The Notebook - 2022 - Chicago Articles Page 1

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is September 4, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

The complete cast has been announced for Mystic Pizza: A New Musical, with all new rehearsal photos also being released. Learn more about the tour here.

Sara Al-Bazali, known for her viral run as standby for Veronica Sawyer and Heather Chandler in HEATHERS off-Broadway, will present her solo cabaret WAIT FOR IT at 54 Below.

PLUTO TV will add free streaming premieres of MEAN GIRLS and SMILE, expand its anime lineup with ONE-PUNCH MAN and KENICHI: THE MIGHTIEST DISCIPLE, and present live sports and Double Feature Fridays.

New casting has been announced for the second year of the North American Tour of THE NOTEBOOK, including John Rubinstein, Angela Birchett, Makena Jackson, and more.

Pluto TV will pair classic films with new indie premieres each week, introduced by Entertainment Tonight correspondent Emily Curl in a new original programming format.

The principal cast has been revealed for Mystic Pizza: A New Musical, the new production embarking on a national tour, featuring Kendall Becerra, Chloë Lezotte, and Lexxi B Frilles.

The Notebook’s company does their best with the material they’re given, but without the impactful soundtrack to accompany it, the show ultimately falls short of delivering the emotional depth you might expect or desire from a generational love story.

Single tickets for THE NOTEBOOK, the musical based on the Nicholas Sparks novel and film, will go on sale as part of Proctors' KeyBank Broadway Series in Schenectady.

Tickets are now available for THE NOTEBOOK, the musical based on the Nicholas Sparks novel, as part of the Broadway Grand Rapids season lineup.

wild project will present a work-in-progress solo performance, a satirical new play about self-tapes and synthetic creativity, and the 10th Annual East Village Queer Film Festival at its East Village venue.

THE NOTEBOOK The Musical was a charming chamber piece when I first read Bekah Brunstetter's adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' breakout bestseller. But the touring version is now playing to bigger houses than either its original Chicago premiere or its New York engagement. With Broadway-extravaganza pretensions. Call me back when a local company decides to mount this musical at an appropriate scale.

The North American Tour of THE NOTEBOOK announced 26 new cities for its upcoming season, including stops in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, and Houston, after welcoming over 500,000 patrons since its launch.

THE NOTEBOOK, the musical based on Nicholas Sparks' bestselling novel and iconic film, will play Broadway In Chicago's James M. Nederlander Theatre for a limited two-week engagement, featuring music by Ingrid Michaelson.

Prospect Musicals announced the full line-up for its 2026 Gala & Muse Awards at The Edison Ballroom, honoring LaChanze, Ken Davenport, Lindsay Mendez, Ryan Scott Oliver, and Jose Antonio Vargas.

Wharton Center has announced its 2026-2027 Performing Arts Season, which will include Sutton Foster, Ana Gasteyer, and Broadway musicals such as Beetlejuice, The Outsiders, and more.

Theatre Group Asia announced Morissette as Middle Allie in THE NOTEBOOK: THE MUSICAL at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Manila, marking the production's international premiere.

New casting has been announced for the West End production of CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB. West End star and Olivier Award nominee Jamie Muscato will play Emcee and Tony and Grammy Award nominated Broadway star Joy Woods will play Sally Bowles.

Brandon Contreras and Ann Harada will co-host Prospect Musicals' 2026 Gala, to be held Monday, May 4th at The Edison Ballroom. The evening will include cocktails, dinner, and entertainment from special guests in honor of this year’s Muse Award recipients.

Original cast member Xavier McKinnon, who played the role of Ram Sweeney, recently departed the production. Chris Marsh Clark will join the company on April 27 as Ram Sweeney.

THE NOTEBOOK: THE MUSICAL will run May 5–10, 2026 at the Ziff Ballet Opera House, featuring Miami native Ken Wulf Clark as Middle Noah in the national tour.

After a sold-out LA premiere in November and sellout Edinburgh Fringe runs, Six Chick Flicks returns to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre on March 31st.

If you are new to Death Note, there is a lot to catch up on. It has inspired multiple adaptations across television, film, novels, video games, and even stage productions, becoming one of the most influential franchises in contemporary Japanese pop culture. The musical features a score by Tony, Grammy and Emmy nominee Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Jack Murphy and a book by Ivan Menchell. Wildhorn and Murphy's past collaborations include The Civil War, Swing, Wonderland, Carmen, and Count of Monte Cristo. Wildhorn is perhaps best known for Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie & Clyde, The Scarlet Pimpernall, and Dracula. Wildhorn's work on Death Note led to more manga adaptations, including Fist of the North Star in 2021 and Your Lie In April in 2022. I see Death Note as this total international, breaking the glass ceiling of what manga can be musically, around the world,' Wildhorn recently told BroadwayWorld.

Zan Berube will make her Off-Broadway debut as the new Heather Chandler in Heathers The Musical beginning next month. Learn more and find out how to get tickets here!

Joy Woods, celebrated for her performances on Broadway, will present her first solo concert in the UK at London's Cadogan Hall in June 2026. The event follows her acclaimed UK stage debut and promises an exclusive showcase of her talent.