'The Notebook' Is Being Turned Into a Stage Musical

Nicholas Sparks' famous romantic drama is headed to Broadway — and they should probably just hand out tissues with every ticket.
Sarah Ward
January 04, 2019

It's been 15 years since The Notebook made everyone fall in love with Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams and locking lips during a downpour, and the Nicholas Sparks-penned effort isn't done spreading its sappy brand of romance just yet. Soon, the book-turned-movie will make another leap, bringing its lovestruck drama to Broadway.

As reported by Variety, the first bestseller from the author also responsible for A Walk to Remember, Dear John, The Last Song and The Lucky One is being turned into a stage musical. Expect singing in the rain, obviously, as well as crooned declarations of love in a rowboat. Expect a song-filled account of an heiress falling in love with a poor quarry worker, too.

Producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch — plus Sparks himself —  are behind The Notebook's jump from tear-soaked pages to weep-inducing celluloid to a stage version that should probably just hand out tissues with every ticket. McCollum has earned Tony awards for In the HeightsAvenue Q and Rent, while Deutsch is the founder of both Sh-K-Boom and Ghostlight records, which both have a theatre and cast-recording focus.

While a production timeline hasn't been announced (so don't go booking your New York flights just yet), the script and songs are being handled by Bekah Brunstetter and Ingrid Michaelson respectively. The former a writer and producer on TV show This Is Us, and the latter is best known for singles 'The Way I Am' and 'Girls Chase Boys'.

It's way too early to talk about casting, but if Gosling can sing in La La Land, then you can start dreaming that he belt out a tune again. Of course, it's almost 100-percent guaranteed that that fantasy won't go any further than your head.

If you've been keeping track, The Notebook's musical adaptation taps into a trend that just keeps growing, aka singing-and-dancing versions of beloved movies. In recent years, everything from MatildaCharlie and the Chocolate FactoryBring It OnMean Girls and Clueless has made the leap to the stage, plus The BodyguardAmelieWaitressMuriel's Wedding and Moulin Rouge!A stage version of The Devil Wears Prada is also in the works, as well as Empire RecordsMrs Doubtfire and Aussie classic Starstruck.

Via Variety.

Published on January 04, 2019 by Sarah Ward
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