The Notebook - Musical

Posted by Steve on 24th Sep 2022

The Notebook - Musical

The Notebook is a musical with music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and a book by Bekah Brunstetter. The musical is based on the 1996 novel of the same name, written by Nicholas Sparks and was originally presented by the New York Stage and Film at the Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College in June 2019.[1]

“The Notebook” unfolds over the lifetimes of Allie and Noah, moving back and forth from their young romance to her descent into Alzheimer’s and his steadfast love and care for her.

The Notebook Novel

The Notebook is a 1996 romantic novel by American novelist Nicholas Sparks. The novel was later adapted into a popular 2004 film of the same name.

The Notebook - Musical

The Notebook was Nicholas Sparks first published novel and written over a time period of six months in 1994. Literary agent Theresa Park discovered Sparks by picking the book out of her agency's slush pile and reading it. Park offered to represent him. In October 1995, Park secured a $1 million advance for the book from the Time Warner Book Group, and the novel was published in October 1996. It was on The New York Times Best Seller list in its first week of release. The Notebook was a hardcover best seller for more than a year selling 105 million copies.

In interviews, Sparks said he was inspired to write the novel by the story of his wife's grandparents, who had been married for more than 60 years when he met them. In The Notebook, he tried to express the long romantic love of that couple.

Notebook Movie

The Notebook Film - The Notebook is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes, with a screenplay by Jeremy Leven and Jan Sardi, based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love in the 1940s. Their story is read from a notebook in the present day by an elderly man (played by James Garner), telling the tale to a fellow nursing home resident (played by Gena Rowlands, the director Cassavetes' mother).

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Back Story

It was early 2017 when singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson had a meeting with prolific Broadway producer Kevin McCollum (“Six,” “The Devil Wears Prada”) about working on an adaptation of the novel/film. While she wasn’t immediately hired, she was excited about the project.

“I started working on it immediately,” Michaelson recalls with a laugh. “I was busy writing songs but not actually hired until later that year.”

Michaelson was eventually paired with book writer Bekah Brunstetter, a writer and producer on the NBC drama “This Is Us.” The Broadway-bound project, originally scheduled for a fall 2020 premiere, was another in a long list of in-the-works theater pieces affected by the pandemic.

Brunstetter, who also is a playwright, found the extra time a huge help as the musical was workshopped via Zoom during the shutdown.

“There was more time to investigate and fix things about the book that you don’t always have time to do,” says Brunstetter, 40. “I was really able to focus on the book in more depth, which felt very special and necessary.”

As for Michaelson, she found her perception of reality and humanity shifting in good and bad ways during the pandemic,which affected the way she was looking at the piece. Songs she wrote in 2018-19 mean something totally different to her now.

“It really did allow, I think, an expansion of heart for all of us in our writing and in our conversations. I’m grateful that out of such a tumultuous world we had the opportunity to make something even better than when it started out being.”

Broadway directors Michael Greif (“Dear Evan Hansen,” “Next to Normal”) and Schele Williams (“Aida,” “Motown the Musical”) helm the production, which features choreography by Katie Spelman. The 13-member cast includes three actors each portraying Allie (Jordan Tyson, Joy Woods and Maryann Plunkett) and Noah (John Cardoza, Ryan Vasquez and John Beasley) at different chapters in their lives.

Brunstetter grew up in North Carolina near where the novel takes place, but it was another compelling connection that she says drew her to Allie and Noah’s story.

“There is a lot of Alzheimer’s in my family, and I’ve seen what it can do to relationships, so I felt that connection,” she says while also admitting to a bit of initial apprehension. “When I was first approached about it, I thought this could be very beautiful or very terrible. But then I heard Ingrid’s music, and I thought this is going to be powerful, beautiful, cathartic.”

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Productions

The Notebook was workshopped by the New York Stage and Film at the Powerhouse Theater at Vassar College on June 23, 2019.[1] It was directed by Michael Greif. In September of 2022, the show had its "world premiere" at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. The production featured direction by Michael GreifSchele Williams and choreography by Katie Spelman.

Movie Trailer

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Run

Chicago Shakespeare Theater - September 6 - October 16, 2022 at the Yard Theatre

Characters and Original cast

Character Vassar Workshop (2019)[2] Chicago Shakespeare Theater (2022)[3]
Younger Noah Calhoun Antonio Cipriano John Cardoza
Younger Allie Hamilton Hailey Kilgore Jordan Tyson
Middle Noah Calhoun Clifton Duncan Ryan Vasquez
Middle Allie Hamilton Vanessa Hudgens Joy Woods
Older Noah Calhoun James Naughton John Beasley
Older Allie Calhoun Candy Buckley Maryann Plunkett
Anne Hamilton and More Jennifer Mudge Andréa Burns
Fin and More Ben Jackson Walker Liam Oh
Sarah Tuffington and More Mili Diaz Sophie Madorsky
Justin and More Jelani Alladin Liam Oh
John Hamilton and More Nicholas Belton Jonathan Butler-Duplessis
Dr. Barnwell, Georgie, and More Janet Dacal Dorcas Leung
Lon Omar Lopez-Cepero
Nurse Yassmin Alers

Full Cast Chicago

Yassmin Alers Nurse Joanna

John Beasley Older Noah

Andréa Burns Nurse Lori / Mother

Jonathan Butler-Duplessis Father / Son

John Cardoza Younger Noah

Dorcas Leung Georgie

Omar Lopez-Cepero Lon

Sophie Madorsky Sarah

Liam Oh Fin / Justin

Maryann Plunkett Older Allie

Jordan Tyson Younger Allie

Ryan Vasquez Middle Noah

Joy Woods Middle Allie

Alex Benoit Understudy

Mary Ernster Understudy

Jerica Exum Understudy

Jerome Harmann Hardeman Understudy

RhonniRose Mantilla Understudy

Carson Stewart Understudy

Chicago Creative

Ingrid Michaelson Music & Lyrics

Bekah Brunstetter Book

Michael Greif Co-Director

Schele Williams Co-Director

Katie Spelman Choreographer

Carmel Dean Music Supervisor / Co-Orchestrations / Co-Arrangements

John Clancy Co-Orchestrations

Geoffrey Ko Music Director

David Zinn Co-Scenic Designer

Brett Banakis Co-Scenic Designer

Paloma Young Costume Designer

Ben Stanton Lighting Designer

Nevin Steinberg Sound Designer

Mia Neal Wig & Make-up Designer

The Telsey Office Casting

Bob Mason Chicago Casting

Asmeret Ghebremichael Associate Director

Anna Ebbesen Associate Music Director

Emily Madigan Associate Choreographer

Sasha Smith Intimacy Director

Matthew Buttrey Associate Scenic Designer

Annie Le Associate Costume Designer

Wilburn Bonnell Associate Lighting Designer

Daniel Lundberg Associate Sound Designer

Erica Maholmes Assistant Lighting Designer

Emily Hayman Assistant Sound Designer

Victoria Navarro Production Stage Manager

References

  1.  "Vanessa Hudgens to lead reading of The Notebook musical adaptation". ew.com. 2019-07-11.
  2.  "The Notebook - Powerhouse Theater - Vassar College"powerhouse.vassar.edu. Retrieved 2019-07-11.
  3.  "The Notebook"www.chicagoshakes.com. Retrieved 2022-06-29.

The Notebook – Musical

The Notebook – Musical, The Notebook, Broadway Musicals, Ingrid Michaelson, Bekah Brunstetter, Nicholas Sparks, John Beasley, John Cardoza, Sophie Madorsky, Maryann Plunkett, Jordan Tyson, Joy Woods, Yassmin Alers, Liam Oh