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Showstopper
Showstopper is journalist and book author Abigail Pogrebin's account of being cast, at the young age of 16 (along with a then 21-year old Jason Alexander), in Stephen Sondheim's muscial "Merrily We Roll Along," the only flop in Sondheim's storied career. It's a still a mystery, and a much debated topic, among theater enthusiasts as to why "Merrily We Roll Along" flopped, especially since Sondheim's other productions, which include "Into the Woods," "Follies," "Sweeney Todd," and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," have been so endearing and extraordinarily successful. In this Kindle Single, Pogrebin muses on why the show didn't get off the ground at the same time that she takes the reader on passionate, introspective journey, examining the importance of this very special moment in her life.
Abigail Pogrebin is the author of Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish (Broadway Books 2007), and One And The Same: My Life as an Identical Twin and What I've Learned About Everyone's Struggle to Be Singular (Doubleday 2009). Pogrebin has written for many national publications, and has produced for Mike Wallace at "60 Minutes." She lives in New York City with her husband and two children.
Abigail Pogrebin is the author of Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish (Broadway Books 2007), and One And The Same: My Life as an Identical Twin and What I've Learned About Everyone's Struggle to Be Singular (Doubleday 2009). Pogrebin has written for many national publications, and has produced for Mike Wallace at "60 Minutes." She lives in New York City with her husband and two children.
30 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 7, 2022
I was a freshman in college when I first heard the original cast recording of the Broadway show Merrily We Roll Along. The score was written by Stephen Sondheim; it was one of the most brilliant musical works I had ever heard. Later on, I learned that Merrily had not been a hit on Broadway-- it had closed after only sixteen performances. I did not understand how such a beautiful work of art could have failed so spectacularly at the box office.
In the past few years, a documentary was made about the making of Merrily. This documentary was entitled Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened and spotlighted the experience of the actors and actresses who had been cast in the production. These men and women were teenagers when they were in the show; they had since matured and grown into middle-age. In the documentary, they reflect on the heartbreak of being in Merrily with the perspective of those who had grown to adulthood.
Abigail Pogrebin is one of the actresses featured in the documentary. After Merrily, she left theatre and went on to be a producer at 60 Minutes. She also became a successful journalist and published author. Her book Showstopper is a brief retrospective of her time in the production and the choices she has made since her time on Broadway.
I loved Pogrebin's reflections on leaving the theatre and growing to mature adulthood. She writes, "What else is life, it struck me, than adjusting your expectations … still hoping but not too hard, chastened by realism and less time left; no chance of being a wunderkind anymore, no longer believing miracles might happen; 'seeing things as they are.'"
She reflects on her decision to leave the theatre: "The side of me that will always be transported by certain music, that cries in romantic movies and underlines favorite passages in novels is balanced by the side of me that doesn’t want too much passion or volatility too much of the time. For me, the theater was synonymous with hot-bloodedness and capriciousness. It represented risk in the best sense and the worst. Ultimately, I was more comfortable out than in."
I suppose that there are many who listened to Sondheim's Merrily score as teenagers who -- like me -- feel some connection to the original cast who sung that magnificent score. For us, Pogrebin's Showstopper is a real treat -- a chance to look back and also look forward. In the words of Sondheim himself:
So old friends, now it’s time to start growing up.
Taking charge, seeing things as they are.
Facing facts, not escaping them
Still with dreams, just reshaping them.
In the past few years, a documentary was made about the making of Merrily. This documentary was entitled Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened and spotlighted the experience of the actors and actresses who had been cast in the production. These men and women were teenagers when they were in the show; they had since matured and grown into middle-age. In the documentary, they reflect on the heartbreak of being in Merrily with the perspective of those who had grown to adulthood.
Abigail Pogrebin is one of the actresses featured in the documentary. After Merrily, she left theatre and went on to be a producer at 60 Minutes. She also became a successful journalist and published author. Her book Showstopper is a brief retrospective of her time in the production and the choices she has made since her time on Broadway.
