Maria Friedman: 'We made Stephen Sondheim cry'

actor and director in his career after cancer, who comes from a broken home, and roll in the West End

Maria Friedman is three times Olivier Award-winning actor and singer, best known for his roles in musicals of Stephen Sondheim. Last year, he directed the acclaimed production of Sondheim Merrily We Roll Along

in the Menier Chocolate Factory in Southwark, which transferred to the West End last week. Going back in time, tells the story of Franklin Shepard, a brilliant composer, much to the chagrin of his friends, sold to become a Hollywood producer.

Merrily We Roll Along is his first outing as a director. How did this happen?

manager is very musical. The price is: when to push things when calm. I run my own one-woman shows for years, and I always felt instinctively know that the arc of what I do on stage. So when Central [School of Speech and Drama] asked me to lead their younger, I thought, why not? He seemed a quiet and private place to practice. I have students from over future to the first act of Merrily We Roll Along

[when the characters are older] and more youthful appearance to the second act [when life begins in]. I had the opportunity to play for a month with these cheerful, youthful spirit was wonderful. I loved every second.

But how

Menier Chocolate Factory

get involved?

Our musical director, Michael Haslam, went to work and told David Babani [artistic director of the Chocolate] David was presented with Sonia, "You need to go see Mary as a director." my sister. I was very angry because he was so much pressure on these children, two major producers to be there. But in the end they were both sobbing. The next day I got a call asking if I wanted to fly Merrily

in chocolate.

I read that you Jenna Russell, who plays Mary, hear twice. Is this true?

She auditioned three times. All cables manufactured. This piece is of the essence. It is so subtle. It had to be absolutely sure that there was chemistry between the three of them [Humbley plays Charley Damian and Mark Umbers plays Franklin].

How

ran a professional company for the first time?

My heart was pounding. There was a week learning from my eyes ... I could see the blinds down, a little warily. And there was. But the part that makes a lot of the work for you. It is so beautiful. Minute by minute, all drunk.

one of its producers in the West End is his sister, Sonia Friedman. How do you feel about your success as a filmmaker?

• are close. We are not competitive at all. It is completely excited for me. We did the meet and greet in the theater today [the film crew all meet for the first time] and she was in the pit with his dog. I said, "Do we all" And she screamed "No" and then stood up and said to the whole society. "!. I could not be prouder" She was radiant

What Stephen Sondheim? You must be delighted with this production.

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