?’ And I think for all three of us who have led things on our own it felt really good and feels really good to share the load of a show together. It was thrilling and yes, the friendship was the easy part. It was just the three of us being ourselves.”
— Lindsay Mendez, Actor
Creating Intimacy and Authenticity Onstage and On Camera
The transition from live stage to film brought both unique opportunities and potential challenges. Jonathan Groff expressed his eagerness for the performance to be documented on film, both as a historical legacy and a technical achievement:
“I really felt when we were talking about potentially doing this capture of the show, in my gut I was feeling ‘Get these cameras up here.’ I wanted it captured so bad for many reasons. For the history of the show as a time capsule for us, like we said, but also because I really felt that by the time we had gotten to the end of our run, there was so much nuance that in a subconscious way in the theater, the audience could feel. When we were up there, I was seeing things happen between the actors on stage that were so small and real and lived in that it felt like bringing in cameras to capture this felt like it would be completely organic.”
— Jonathan Groff, Actor
Groff cited director Maria Friedman’s cinematic approach as important to the show’s onstage intimacy, noting that the company was encouraged from the outset to act with subtlety and authenticity:
There are certain theater shows where it’s a bit broader, or it’s a bit song and dance, but Maria Friedman directed this like we were doing a film from the very beginning. Even when we were performing on the stage, she would say, I don’t mind seeing your back. I don’t mind you going really broad. I want us to feel like we’re peeking in on these relationships and these friends. I want us to have to lean in and so the acting of it was quite similar, because we were sort of acting intimately throughout the whole run of the show.
The Challenge and Joy of Sondheim’s Music
Performing the complex and nuanced songs penned by Stephen Sondheim has long been considered a milestone by actors and singers alike. Daniel Radcliffe spoke to the unique difficulty and profound reward of singing Sondheim’s score for both the Broadway run and the filmed adaptation:
“None of the songs are easy in the delivery, but they are easy in the fact that they make the acting so easy because they are so beautifully written. When you perform the songs, it takes you to the emotional places that you need to be. That makes it incredibly easy to do because the acting is built into the music and lyrics somehow. It was truly a gift to do all of them, and to be able to say that I have done a Sondheim musical on Broadway is something I don’t think I necessarily ever thought that I would be able to say. I’m so honoured and thrilled.”
— Daniel Radcliffe, Actor
Legacy, Impact, and What Lies Ahead
Merrily We Roll Along’s Broadway revival cemented its status as a modern standard, not only by celebrating Sondheim’s and Furth’s artistry but also through the visible joy, dedication, and closeness among the cast, including Radcliffe, Groff, and Mendez. Director Maria Friedman’s vision fused the best of stage and film, giving audiences, whether in New York, Canada, or beyond, a new way to experience the show’s emotional power. The filmed adaptation promises to become a valuable record of a performance that redefined what a revival can achieve and ensures future generations can experience the chemistry and storytelling that defined this celebrated run on Broadway.
