Lindsay Mendez’s “Merrily We Roll Along” Broadway Cast Recording Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Cast Albums Chart

Lindsay Mendez is back on top of the charts…

The new Broadway cast recording of Merrily We Roll Along, featuring the 40-year-old Mexican American Broadway singer/actress, debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Cast Albums chart dated November 25.

Lindsay Mendez, Merrily We Roll AlongIn addition to Mendez, the musical also stars Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff, who have all been part of at least one top 10-charting Cast Album previously. (Groff, notably, performs on both the Nos. 1 and 2 titles on the latest Cast Albums chart – as Merrily We Roll Along bumps Hamilton: An American Musical from the top slot down to No. 2.) 

Billboard’s Top Cast Albums chart ranks the top-selling musical cast recordings of the week in the U.S., based on traditional album sales, as tracked by Luminate. The new Cast Albums chart dated November 25 reflects the sales week ending November 16.

Merrily We Roll Along has music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim, with a book by George Furth, based on the play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1981 for a brief run, and the 2023 production is its first revival on Broadway. It’s slated to run through March 24, 2024.

The new iteration began off-Broadway in 2022 at the New York Theatre Workshop, with the same leading cast, and played through January 22, 2023. It then began previews on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre on September 19, and officially opened on October 10.

Mendez has appeared on five top 10-charting sets on Cast Albums: Grease (the new 2007 Broadway cast recording, No. 4), Everyday Rapture (original Broadway cast recording; No. 8, 2010), Dogfight (original cast recording; No. 2, 2013), Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel (2018 Broadway cast recording; No. 2, 2013), Godspell (the new 2012 Broadway cast recording; No. 1) and now Merrily We Roll Along.

Mendez also scored a Grammy nomination for best musical theater album, for Carousel.

Lindsay Mendez’s Broadway Revival of “Merrily We Roll Along” Breaks House Record at Hudson Theater

Lindsay Mendez’s latest production is breaking records…

Broadway‘s starry Merrily We Roll Along revival, starring the 40-year-old Mexican American Broadway singer/actress, has reported another strong run of previews last week, grossing a hefty $1,471,644 and setting another house record at the Hudson Theatre.

Lindsay Mendez, Merrily We Roll AlongThe Stephen SondheimGeorge Furth musical starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Mendez topped the venue’s previous seven-performance record of $1,431,543, held by David Byrne’s American Utopia.

Merrily We Roll Along was the only show on the boards officially filling all its seats for the week ending October 1.

Hamilton was a virtual sell out, with 99.7% of seats filled (and a gross of $1,776,084), and The Lion King was at 99.4% of capacity at the Minskoff (grossing $1,923,263, even with a TDF reduced-rate Sensory Friendly matinee on October 1).

Two productions opened last week: Purlie Victorious, grossing $358,336 at the Music Box, and Melissa Etheridge: My Window taking $179,113 at Circle in the Square. Press and opening night comps no doubt took a bite into receipts.

In all, the 26 Broadway productions took in $23,116,749 for the week, a small 3% increase over the previous week. Attendance for the week held steady at 199,458. Average ticket price was $115.90.

Season to date, Broadway has grossed $543,413,435 with total attendance of 4,477,657 at 88% of capacity.

All figures courtesy of The Broadway League.

Opening Night for Broadway Revival of Stephen Sondheim & George Furth’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” Starring Lindsay Mendez Set for October

Lindsay Mendez is rolling along toward opening night…

An official opening night date has been set for the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along, starring the 40-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer and Broadway star.

Following the previously announced September 19 preview launch, the opening night for the revival will be Tuesday, October 10 at the Hudson Theatre.

The first, star-packed Broadway revival of Sondheim and Furth’s Merrily We Roll Along has extended its engagement by two months, giving ticket buyers until March 24, 2024 to see the production featuring Daniel RadcliffeJonathan Groff and  Mendez.

