During the spring, three musicals based on well-known novels that were previously adapted into starry films opened on Broadway at theaters located on 45th Street: “The Outsiders,” “Water for Elephants,” and “The Notebook.” Among them, “The Outsiders” won the Tony Award for Best Musical and is selling out at the Bernard Jacobs Theatre, “Water for Elephants” is struggling to hang on at the Imperial Theatre, and “The Notebook” has now officially thrown in the towel.
“The Notebook,” which has an original score by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and is an unapologetic tearjerker, will play its final performance on Dec. 15, leaving its theater free for another tenant in the spring. A national tour will launch next fall. Compared to the novel and film, the time periods were updated for the musical. In an interesting casting concept, the protagonists, Noah and Allie, are each played by three performers of different races who represent them at different ages. One of its songs, “My Days,” has gained popularity on streaming apps.
‘Heathers’ teases New York return
Ten years ago, a musical adaptation of the 1988 Winona Ryder-Christian Slater teen film “Heathers” opened Off-Broadway and did not transfer to Broadway despite strong buzz and a surprisingly solid pop-style score. Later, “Heathers” became a hit in London, where it received a pro-shot video recording, and has continued to win young fans thanks to the spread of its cast album on social media.
On Sunday, a message was posted on the show’s website, heathersthemusical.com, announcing that “Heathers” will return to New York City in 2025. It is unclear whether the return engagement would involve a new Broadway or Off-Broadway production or perhaps just a concert performance. No matter where it runs, I look forward to checking it out again.
Aaron Lazar releases new album following ALS diagnosis
Forty-eight-year-old musical theater performer Aaron Lazar, who announced earlier this year that he has been diagnosed with ALS, has released a new album of classic musical theater songs to raise money for the ALS Network. The album, titled “Impossible Dream,” consists of duets between Lazar and other performers (including Norm Lewis, Kelli O’Hara, Neil Patrick Harris, and Josh Groban) and a choral performance of “The Impossible Dream” that includes appearances by String, Kristin Chenoweth, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. The album also features the voice of the late Rebecca Luker, who also had ALS. Lazar’s Broadway credits include “The Light in the Piazza,” “Les Miz,” “A Little Night Music,” and “The Last Ship.”
From ‘Drunk Shakespeare’ to ‘Drunk Dracula’
In “Drunk Shakespeare,” a rotating cast of spirited young actors (known as the Drunk Shakespeare Society) perform a 75-minute, extremely loosened-up version of “Macbeth.” It’s a pleasant mix of immersive theater, iambic pentameter, audience participation, slapstick comedy, and bar hopping. The title refers to how one cast member drinks five shots of liquor just as the show is getting started. In honor of Halloween, the Drunk Shakespeare Society will present “Drunk Dracula” (a new tale about Dracula popping up in New York) for four weeks in midtown beginning Oct. 9. For more info visit drunkdracula.com.