I loved Pogrebin's reflections on leaving the theatre and growing to mature adulthood. She writes, "What else is life, it struck me, than adjusting your expectations … still hoping but not too hard, chastened by realism and less time left; no chance of being a wunderkind anymore, no longer believing miracles might happen; 'seeing things as they are.'"
She reflects on her decision to leave the theatre: "The side of me that will always be transported by certain music, that cries in romantic movies and underlines favorite passages in novels is balanced by the side of me that doesn’t want too much passion or volatility too much of the time. For me, the theater was synonymous with hot-bloodedness and capriciousness. It represented risk in the best sense and the worst. Ultimately, I was more comfortable out than in."
I suppose that there are many who listened to Sondheim's Merrily score as teenagers who -- like me -- feel some connection to the original cast who sung that magnificent score. For us, Pogrebin's Showstopper is a real treat -- a chance to look back and also look forward. In the words of Sondheim himself:
So old friends, now it’s time to start growing up.
Taking charge, seeing things as they are.
Facing facts, not escaping them
Still with dreams, just reshaping them.
December 17, 2011
Growing up on Long Island with parents who introduced me to the awesomeness of Broadway at a very young age, I really enjoyed reading this Kindle Single about the anatomy of the rise and fall of this short-lived musical. It was especially cool since, although I did not get to see any of its few performances (It would have been neat to see a young Jason Alexander in action!), I remember going to the theater quite often at the time this one was on Broadway.
Abigail Pogrebin's memoir goes beyond the interesting events surrounding this production; it is inspiring in its message about not passing up on opportunities because you never know what the future brings...and it gets the reader to ponder ways to return to the magical enthusiasm of youth.
Abigail Pogrebin's memoir goes beyond the interesting events surrounding this production; it is inspiring in its message about not passing up on opportunities because you never know what the future brings...and it gets the reader to ponder ways to return to the magical enthusiasm of youth.
February 18, 2018
Wonderful memoir
This little piece is unpretentiously wise and exceedingly well written. Play the Merrily....score while you read. If you're old enough, you might cry a little.
This little piece is unpretentiously wise and exceedingly well written. Play the Merrily....score while you read. If you're old enough, you might cry a little.
December 2, 2021
It was interesting, and a quick read. Well worth the money to have a little glimpse into the background of the staging the show and what it felt like.
June 28, 2011
Amazon.com Review
"The good news is, you're all in the show." These words, uttered by famed theatrical director Hal Prince, changed Abigail Pogrebin's life. At the tender age of 16, along with a then 21-year old Jason Alexander, she was cast in the Stephen Sondheim production, Merrily We Roll Along--notable as the only flop in the legendary composer’s otherwise beloved repertoire, which includes the award-winning musicals Into the Woods, Follies, Sweeney Todd, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The theories as to why this particular project didn't roll merrily along are addressed in Pogrebin’s introspective Kindle Single, but more than that, it examines the complex relationship between the practical and the passionate self, the realist and the dreamer, and the importance of those moments in life that make you feel "airborne." Forgive me for the pun, but this Single is a true 'Showstopper.' --Erin Kodicek
Product Description
Showstopper is author/journalist Abigail Pogrebin's fascinating chronicle of her teenage experience in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim’s startling misadventure (and now cult favorite), Merrily We Roll Along. In this Kindle Single, Pogrebin recounts colorful behind-the-scenes details of how the show came together and then hit the skids, and muses with candor about how the experience informed her perspective.
Abigail Pogrebin is the author of Stars of David and One and the Same, both from Doubleday. She was a producer for Mike Wallace at 60 Minutes, and for Charlie Rose and Bill Moyers at PBS. A freelance writer for publications such as New York Magazine and The Daily Beast, she moderates an interview series at The JCC in Manhattan called "What Everyone's Talking About."
