‘THE GREAT GATSBY’: The cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

THE GREAT GATSBY
Based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Book by Kait Kerrigan
Music by Jason Howland
Lyrics by Nathan Tysen
Directed by Marc Bruni
Broadway Theatre
1681 Broadway at 53rd Street
(212-239-6200), www.BroadwayGatsby.com

By David NouNou

Hallelujah! I can finally say that an extravagant, splashy, glitzy musical has landed at the Broadway Theatre by the name of The Great Gatsby.  The show surprisingly sticks to the facts and styling of the way F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote this timeless classic American tale from the late teens and 1920s Jazz Age.

Set in 1917 in both New York City and Long Island, there is the established old-money rich and the nouveau riche. Nick Carraway (Noah J. Ricketts) has just arrived from Minnesota and needs a place to stay, but Manhattan is expensive. He finds there is a little cottage to be rented out by Jay Gatsby (Jeremy Jordan). Gatsby would be new money and he has done everything in his power to reclaim his former love Daisy Buchanan (Eva Noblelzada), now married to Tom Buchanan (John Zdrojeski) who represents old money. Daisy’s father refused to let Daisy marry Jay because he was penniless. So, he went and fought in World War I. Although Tom is very abusive and has constant affairs, including the one with Myrtle Wilson (Sarah Chase)—the local floozy in Queens, who is married to gas-pump jockey George Wilson (Paul Whitty). He thought he was a better match for Daisy. In the mix is also Jordan Baker (Samantha Pauly) who befriends Nick.

Life on the outside is luscious parties galore, champagne is flowing and it was the Jazz Age. That party lasted the whole summer of 1917, when all things and disillusionments started setting in. All the rich people were really quite evil, life and death were meaningless and love was just bounced around as a plaything not to be taken seriously. Jay Gatsby was the best of the best of them and the ultimate loser. He even built that eternal “green light” for Daisy that only he could see from his balcony.

The book by Kait Kerrigan follows F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous narrative almost perfectly. The score by Jason Howland and Nathan Tysen is melodic, grand and lush. Marc Bruni’s direction is a delight but some of the comedic segments could have been left out.

Which brings us to the two leads: Jeremy Jordan has never been in finer voice and his stage presence was never felt so profoundly. Eva Noblezada has outshined all her screen predecessors, portraying Daisy with the right mix of strength and vulnerability. They make a dynamic duo indeed.

What gives lushness to the proceedings is Paul Tate De Poo III’s scenic and projection designs. They transform you to other worlds, and Linda Cho’s costumes are innovative and a delight.

For a grand musical and a fun night at the theatre, The Great Gatsby is the ticket. It is a rare gem and one of the 2024 season’s best new musicals.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published April 25, 2024
Reviewed at April 23, 2024 press preview performance

‘THE GREAT GATSBY’: Samantha Pauly (center) & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘THE GREAT GATSBY’: Eva Noblezada & Jeremy Jordan. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘THE GREAT GATSBY’: Jeremy Jordan & Eva Noblezada. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘THE GREAT GATSBY’: (left to right) Noah J. Ricketts, Sara Chase, & John Zdrojeski. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘THE GREAT GATSBY’: Paul Whitty. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘THE GREAT GATSBY’: Eva Noblezada. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

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‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Jordan Tyson. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

THE NOTEBOOK
Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks
Book by Bekah Brunstetter
Music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson
Directed by Michael Greif & Schele Williams
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
236 West 45th Street
(212-239-6200), www.notebookmusical.com

By David NouNou

Eternal love is about the highest ideal a couple can achieve in life: To be there for each other from the onset of their first meeting to their final days. Nicholas Sparks wrote the novel The Notebook on which this musical is based in 1996 when he was 28, and it has endured with readers and moviegoers for nearly 30 years now. However, the Broadway adaptation of the hit book and film is problematic indeed.

The story consists of the three periods in the life of Allie and Noah. They meet in a coastal town in the Mid-Atlantic in the late 1960s where teenagers Younger Noah (John Cardoza) meets Younger Allie (Jordan Tyson) at a picnic with friends and knows she is the girl he’ll marry. Allie is there for the summer with her rich family, Noah works in his father’s lumberyard. Her family looks down on him. He was forced to enlist in the army because her parents were claiming he abducted her and he risked being thrown in jail.

Ten years pass. Middle Noah (Ryan Vasquez) and Middle Allie (Joy Woods) reunite in the late 1970s. Unbeknownst to Allie, Noah wrote her letters for 10 years but she claims she never received them. Of course, her mother hid them from her, and now Allie is engaged to be married to a rich defense lawyer. She reads in the paper that Noah is alive and has bought the home he was building for them and refurbished it as planned. She takes a leave of absence for a few days from her engagement to clear her mind and rekindle what may have been lost. Lots of recriminations here. Until Allie gets the letters handed over by her mother.

Part three is Older Noah (Dorian Harewood) and Older Allie (Maryann Plunkett). Allie is in an old-age facility, suffering from dementia. She doesn’t realize that Noah is her husband. She has good days thinking of him as a friend and days she has no idea who he is. Noah is persistent. He reads the notebook journal that Allie has written to constantly remind her of their lives together so that one day she will remember and come back to him.

The love story is bearable and one wants to believe in this magical love; it’s the execution that is mind-numbingly awkward. From the poorly written book by Bekah Brunstetter and the unremarkable and forgettable music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson, one only wishes there was a large scissor to cut out the text and the score so we could sit with Older Allie and Older Noah and just let them try to find themselves and have that glimpse of recognition.

Which brings me to Maryann Plunkett and Dorian Harewood—God bless them. Ms. Plunkett and Mr. Harewood are the saviors of the show. Without them, you have one of the most unremarkable cast ensembles assembled. With hardly any stage presence or even investment in character, cast members just meander on and off the stage in puddles, water and rain. What’s astonishing is that The Notebook needed two directors—Michael Greif and Schele Williams—to keep the cast moving on and off stage without bumping into each other.

Imagination is in short supply here. Look at the dreary Playbill cover; it will tell you nothing. One just has to be grateful for the professionalism and stage presence of Maryann Plunkett and Dorian Harewood and be satisfied with them.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published March 22, 2024
Reviewed at March 21, 2024 press performance.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Maryann Plunkett & Dorian Harewood. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Joy Woods. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Maryann Plunkett & cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: The cast. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: John Cardoza & Jordan Tyson (front) & Ryan Vasquez & Joy Woods; & Dorian Harewood & Maryann Plunkett. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Jordan Tyson & John Cardoza. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

‘THE NOTEBOOK’: Ryan Vasquez & Joy Woods. Photo: Julieta Cervantes.

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