'The Notebook' Musical Version To Open On Broadway Next Year

The stage musical adaptation of "The Notebook" is officially coming to Broadway. The official website of the stage play confirmed the news, with "The Notebook: The Musical" set to open on Broadway in March 2024.

Broadway previews will start in February next year. The stageplay is based on the bestselling novel of Nicholas Sparks, which later inspired the film adaptation of the same name in 2004 starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.

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The show will have its opening at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on March 14, 2024, following previews starting on February 6. Casting for the Broadway version will be announced later on.

The production is directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams, with a book by writer-producer Bekhan Brunstetter ("This Is Us," "The Cake") and music and lyrics by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson. The show previously debuted at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in the fall of 2022, starring Ryan Vasquez as Noah and Joy Woods as Allie, the characters previously portrayed by Gosling and McAdams in the film.

The musical adaptation follows Noan and Allie from their youth to their old age and a lifetime of love against the forces that conspire against it. Sparks' book has been a worldwide sensation, with over 105 million copies sold worldwide. The 2004 film adaptation was also a major hit, grossing $81 million at the domestic box office and $118 million worldwide.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, the Broadway musical production is produced by Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch, with scenic design by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis and costume design by Paloma Young. Katie Spelman is choreographing the show.

An iconic blue dress that McAdams wore in the film version was later gifted to Vanessa Bryant by her late husband, NBA legend Kobe Bryant, as a Valentine's Day gift, which she posted about on her Instagram in 2013. It included McAdams' shoes from the film as well.

As noted by The Blast, Bryant spoke about the gift during her eulogy for her late husband at a celebration of life held for Kobe Bryant in February 2020. She said during her speech, "He gifted me the actual notebook and the blue dress Rachel McAdams wore in The Notebook movie. When I asked him why he chose the blue dress [from the movie], he said it was because it’s the scene when Allie comes back to Noah." She continued, "We had hoped to grow old together like [in] the movie. We really had an amazing love story." Bryant added, "We loved each other with our whole beings, two perfectly imperfect people making a beautiful family and raising our sweet and amazing girls."

The film's costume designer, Karyn Wagner, later informed The Hollywood Reporter that the dress was a custom piece made specifically for the film. Wagner was actually not aware that the Bryants owned the outfit until she saw the live stream of the ceremony. She stated at the time, "I had zero idea. When I was finished with the movie, I put the dress in a box and it went into storage." Wagner was touched by Vanessa Bryant's words, adding, "I started bawling. I’m still drying the tears off my face. What a beautiful eulogy. I’m so honored that I was able to contribute in some small way to the history of this amazing man."

Audience Rewards Presale tickets for "The Notebook: The Musical" on Broadway go on sale on Tuesday, September 19.

The presale runs through Friday, September 22.

Tickets will then go on sale for the general public on Tuesday, September 26.