music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
book by George Furth
based on the original play by George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart
directed by Nick Bowling
music direction by Otto Vogel
choreography by Erin Kilmurray

April – May 2027

at TimeLine Theatre,
5035 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640

A bittersweet, Tony Award–winning musical about friendship, ambition, and the choices that shape a life—told entirely in reverse.

Spanning 20 years and moving backward through time, Merrily We Roll Along traces the unraveling of a once inseparable trio of friends and creative collaborators: composer Franklin Shepard, writer Charley Kringas, and novelist Mary Flynn. Beginning at the height of Franklin’s fame—wealthy, celebrated, and isolated—this innovative musical journeys back to the hopeful early days of their artistic dreams 

Featuring some of Stephen Sondheim’s most iconic songs, this cult favorite serves as a resonant capstone to TimeLine’s 30th Anniversary, echoing the company’s own origins as a group of passionate young theatre-makers asking: How did we get to be here? 

Merrily We Roll Along received the 2024 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. It first premiered on Broadway in 1981. Featuring orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, it was originally directed on Broadway by Harold Prince and originally produced on Broadway by Lord Grade, Martin Starger, Robert Fryer, and Harold Prince in association with Ruth Mitchell and Howard Haines. 

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* Member of Actors Equity Association

# Member of United Scenic Artists

~ Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society

+ TimeLine Company Member

^ TimeLine Associate Artist

§ TimeLine Playwrights Collective

Discussions & Events

  • MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG: PRE-Show Discussion
    Wednesday, May 12 at 6:30pm

    Join us for an informal sneak peek into this production with members of the production team.

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  • MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG: Company Member Discussion
    Thursday, May 13 at 7:30pm

    Join us for an informal chat with TimeLine’s Company Members after today’s performance.

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  • MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG: Post-Show Discussions
    Various Dates

    Join us for informal post-show discussions with members of the production team and cast.

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  • Open Captioned Performances of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
    Friday, May 21 at 7:30pm & Saturday, May 22 at 2pm

    Featuring a text display of words and sounds heard during the performance.

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  • MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG : Sunday Scholars
    Sunday, May 23 at 4pm

    This one-hour post-show panel discussion features experts on the themes of the play.

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  • ASL Interpreted Performance of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
    Friday May, 28 at 7:30pm

    Featuring ASL interpretation during the performance.

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  • Audio Described Performance of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
    Saturday May 29 at 2pm

    Featuring audio description of visuals during the performance via individual headset.

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