Lindsay Mendez, Merrily We Roll AlongPerformances begin Tuesday, September 19 at the Hudson Theatre. The original closing date was January 21, 2024. The extension was announced this week by producers Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani, Patrick Catullo and Jeff Romley, who cited popular demand as the reason for the longer run.

Directed by Maria Friedman, Merrily We Roll Along features music & lyrics by Sondheim, a book by Furth, and is based on the original play by George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart. Radcliffe plays Charley Kringas, Groff is Franklin Shepard, and Lindsay Mendez is Mary Flynn.

Additionally, the production will feature Krystal Joy Brown as Gussie Carnegie, Katie Rose Clarke as Beth Shepard and Reg Rogers as Joe Josephson.

The cast will also include Max Rackenberg, Brady Wagner, Sherz Aletaha, Maya Boyd, Leana Rae Concepcion, Morgan Kirner, Ken Krugman, Corey Mach, Talia Robinson, Amanda Rose, Jamila Sabares-Klemm, Brian Sears, Evan Alexander Smith, Christian Strange, Koray Tarhan, Vishal Vaidya, Natalie Wachen and Jacob Keith Watson.

The production began a sold-out run Off Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop in 2022 after engagements at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory and an Olivier Award-winning West End transfer.

Lindsay Mendez Wins Outer Critics Circle Awards Trophy for “Merrily We Roll Along” Performance

Lindsay Mendez is having an Outer this world moment…

The Outer Critics Circle has named announced its award winners, with the 40-year-old half-Mexican American Tony Award-winning actress coming away with one prize.

Mendez was named Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off Broadway Musical for her performance in Merrily We Roll Along.

The Circle is made up of writers on New York theater for out-of-town newspapers and national publication.

In all, Some Like It Hot topped the winners list with five, in all – with Leopoldstadt coming in second with three awards.

Winners of the 72nd Annual Outer Critics Circle Awards will be honored at a ceremony on Thursday, May 25 at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center’s New York Public Library for The Performing Arts.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Outstanding New Broadway Musical
Some Like It Hot

Outstanding New Broadway Play
Leopoldstadt

Outstanding New Off Broadway Musical
The Harder They Come

Outstanding New Off Broadway Play
Downstate

John Gassner Award for New American Play (Preferably by a New Playwright)
Fat Ham by James Ijames

Outstanding Revival of a Play (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Topdog/Underdog

Outstanding Revival of a Musical (Broadway or Off-Broadway)
Parade

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical
Harrison Ghee – Some Like It Hot

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical
Alex Newell – Shucked

Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Play
Sean Hayes – Good Night, Oscar

Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play
Brandon Uranowitz – Leopoldstadt

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off Broadway Play
Bill Irwin – Endgame

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off Broadway Play
Todd Freeman – Downstate

Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off Broadway Musical
Jonathan Groff – Merrily We Roll Along

Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off Broadway Musical
Lindsay Mendez – Merrily We Roll Along

Outstanding Solo Performance
Jodie Comer – Prima Facie

Outstanding New Score
Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman – Some Like It Hot

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Robert Horn – Shucked

Outstanding Scenic Design (Play or Musical)
Beowulf Boritt – New York, New York

Outstanding Costume Design (Play or Musical)
Gregg Barnes – Some Like it Hot

Outstanding Lighting Design (Play or Musical)
Tim Lutkin – Life of Pi

Outstanding Sound Design (Play or Musical)
Joshua D. Reid – A Christmas Carol

Outstanding Video or Projection Design (Play or Musical)
Andrzej Goulding – Life of Pi

Outstanding Orchestrations
Bryan Carter and Charlie Rosen – Some Like It Hot

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Michael Arden – Parade

Outstanding Choreography
Susan Stroman – New York, New York

Outstanding Director of a Play
Patrick Marber – Leopoldstadt

Special Achievement Award
B.H. Barry, one of the world’s foremost fight directors, in recognition of a distinguished six-decade career capped off with Camelot at Lincoln Center Theater.

