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The Notebook: The Musical

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 10:40 am
by blackcauldron85
Bethany Joy Galeotti talks 'The Notebook' musical
http://community.livejournal.com/ohnoth ... tml#cutid1

“It was something that I just wanted to do as my own project,” she said. “I just thought, ‘Man this will be so great. I just have to get this out. I feel music attached to this story and I have to write this music out and I have to make it into a play. And whether anything happens to it or not, I just have to get it out creatively for myself.’ ”

“One Tree Hill” actress Bethany Joy Galeotti and music producer/songwriter Ron Aniello have teamed to create a new musical based on Nicholas Sparks’ “The Notebook.”

The duo plan to present a musical workshop of the production in early October in Wilmington. Auditions will be Aug. 1, 2 and 8 at Thalian Hall, 310 Chestnut St.

“That was actually what I was aspiring to do, is be a Broadway musical theater actress,” said the Florida native. “And when I moved to New Jersey I was about 12 and I was driving in to the city all the time for auditions and I would always get really close and then never quite make it. ... So I auditioned for TV and commercials and I started making so much money that, as a kid, you’re like, ‘What the heck, this is great. I’ll do this instead.’ ”

On “One Tree Hill,” Galeotti plays Haley James Scott, a high school teacher and professional singer. While working on the show for the past six years, Galeotti has found time to launch music career in real life and record two albums. She talked to the StarNews while in the studio working on a new album with her band, Everly.

Despite her current career path, Galeotti says she couldn’t ignore her first love anymore after watching the “The Notebook” and reading the novel.

“It was something that I just wanted to do as my own project,” she said. “I just thought, ‘Man this will be so great. I just have to get this out. I feel music attached to this story and I have to write this music out and I have to make it into a play. And whether anything happens to it or not, I just have to get it out creatively for myself.’ ”

The story opens with an old man reading from an old notebook to a woman with Alzheimer’s in a nursing home. He tells her about a wealthy city girl pressured by her parents to leave her first love, a country boy making 40 cents an hour. When they finally reunite, after World War II, the girl is already engaged to a man with money and she must decide which love to choose.

After finishing the libretto, Galeotti passed it on to a friend close to the Sparks family who handed it off to the book’s author. He loved it, Galeotti said, and she procured the rights to the musical.

The workshop in Wilmington is a chance for them to visualize the musical better before launching a full version bound for New York. The actress cautions that the version shown here will be a work in progress – not the finished product.

Still, Wilmington audiences will get the first glimpse of the Galeotti’s and Aniello’s new work.

“We want to do it in Wilmington and bring it alive in this community first since it’s in the South, and it’s so close to home for a lot of people that live here and read Nicholas’ books. They’re usually all set in North Carolina,” she said. “I really have seen a lot of shows in town and I think there’s a lot of talented people here. So I’m just excited to see who we get to come in and audition. And I just can’t wait to get the actors in the room and really work with them on these characters and see what happens.”

Galeotti said she might bring in some actors from out of state, but most of the cast will be from this area.

Those who would like to audition for the “Notebook” musical should call (800) 320-7990 to make an appointment. For more information about the project, go to www.TheNotebookMusical.com

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 1:32 pm
by Wonderlicious
With the song...

"I'm writing
Oh yes, I'm writing
It really really is so inviting
In a notebook
A message sending all my luck
Fancy a kiss? Fancy a -"

:p

In all fairness, I haven't seen the original film (all I know is that two people fall in love and that a notebook is somehow involved in the plot). But it could be a good musical. :)

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 3:00 pm
by ajmrowland
The Notebook was a book first.

I have seen parts of the movie, especially the end, but I won't spoil it. It's a very romantic movie.

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 8:43 pm
by pinkrenata
Blech. Sorry, for those who are fans of Sparks tripe. But do we really need another sappy musical - not to mention <i>another</i> one based on a movie? What happened to original theatre?

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 11:19 pm
by SpringHeelJack
pinkrenata wrote:What happened to original theatre?
Theater's always been taking ideas elsewhere. "Oklahoma!", "A Little Night Music", "Wicked", "West Side Story"... it's nothing new. Rarely ever do you have a musical based solely on original ideas.

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:18 pm
by pinkrenata
SpringHeelJack wrote:
pinkrenata wrote:What happened to original theatre?
Theater's always been taking ideas elsewhere. "Oklahoma!", "A Little Night Music", "Wicked", "West Side Story"... it's nothing new. Rarely ever do you have a musical based solely on original ideas.
You make a fair point there, and I guess I should give the creators of <i>The Notebook</i> the benefit of the doubt and assume they're basing the musical on the book rather than the movie. Maybe my distaste for Nicholas Sparks is getting in the way of my judgement? Perhaps.

Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 2:24 pm
by blackcauldron85
No one has mentioned it yet, but Bethany Joy Galeotti is an actress on One Tree Hill, so not only is "The Notebook" being made into a musical, she's creating it. Or co-creating it, anyway.

I'll be curious to hear the songs. I <3 me some Nicholas Sparks sappy novels, and "The Notebook" is probably my 2nd favorite, so yay. :)

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 10:20 am
by Jack Skellington
It's official : Broadway ran out of ideas ! lol

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 11:45 am
by Escapay
Renata wrote:Blech. Sorry, for those who are fans of Sparks tripe.
But it's such good tripe! And The Notebook has Rachel McAdams! RACHEL MCADAMS!!!!
Renata wrote:But do we really need another sappy musical
So says the girl who'll watch Moulin Rouge a million times over. :P

I kid, I kid. I'll watch Moulin Rouge a million times over too.
Scully wrote:It's official : Broadway ran out of ideas ! lol
But...this isn't a Broadway production. :P

Anyway, I've been a fan of Bethany Joy Galeotti ever since her "Guiding Light" days (when she was Joie Lenz and playing Michelle Bauer), so I would love to see this come to fruition in some form.

albert

Posted: Sat Jul 25, 2009 1:04 pm
by pap64
I am very glad to know that I am not the only one who will watch Moulin Rouge a million times over :p .

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2009 8:45 am
by pinkrenata
Escapay wrote:
Renata wrote:But do we really need another sappy musical
So says the girl who'll watch Moulin Rouge a million times over. :P

I kid, I kid. I'll watch Moulin Rouge a million times over too.
I resent that, man!

1). While still my fave movie, my <i>Moulin Rouge</i> obsession is a product of my early college years, back when I didn't know any better.
2). While, I admit it <i>is</i> pretty sappy at times, MR has lots more going on, while TN, I believe, is around only to induce tears in middle-aged women.
3). Ewan McGregor > Ryan Gosling.

:roll:

Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 7:24 pm
by PeterPanfan
Ugh. I cannot watch Moulin Rouge! without gagging. :headshake: :P

Anyway, like Scaps, I like the movie because of Rachel McAdams, and I really like Bethany Joe Galeotti, so I won't diss this before hearing some stuff.