"The good news is, you're all in the show." These words, uttered by famed theatrical director Hal Prince, changed Abigail Pogrebin's life. At the tender age of 16, along with a then 21-year old Jason Alexander, she was cast in the Stephen Sondheim production, Merrily We Roll Along--notable as the only flop in the legendary composer’s otherwise beloved repertoire, which includes the award-winning musicals Into the Woods, Follies, Sweeney Todd, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The theories as to why this particular project didn't roll merrily along are addressed in Pogrebin’s introspective Kindle Single, but more than that, it examines the complex relationship between the practical and the passionate self, the realist and the dreamer, and the importance of those moments in life that make you feel "airborne." Forgive me for the pun, but this Single is a true 'Showstopper.' --Erin Kodicek
Product Description
Showstopper is author/journalist Abigail Pogrebin's fascinating chronicle of her teenage experience in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim’s startling misadventure (and now cult favorite), Merrily We Roll Along. In this Kindle Single, Pogrebin recounts colorful behind-the-scenes details of how the show came together and then hit the skids, and muses with candor about how the experience informed her perspective.
Abigail Pogrebin is the author of Stars of David and One and the Same, both from Doubleday. She was a producer for Mike Wallace at 60 Minutes, and for Charlie Rose and Bill Moyers at PBS. A freelance writer for publications such as New York Magazine and The Daily Beast, she moderates an interview series at The JCC in Manhattan called "What Everyone's Talking About."
Read
October 10, 2016It's a busy time for Abigail Pogrebin. At Fig Tree Books (where I'm Media Editor), we're preparing My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew for its March 2017 release. But just last night Abby attended a New York Film Festival screening of The Best Worst Thing. (As the NYFF site describes it: "Stephen Sondheim, Harold Prince, and George Furth’s much ballyhooed reverse chronology musical Merrily We Roll Along closed after just 16 performances in 1981 but gradually assumed legend status. This alternately heartbreaking and euphoric film focuses on the original cast members, then and now, and the special place this experience holds in their memories.") Abby was one of those cast members, and she is part of the film. After seeing a few photos from last night's screening, I realized that it was long past time that I read Showstopper, Abby's Kindle Single on her long-ago Broadway experience. I'm so glad that I have; it's a terrific primer to have absorbed while I wait for the film's theatrical release.
March 25, 2013
"Hey, buddy, wanna write a show?"
I always thought Evelyn needed a backstory.
"Merrily" was an unknown to me until I was cast as Beth in a community-theater production a few years back. And I didn't know this author until a few weeks ago. But now I'm a fan of both. Pogrebin gives us a funny, poignant and nuanced look at Sondheim's only flop, which to many of us is one of his biggest hits. She's unafraid to detail its flaws even while reminiscing in an often heartbreaking manner about how much it meant to her. When you're a teenage girl cast in a new Broadway show, every moment is indelible.
I will definitely look up more of the author's bylines. As soon as I test myself on the lyrics to "Franklin Shepard Inc."
I always thought Evelyn needed a backstory.
"Merrily" was an unknown to me until I was cast as Beth in a community-theater production a few years back. And I didn't know this author until a few weeks ago. But now I'm a fan of both. Pogrebin gives us a funny, poignant and nuanced look at Sondheim's only flop, which to many of us is one of his biggest hits. She's unafraid to detail its flaws even while reminiscing in an often heartbreaking manner about how much it meant to her. When you're a teenage girl cast in a new Broadway show, every moment is indelible.
I will definitely look up more of the author's bylines. As soon as I test myself on the lyrics to "Franklin Shepard Inc."
October 2, 2014
Maybe it's because I'm not familiar with this play, but I needed more of a hook to become invested in this story. I wanted to feel a connection to the inner workings, the ups and downs of putting together a Broadway hit or miss. The facts were there, and it was a nice overview, but it would be great if the concept was expanded and a depth of character development could be there as well...Overall fun, but I wanted more....
June 4, 2011
Charming memoir
July 4, 2011
Really liked it, but wish it was longer with more detail.
September 30, 2013
Great story Abby! Enjoyed learning about your theater roots.
November 6, 2012
Great read for theater buffs. Especially those into Stephen Sondheim.
January 22, 2015
An interesting read about a historic show. Learned a lot about a beloved flop that I didn't know before.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews