Tony winning British director John Doyle plans to direct a revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's Merrily We Roll Along at Watermill Theater in Newbury, Berkshire, according to Variety. The production will use Doyle's trademark approach of hiring actor-musicians who play the roles and accompany themselves on musical instruments. Doyle originated his production of Sweeney Todd for which he won the 2005 Best Director Tony at the 220-seat Watermill. Merrily We Roll Along is scheduled to begin performances on January 16, 2008, and open on January 21 with a cast to be named.
Doyle's production will be re-orchestrated by Catherine Jayes and designed by Liz Ascroft.
Told in reverse, Merrily We Roll Along centers on three childhood friends whose musical ambitions lead them on different paths. Harold Prince's original Broadway production played for 52 previews and 16 performances in 1981 with a youthful cast led by Lonny Price, Jim Walton and Ann Morrison. A 1994 off-Broadway production at the theater at St. Peter's Church starred Malcolm Gets, Adam Heller and Anne Bobby.
Doyle directed a Broadway revival of Company last season. His production of A Catered Affair, now playing at the Old Globe in San Diego, begins its Broadway run March 25 at the Walter Kerr ahead. Doyle has also been mentioned as a possible director for the New York premiere of Sondheim's most recent work, Bounce, at the Public Theater, according to Variety.
