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THE latest production of Theater Group Asia (TGA) is a beloved Broadway title, The Notebook: The Musical, which will have New York-based Filipino-American theater director Nicholas Polonio at the helm.
THE latest production of Theater Group Asia is a beloved Broadway title,which will have New York-based Filipino-American theater director Nicholas Polonio at the helm.
Set to run from Sept. 3 to 20 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit, Makati, this staging is based on Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel and its hit 2004 film adaptation. It features music and lyrics by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and a Tony-nominated book by Bekah Brunstetter.
It also marks a significant milestone as it is the first international production of the Broadway musical, and TGA aims to “place Filipino artistry at the center of a story that has captivated audiences around the world. ” “I saw the original Broadway production and was blown away by the characters.
Noah and Allie are massive characters, split out into three stories set in different times of their lives, and the ensemble characters are written with depth, so it becomes so much more,” said the director, Mr. Polonio, at a press conference in Makati on Aug. 27. The musical centers on the love story of Noah and Allie, told in an unfolding narrative across multiple stages of their lives.
The summary reads: “Through memory, time, separation, and the choices that shape a lifetime,explores what it means to love someone deeply, to grow alongside them, and to hold on to the stories that make us who we are. ” “Normally, in musicals, the book is what will make or break it. If it’s your first time encountering this story, it feels like everything you need and remarkably thorough,” Mr. Polonio said.
“For a director, it feels like such an amazing platform for the many things it could be. ” He added that there will be surprises that will delight audience members who are familiar with the material, which will also come across as exciting for first timers. Though the story itself remains the same, the Filipino talent mounting the show will make it special — as well as the fact that it’s Mr. Polonio’s return to the Philippines.
Through Ingrid Michaelson’s original score, which brings a contemporary musical sensibility to the timeless romance, six lead actors are set to give voice to the central couple’s memories, hopes, fears, and enduring devotion. Playing the young Noah and Allie are Benedix Ramos and Sheena Belarmino, who said that they approached their roles in a way that will serve the overall narrative and that of their older counterparts.
“The most rewarding part is seeing the older versions of Allie, to trace the growth in the story where everyone is seeing how beautiful life is,” Ms. Belarmino said, adding that adopting similar mannerisms help her and the other two actresses build a cohesive Allie for the story. Mr. Ramos explained that “the songs speak to the story, but they will also speak to you,” citing the song “Sadness and Joy” as his favorite.
“It reminds me of how life has a balance of both sadness and joy. In the context of love and relationships,For the actors playing “middle” Noah and Allie — Laurence Mossman and Morissette Amon — the material does much of the work, making it easy for them to sink into their roles.
“Nothing can really prepare you for the emotions. Every time we do a run of the show, there’s something different that pulls at your heart. You see a part of yourself or someone that you love,” Mr. Mossman said.
“You just have to bring your true self to the theater, and the theater has this beautiful ability to show life. ” Ms. Amon added that the excitement of playing such complex characters is the discovery of different ways of bringing them to life.
“Our job as actors is to deliver in a way that’s true to us and true to the audience as well,” she said. Finally, the older Noah and Allie are portrayed by icons in the industry, Rody Vera and Celeste Legaspi, though it doesn’t make them any less nervous about the responsibility.
“My goal was to portray Allie in her dementia,” Ms. Legaspi said of what was the most challenging aspect of her role. “I knew that Sheena and Morissette — because they’re excellent actors and singers — would take care of their parts. Older roles for women are very rare, and I’m genuinely grateful to be doing this.
” For Mr. Vera, whose version of Noah is that of an aging, burdened storyteller, one thing to admire is the unfolding narrative that moves between youth and old age.
“What makes this musical unique and exquisite is how it continuously plays around with time,” he said. “It breaks the continuum,The Notebook: The Musical will run from Sept. 3 to 20 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater, in Circuit, Makati. Tickets are available now through TicketWorld, with prices ranging from P900 to P5,500. —
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