As the World Turns and All My
Children, and he doesn’t mince
words when he reflects on the
part that particular work has
played in his life.
“Soap operas used to get a bad
rap; they’re not serious, they’re
even silly. But some of the better
actors I’ve ever known worked
in them. They had to make quick
decisions and go with their
choices, and make material that
was over the top sound compel-
ling,” said Merrick.
“I am grateful for the time I
worked on the soaps. They were
an enormous tool for an acting
career. Don’t believe anything
but that soap opera actors are
some the best around. Period,
full stop!”
Just to prove that he’s versatile,
Merrick also works in the BMI
Lehman Engel Musical Theatre
Writing Workshop, which has
produced such shows as A Cho-
rus Line, Avenue Q, and A Little
NJ STAGE 2017 - Issue 40
Shop of Horrors. He is at pres-
ent working on a show with two
collaborators and anticipates a
production within the next 18
months.
“Lyric writing for me has been
an incredibly creative experi-
ence and a way to stay creative
even when I’m not working as an
actor,” continued Merrick. “It all
comes from the same place, the
same creative wellspring. Being
a lyricist has made me a better
actor and vice versa.”
Merrick and his fellow actors
will be blazing a trail when they
appear in the George Street pro-
duction, the first to be mounted
at a re-fitted facility at 103 Col-
lege Farm Road, New Bruns-
wick, during construction of a
new performing-arts center on
George Street’s old site on Liv-
ingston Avenue. The company
expects to spend two seasons
on the Cook Campus before
moving into its new home. w
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