Tony Award-nominated show opens at Gerald Schoenfeld Theater on March 14 and will embark on national tour in September.
“The Notebook” musical, based on Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel, is set to close its Broadway run on Dec. 15 due to challenges in attracting enough ticket sales in a competitive market. However, this closure does not mark the end of the show’s journey. The producers have announced plans for a national tour starting in September next year at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. Many musicals, especially those with recognizable titles, often perform better on tour than in New York.
The musical, which follows the story of a lifelong romance through the lens of an older couple dealing with Alzheimer’s disease, features music by Ingrid Michaelson and a book by Bekah Brunstetter. Directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams, the show premiered on Broadway on March 14 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater after previews began on Feb. 10. While a pre-Broadway production at Chicago Shakespeare Theater received positive feedback, reviews in New York were mixed, with The New York Times criticizing it as “meretricious.”
Onstage, three sets of actors portray the lead characters at different stages of their lives in a coastal mid-Atlantic town spanning the 1960s, 1970s, and present day. Despite receiving three Tony Award nominations, “The Notebook” did not win any. The musical will have played a total of 35 previews and 317 regular performances upon its closure.
“The Notebook” joins a list of recent musicals on Broadway that have announced premature closing dates, including “Lempicka,” “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” and “The Who’s Tommy.” The Broadway industry is notoriously challenging, with most shows struggling financially. However, the current landscape presents even greater obstacles due to rising production costs, declining audience sizes, and a crowded market with numerous competing shows.
Lead producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch had capitalized “The Notebook” for up to $15 million, as reported in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unfortunately, the production has not recouped this investment. Despite its Broadway closure, the musical’s upcoming national tour offers a new opportunity to reach audiences beyond New York City and potentially find success in different markets across the country.
Source: The NY Times
