Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...Well, Highland Park is a little less prosaic while this truly invigorating production plays. This is a town with a long history of nurturing young theater companies. The Music Theatre Company will need that support, if its work is to deepen and enrich. But in the Chicago theater, you usually have to cross the start line with your friends, and the energy, vitality and craft are all there, rolling along and ready for a few pushes."
Chicago Sun Times - Highly Recommended
"...One theater company closes its doors and another opens them even wider. That is the story now unfolding in Highland Park as the Music Theatre Company, a new Equity kid on the suburban block, presents its starry revival of “Merrily We Roll Along” at the Karger Center, a space previously occupied by the now defunct Apple Tree Theatre."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...Redish's secret: a strong, intelligent, pitch-perfect ensemble led by Jarrod Zimmerman, Alan Schmuckler, and Jessica Mueller. Furth's bitter, dryly witty book and Sondheim's soaring score usually undercut each other. Here, the two elements meld together into a satisfying whole."
Time Out Chicago - Recommended
"...But after all the rewrites, the show’s central problem remains its central character, composer Franklin Shepard, who starts out thoroughly unlikable at 40 and doesn’t gain much charm as he regresses in age. We’re presumably meant to sympathize with him as we witness the compromises and betrayals—of his pals and his own ideals—that led him to the hollow, unhappy success he’s achieved by the play’s opening scene, but it’s simply not there in the material; Frank remains a cipher for far too much of the evening."
ChicagoCritic - Highly Recommended
"...The backward movement toward the friend’s youthful optimism lead to two fabulous Sondheim musical gems – the “Opening Doors” song cleverly speaks to every “would-be” writer and composer’s angst. The show ending “Our Time” number is an anthem to the dreams and aspirations of all youthful creative souls. This inspirational ode to artistic dreamers leaves us with hope that we can, indeed, make today ‘our time,’ if we take action. Merrily is a cautionary tale for us to be aware of the pitfalls of success."
Around The Town Chicago - Highly Recommended
"...Ian Weinberger’s musical direction and three musicians (Patrick Rehker,Adam DeGroot and David Eisenreich) brought the sound of Sondheim to Highland Park with just the right touch, never overpowering the small venue, allowing the audience to hear every word that tells this story. In many cases, the songs are familiar and yet very few people know where they came from as this is not a show that is done often, but now you have the opportunity to not just see a production of it, but an extraordinary version, but only until May 1st."
