Feature Photo by Julieta Cervantes
Something extraordinary is happening at New York City’s Shoenfeld Theater. At a time when film and television are seeing a precipitous drop in Latinx representation (in proportion to production), an exquisite new musical adaptation of Nicolas Sparks’ The Notebook features among its noteworthy cast, no less than three of Broadway’s leading men of Latin heritage: John Cardoza, Ryan Vasquez and Chase Del Rey.
The story which spawned the film of the same name starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams has enjoyed cult status since its 2004 release. The romantic drama chronicles the decades-long love affair between lower-class mill worker Noah Calhoun and heiress Allie Hamilton. They are star-crossed soul mates whom, it appears, the universe has conspired to keep apart. But distance makes their hearts grow fonder and – of course — true love conquers all! This well-worn trope of boy-meets girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl should render The Notebook predictable, melodramatic and, dare I say it?! Sappy. It is anything but.
For the play’s energizing score (music and lyrics, Ingrid Michaelson) and fresh dialogue (Tony-nominated book writer Bekah Brunstetter) breathes life into each scene of this passionate evening of musical theater. To further draw us into the play, the lovers are played by three couples: Older Allie & Noah, Middle Allie & Noah and Younger Allie & Noah. This triple casting allows us to track the many stages of life as seen through the lens of their love. We realize that although the years may age our bodies, it is our enduring affection for each other that transcends time and keeps us forever young.
The story engages your heart from the outset when we meet Older Noah (played to perfection by Tony nominated Dorian Harewood) who is at a nursing home visiting Older Allie (the radiant, Tony nominated Mariann Plunkett) whose severe dementia has caused her to forget him. He’s there to read to her the notebook (diary) she wrote documenting their lives together in hopes it will trigger a memory that will help her recognize Noah.
As the story cuts back and forth from their young romance and break-up, to their tumultuous estrangement, to their ultimate reunion, the cast masterfully contribute each of their individual pieces that ultimately come together to form a vibrant collage of their lives. We see the many highs and lows that will try to topple their devotion, but instead, forge their love and lead them to emerge all the stronger for it. Songs are woven in and out of the story taking us into their deepest emotions, doubts and ultimately fulfilled wishes when Older Allie finally recognizes Older Noah – if only long enough for a final kiss. The musical’s unabashed romance and sheer emotional honesty result in The Notebook being an astounding journey into the human heart that, frankly, left me sobbing with joy.
John Cardoza (whose credits include Jagged Little Pill and Moulin Rouge!) plays Young Noah with a youthful exuberance and vulnerability that believably sets his character on the long road to finding true love. It is Young Noah that believes in the couple’s viability and Cardoza delivers his relentless pursuit of Allie with full throated abandon – his is a crystalline singing voice that lets you know you’re in the presence of an up-and-coming Broadway leading man.
Equally engaging as Middle Noah is Ryan Vasquez (whose credits include Hamilton, Waitress and In the Heights). The dashing Vasquez plays Noah during his most conflicted stage. With a commanding presence and gorgeous lyrical baritone that can cause the listener to experience what I call an “eargasm,” Vasquez’s Middle Noah remains certain that Allie is his destiny. But life has other plans, and he’s destroyed when he loses contact with her for years. He’s joined the armed forces but fulfills his promise to her of writing her every day. But his letters are intercepted and kept secret by her mother who planned on her daughter wedding the more auspicious suiter Lon, played by the elegant Chase del Rey.
Chase del Rey (whose credits include A Little Night Music and the Oscar nominated film King Richard) subtly plays the confident groom-to-be who is ready to commit to Allie, unaware that she has rekindled her romance with Noah. His is a painful realization which will leave him standing at the altar wondering if he’ll ever recover from so devastating a heartbreak. Though Mr. del Rey’s character Lon is a secondary character, he makes an impression every second he’s on stage and leaves us with a full understanding of the price paid by those who lose at love. Chase also demonstrates his astounding vocal prowess at show’s end when the entire cast so gloriously wraps up the evening’s life-affirming saga.
As I stated at the top of this article, it was thrilling to see three talented young performers so vividly bring their gifts together to weave the tapestry of life and love titled The Notebook, the musical. It’s extraordinary to watch multiple actors share a role and witness how each helps their character evolve before our eyes.
Never having read the novel nor seen the very popular film, I did not know what to expect from The Notebook. I assumed it would be a gushy chick-flick musical, so sugary it would send me into diabetic shock. On the contrary I emerged from the Shoenfeld Theater feeling rejuvenated; my belief in life affirmed by truth and renewed by this tale of love.
To experience The Notebook, CLICK HERE
Broadway Production Photos by Julieta Cervantes
