I love going to the theater, and this past Winter Break, I was in New York City. One of the Broadway shows I attended while there was Merrily We Roll Along. It follows the story of three friends and their journey trying to make it in the entertainment industry. The story is told in backward chronological order, beginning with seeing the friends hate each other and ending with their first meeting. One of the three friends, Frank Shepard, is considered to be the one who becomes the most ‘successful’. He is the one who ends up living in a mansion in California, making movies, and marrying a very famous actress. In the song “That Frank” from the musical, Frank is hosting a party in his house while everyone around him is singing about how incredible he is. One of the lines in the song is even “This guy’s the American Dream!”. As a result, this line demonstrates what the American Dream is for the characters within this story. This is becoming someone famous and wealthy. Someone who can afford the nicest house, have connections with the most important people, and marry someone beautiful. Overall, this demonstrates just one version of the American Dream. That being someone already living in American with the goal of excelling in their passion.
However, what is most interesting about this story is that Frank is actually the one who ends up the most unhappy. In one scene of the play, he shouts at his friend, Mary, about how miserable he is and that it is all just an act. Because of this, I think that his friend, Charley Kringas, is actually the one who fulfills the American Dream. Charley made enough money working with Frank at the beginning of his career to afford many luxuries in life. After working with Frank for many years, he ends up realizing how unhappy he is, even though he is living out his American Dream. As a result, he ends up ending his friendship and stops working with Frank. In the end, he ends up being happily married with four kids. He is even still close with the third friend of the story, Mary Flynn. So, while Charley may not have the most money, be the most famous, or have all the connections, he ends up being financially free, having a loving family, and having friends. Overall, this demonstrates how the American Dream can change throughout one’s life and that while one may be living the stereotypical American Dream or their American Dream, one may actually be the most miserable.
“Merrily We Roll Along (Broadway, Hudson Theatre, 2023).” Playbill, playbill.com/production/merrily-we-roll-along-broadway-2023. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.
“New Broadway Cast of Merrily We Roll Along – That Frank.” New Broadway Cast of Merrily We Roll Along – That Frank – Lyrics (En), rerura.com/english/new-broadway-cast-of-merrily-we-roll-along-that-frank-1346483. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.