The Notebook The Musical Brings Nicholas Sparks’ Beloved Love Story to Life on Stage
Love is unpredictable, powerful, and fleeting. It can rush in like a powerful wave crashing on a shore and leave the couple forever changed from that frantic moment. Like that burst of water, the memories can, at first, be at the forefront of the mind, only to slowly slip away. In The Notebook: The Musical, the iconic love story features big, brash moments and quiet moments of contemplation. That dichotomy epitomizes a love story for the ages.
Nicholas Sparks’ iconic novel was transformed into the popular Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams movie. People flocked to see Noah and Allie’s love story come to life on the screen. Audiences laughed, cried, and hoped one day they, too, would be swept up into the ultimate romantic experience.
While a movie can take liberties in jumping time periods, the stage needs to be more thoughtful in showcasing the story. The musical version uses three couples to show the different chapters in Noah and Allie’s story. Sometimes the characters are together, and other moments have them on their own. It is seamless enough to allow the audience to easily follow along.
In The Notebook The Musical, the well-known, romanticized story encourages the audience to not only believe in love but to live fully in every moment. While there are plenty of tears shed, there are equally as many lighthearted, humorous moments.
“The Notebook The Musical reminds audiences that love’s fleeting moments can last forever.”
The heart of the musical is Older Noah (Beau Gravitte) and Older Allie (Sharon Catherine Brown). Gravitte is the man that everyone wants in their life. He is strong, steady, and devoted. Additionally, he appreciates that humor can make difficult moments more palatable. His voice captures the journey of a man who has lived, loved, and lost.
In contrast, Brown finds the balance between the woman she once was and the woman she has become. At times, she is childlike, confused, and even fragile, then she lights up with the spark, showcasing the woman who lived a life that many people long for.
Although the love story can even make the biggest cynic get sentimental, the musical does not have a signature song that has the audience humming as the curtain goes down. It is the only element that leaves the audience wanting more.
Many of the numbers are melodic and have smart lyrics. “My Days,” sung by Middle Allie, Alyshia Deslorieux, is the show’s belting number. She sings with both power and restraint. The audience is mesmerized, but the hook is never that long-lasting earworm.
Instead of a power ballad, everyone will remember how the iconic rain scene plays on the stage. It is smart that the musical understood that the highly recognizable moment needed to be part of the storytelling. Even though the funny moments break up the heaviness of Allie’s illness, it is the rain scene that gives everyone hope that life’s highs can make the lows seem not as dire.
Overall, fans of the book and movie will appreciate the stage adaptation of The Notebook The Musical. Whether it is date night, girls' night out, or just because, the production reminds everyone that love is the most fulfilling gift, even if it is fleeting.
The Notebook The Musical is on a national tour. Currently, it plays at The Dr Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida, through May 17. Additional tour dates follow.
Tags: theater, musicals, reviews, broadway, entertainment
