The Notebook officially opens tonight at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.
By Elazar Abrahams
It’s hard to put into words just how strongly I’ve been yearning for a good piece of commercial theater. Season after season, audiences sit through half-baked shlock that producers hope will make them a quick buck, usually by either adapting an iconic movie or using a famous artist’s discography. Of course, Broadway always has a couple of gems for those who like a meaty play or layered score, but in terms of true “crowd pleasers,” the last few years have been severely lacking. That’s why I am so thrilled to give the new production of The Notebook — a musical version of the 1996 novel, and yes, 2004 movie — a glowing review.
Cynics expecting yet another cash grab can rest easy. With music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and direction by Michael Greif, this incarnation of The Notebook is crafted with a lot of love. There’s a powerhouse cast and clever and surprising staging, all anchored by a moving story that leaves audiences in tears. There’s a little something for everyone in this show, and in a particularly crowded and competitive era for Broadway (18 shows are opening this March and April alone), let’s hope it has lasting legs.
The Notebook follows Noah and Allie, husband and wife. Now in a nursing home and suffering from dementia, Allie can tragically no longer remember him. Daily, Noah reads parts of their love story to her, in the hopes that somehow his soulmate will come back, if even for a moment. It’s through this narration device that we’re introduced to a younger version of Allie and Noah as the early days of their star-crossed romance plays out. Soon enough, a slightly older version of the duo will take center stage, as the musical interweaves in and out of the three time periods. The plot is the epitome of cliche: a rich, pampered girl falls for a grizzled boy from the wrong side of town, and it’s love at first sight. They’re determined to overcome any obstacle in service of being together. Yet the musical is happy to embrace that shmaltz, and in doing so, really soars.
The dementia aspect, in particular, is very strong. While the whole cast is terrific, the work Maryann Plunkett is doing as the older Allie is supremely underrated. Paired with Dorian Harewood as the elder Noah, her performance is at once both understated and broad, nuanced in the quieter moments of the disease and showy in its outbursts. In the darkened balcony of the Schoenfeld, people of all ages and genders were audibly sobbing well before intermission. Exiting the theater, make sure to note all the smudged mascara.
Joy Woods and Ryan Vasquez are the middle Allie and Noah respectively, and while they both have showstopping solos, the youngest couple of the cast, Jordan Tyson and John Cardoza, overshadow them. They make what could be a flimsy depiction of falling in love (the characters barely know each other before Noah first proposes) completely believable. The best and most powerful moments in the script come when all three versions of the two characters are on stage together, lending harmonies to songs like “Forever” and “I Love You More.”
In a stroke of genius, The Notebook utilizes colorblind casting for the different actors portraying the central pair. For example, the nursing home-bound Allie is white and her Noah is Black, while the middle version of Allie is Black, and that Noah white. That this is not commented on whatsoever, and does not matter in the slightest, says a lot about storytelling, connection, and universality. It also allows the show to pick actors who are best for the roles. Imagine that?
As for Michaelson’s music, it is largely forgettable, with a few exceptions scattered throughout the two acts. Some of the cornier lyrical stretches are safe only in the hands of a performer as good as Woods or Vasquez. Still, the songs are better than the norm featured on stage these days. I can’t recall a single rhythm of Back to the Future, but The Notebook’s better ballads will be saved on many a Spotify account.
Fans of the movie or Nicholas Sparks book will definitely want to grab a ticket for this one, as it is a worthy addition to the work’s legacy. Even those unfamiliar with The Notebook should make sure to see this though. When the rain starts falling, both those who have read and watched the scene a dozen times and those who couldn’t name a single rom-com will be in awe.
Find tickets and more information HERE.
TV and City 