By Michael Buzzelli
A man, Noah (John Rubinstein, playing the oldest iteration of the character), helps a woman, Allie (Angela Birchett, playing the oldest iteration of the character), struggle to remember their life together by reading a notebook in “The Notebook: The Musical.”
Ingrid Michaelson and Bekah Brunstetter took Nicholas Sparks best-selling romance book (and popular movie) and turned it into a musical.
In flashbacks, we see the couple during their meet-cute as young adults…just like “Grease,” it all begins with some Summer Lovin’.
The town is never mentioned, but it’s Seabrook Island off the coast of South Carolina, a popular summer getaway town where Allie and her parents vacation. Noah (Kyle Mangold) immediately falls for Allie (Makena Jackson), but there’s a complication: She’s a rich girl studying the piano and painting in her spare time, and he’s a country boy working in a lumber yard. Her Mother (Anne Tolpegin) and Father (Sinclair Mitchell) have a disastrous dinner with Noah and decide to cut their retreat short and head back home.
Ten years later, Allie (Alysha Deslorieux) reads a story in a local newspaper about Noah (Ken Wulf Clark) and decides to go visit him, even though she’s engaged to another man.
The Notebook” flawlesslt weaves in and out of three separate timelines.
Throw in a little “Romeo & Juliet,” some “Pride & Prejudice” and a handful of schmaltz and you’ll get “The Notebook.”
While the plot is thin, the actors (despite being non-equity) do a fantastic job selling the story. The young and middle Allie’s and Noah’s hand in some beautiful work.
Wulf-Clark and Mangold are perfectly cast. They look like doppelgängers separated by ten years.
Both of the Allie’s (Deslorieux and Jackson) sparkle.
Birchett has some rage-filled outbursts, some bittersweet recollections and some truly poignant moments.
Johnny, a physical therapist (delightfully played by Connor Richardson), is the comic relief. He does the most with the material. He’s also the only quirky character in the show. His delivery is impeccable.
Most of the music isn’t very memorable, but in “Kiss Me,” Mangold and Jackson have a pre-coital conversation that is hilarious and adorable.
Not every show is for every one. While some audience members were joyously delighting in the spectacle (the scenic design team, David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, created amazing scenery), some found the whole thing maudlin, generic and dull. It depends largely on the source material. If you liked the book and/or film (and you’re not a racist), you should love this version.
If author Nicholas doesn’t spark joy, remove him from your cultural diet.
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“The Notebook” runs until November 15 at the Benedum Center, 237 Seventh Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. For tickets and more information, click here.
