Bristol School of Acting announces MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG at Bristol Old Vic
Bristol School of Acting (BSA) has announced its biggest and most ambitious production to date, with Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along coming to Bristol Old Vic from 12-17 July .
The production marks the first time BSA has staged a production on Bristol Old Vic Theatre’s main stage, representing a major milestone for the Bristol-based drama school. Bringing together a cast of 20 and a live on-stage band of 12 musicians drawn from West End productions, the show will be brought to life by a high-profile creative team including choreographer Rachael Nanyonjo.
The show will be directed by BSA Head of School and Co-Artistic Director Stuart Wood, with sound design by Charlie Smith, musical direction by Jon Beales, design by Angelica Rush, and lighting by Ryan Joseph Stafford.
The move to Bristol Old Vic Theatre's main stage reflects the growing scale of BSA's public performance programme and further strengthens the school’s relationship with Bristol’s professional theatre industry.
Since its inception in 2020, BSA has taken a contemporary approach to actor training, with students working alongside professional directors, designers, filmmakers, musicians and other creatives throughout their training. Merrily We Roll Along builds on that ambition, bringing the school's graduating students to one of Bristol's most celebrated stages.
Head of School and Co-Artistic Director at Bristol School of Acting, Stuart Wood, said: “When Nancy Medina and I founded BSA in 2020, we wanted to create a drama school where actors could work and train alongside exceptional industry professionals. With Nancy now Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic, bringing a BSA production to the theatre's main stage feels particularly special and a realisation of what we first set out to achieve.
“Merrily We Roll Along is the perfect production for this moment. It's a brilliant, complex and deeply moving musical about friendship, success and the choices we make along the way. This is our most ambitious production by a clear mile, and we can't wait to share it with audiences at Bristol Old Vic Theatre next summer.”
Moving backwards in time from 1976 to the hopeful beginnings of 1957, Merrily We Roll Along traces the fractured relationship between successful composer Franklin Shepard and his lifelong friends Mary and Charley, exploring the choices that shaped their lives.
Tickets go on general sale on 30 September at 12pm, with further info here.