Lindsay Mendez to Star in Off-Broadway Revival of “Merrily We Roll Along”

Lindsay Mendez is rolling along

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American actress, singer and Broadway star has been cast in the highly anticipated off-Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along.

Mendez will play Mary and Jonathan Groff will play Franklin in the project, which will begin previews at New York Theatre Workshop on November 21 ahead of an official opening night on December 12.

The run is scheduled through January 8.

With a score by Stephen Sondheim and book by George FurthMerrily We Roll Along is based on a play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, and features classic songs like “Old Friends,” “Not a Day Goes By,” and “Our Time.”

It tells the story of a trio of creative friends making their way in New York, and is famously told in reverse chronology.

Mendez won the “triple crown” (Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards) for her performance in the 2018 Broadway revival of Carousel.

Mendez and Groff join the previously announced Daniel Radcliffe, who stars as Charley.

Presented in a special arrangement with Sonia Friedman Productions, the Menier Chocolate Factory (Artistic Director David Babani), and Patrick CatulloMerrily We Roll Along will be directed by Maria Friedman and choreographed by Tim Jackson.

The creative team for Merrily We Roll Along will include Catherine Jayes as music supervisor and Alvin Hough, Jr. as music director, with scenic & costume design by Soutra Gilmour, lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, and sound design by Kai Harada.

Dave Anzuelo will serve as fight & intimacy director, with Jhanaë K-C Bonnick as stage manager.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, September 21, at noon ET.

Lin-Manuel Miranda to Take Part in Stephen Sondheim Virtual Birthday Concert

Lin-Manuel Miranda is celebrating a living musical theater legend.

The 40-year-old Puerto Rican composer, lyricist, singer, actor, producer and playwright, widely known for creating and starring in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musicals In the Heights and Hamilton, has signed on to appear on Sunday’s Stephen Sondheim virtual birthday concert.

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Miranda, who starred in Mary Poppins Returns, joins a roster of new additions that includes Jake GyllenhaalLinda LavinLaura BenantiNeil Patrick Harrisand Ben Plattfor the all-star benefit for Artists Striving To End Poverty.

Previously announced stars participating in the concert include Annaleigh AshfordMelissa ErricoBeanie FeldsteinJosh GrobanJudy KuhnRandy Rainbow and Lea Solanga

Special appearances will be made by Victor GarberJoanna GleasonNathan Lane and Steven Spielberg.

They’ll all join the previously announced Meryl StreepBernadette PetersPatti LuPone and Audra McDonald, among many others, in the special virtual concert to celebrate Sondheim’s 90th birthday.

Take Me To The World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration, hosted by Raúl Esparza, is set for this Sunday, April 26, the 50th anniversary of the opening night of Sondheim’s groundbreaking musical Company.

The concert kicks off at 8:00 pm ET, and will be available for free at Broadway.comand the Broadway.com YouTubechannel.

Other artists performing songs from the Sondheim catalog will include Mandy Patinkin, Christine BaranskiDonna MurphyKristin ChenowethSutton FosterBrian Stokes MitchellKelli O’HaraAaron TveitMaria Friedman, Iain ArmitageKatrina LenkMichael CerverisBrandon UranowitzStephen SchwartzElizabeth StanleyChip Zien, Alexander Gemignani and, from the cast of Pacific Overtures at Classic Stage CompanyAnn HaradaAustin KuKelvin Moon Loh and Thom Sesma.

Esparza starred as Bobby in the 2006 Tony Award-winning revival of Companyand in the Kennedy Center Sondheim Celebration productions of Sunday in the Park with George and Merrily We Roll Along in 2002, as well as the City Center Encores! production of Anyone Can Whistle and in last year’s Road Show.

“The world is in a hard place,” Esparza said in a statement, “and we are all searching for something great. Well, Stephen Sondheim is greatness personified.”

Mary-Mitchell Campbell will be the music director, with Paul Wontorek serving as director.

The online event will act as a fundraiser for ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty), the organization conceived by Campbell and Juilliard students to transform the lives of youth through art.