#theaterdistrict

NEW YORK - Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant RowFor delicious, classic, elegant dining in New York's exciting Times Square theater district, add Barbetta to your list of favorites. Barbetta is an iconic restaurant featuring northern Italian cuisine. The Maioglio family has owned and operated it since 1906. Entrance to Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie BlanchardThe brownstone entrance and Piedmontese antiques transport you to a luxurious Italian villa as you settle in for an unforgettable experience. Here are some interior views along with the delightful outdoor dining patio area. Dining area at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie Blanchard A charming interior space at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie Blanchard Outdoor Dining at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie Blanchard Bar Seating at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie BlanchardTo quote a friend who has often dined at Barbetta, 'This timeless restaurant never disappoints; the food is consistently delicious and service exceptional.' Its many loyal and famous patrons, including the members of The Rolling Stones, agree. Restaurant Week Menu at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie BlanchardSince it was New York City's famed restaurant week, we ordered from the prix fixe menu, which included three sumptuous courses. We savored and enjoyed the Insalata Fantasia and the Garganelli Pasta for the first course.The salad blended baby greens, julienned carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, and roasted peppers in a light vinaigrette. The homemade pasta was tender and served in a tomato and basil sauce with oven-roasted tomatoes. Insalata Fantasia at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie Blanchard Garganelli Pasta at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie BlanchardFor the main course, I chose the Crespelle alla Savoiarda. It was exquisite! It was a thin, tasty, homemade crepe filled with chopped vegetables and topped with cheese. Even though it featured a delicious vegetable filling, it had the consistency of cannelloni. It was the most unique, delicious dish I have enjoyed recently! Crespelle alla Savoiarda at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie BlanchardMy friend ordered the Paillard of Chicken with fennel greens and oven-roasted tomatoes. She, too, was happy and commented on the many delicious flavors and textures. Paillard of Chicken at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row.Photo by Valèrie BlanchardFor dessert, we all chose the Mousse of Orange Bittersweet Chocolate. It was beautifully presented, creamy, and decadent—the perfect blend of bitter and sweet. A delicious espresso was the perfect complement. Mousse of Orange Bittersweet Chocolate at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie BlanchardThe wine list was extensive. We chose a dry rosé and were delighted with its sophisticated, flavorful character. A Dry Rosé Wine at Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row. Photo by Valèrie BlanchardThe next time you look for a restaurant in the theater district, I highly recommend Barbetta. We may meet there, as it is number one in my favorite dining venue.J'aime cuisiner les délicieux repas for my family and friends, bien sûr, and I'm inspired to craft and serve exciting, new dishes after dining out. Here's my favorite recipe for the très délicieux Crespelle alla Savoiarda.Crespelle alla SavoiardaIngredients:For the Crespelle (Crepes):- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk- 2 large eggs- 2 tablespoons melted butter- A pinch of salt- 1 cup (250g) ricotta cheese- 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese- 1/2 cup (50g) Fontina cheese, diced- 1/2 cup (50g) Emmental cheese, diced- 1 egg- Salt and pepper, to taste- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste- 2 tablespoons (30g) butter- 2 tablespoons (30g) all-purpose flour- 2 cups (500ml) milk- A pinch of salt- Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste- 1/4 cup (25g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese- Butter, for dotting- Prepare the Crespelle:- Combine the flour, eggs, milk, melted butter, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly grease with butter. Pour a small amount of the batter (about 1/4 cup) into the skillet, tilting to coat the surface evenly.- Cook each crespelle until golden, about 1-2 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining batter. Set the crespelle aside.- Prepare the Filling:- Combine ricotta, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, Fontina, Emmental, egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl. Mix until well combined.- Prepare the Bechamel Sauce:- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.- Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously to avoid lumps. Cook until the sauce thickens, then season with salt and nutmeg.- Assemble the Crespelle:- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).- Take each crespelle and place a spoonful of the filling in the center. Roll up the crespelle and put it in a buttered baking dish.- Pour the bechamel sauce over the rolled crespelle, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and dot with butter.- Bake:- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.- Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.Serving Suggestions:Serve the Crespelle alla Savoiarda with a fresh green salad and a glass of dry white wine, such as a Pinot Grigio or a Gavi. Enjoy your meal and enjoy with those you love!Valèrie B.Barbetta Restaurant: Northern Italian Cuisine in Restaurant Row321 W. 46th StreetNew York City, New YorkClick HERE for information and menusReaders may also enjoy our reviews of Celebrating The Paris Olympics on West 53rd Street, The Mark and the Met, Little Ruby’s Café East Village, The Smith and a Birthday Surprise, Pasta Bar in SOHO, Laser Wolf in Brooklyn, Mother’s Day at Blackbarn, Rosemary’s, Gene’s Italian Restaurant, Le Rivage on Restaurant Row, Dowling’s at the Carlyle, and Ethos Greek Restaurant.https://youtu.be/i6iBAuwBODA?si=Cz3fuda30atXyvNt

NEW YORK - Mother Play at the Hayes TheaterYipes – there is so much packed into this title. Notice it is not “THE Mother Play.” It is “Mother Play.” As such, it is a full-blown noun. Like Cosplay. This is the story of what siblings Martha (Celia Keenan-Bolger) and Carl (Jim Parsons) do when their mother Phyllis (Jessica Lange) is around and when she is not. In either case, the siblings are reacting to Phyllis: what she HAS done and what she MIGHT do.We follow this trio for 40 or so years. When we first meet them, Martha is 12, Carl 14, Phyllis 37, and the father – well, he is in the absent category. Because Phyllis spends quite a bit of time thinking about him – both the good and the bad – we could call this Mother-Father play.For me, however, this story is Daughter Play. Martha is our guide, our safety net, our Home Plate. She is our reassuring voice because, from the get-go, we know she is a survivor. No matter what happens or how grisly it gets – Martha changes. Martha survives. We know her brother does not. Photo by Joan MarcusPhoto By Joan MarcusThis is a play about evictions we are told, and while that may be the case, it is easy to get lost in what number eviction we are experiencing. The threesome begins their tale in a basement custodial apartment where the rent is reduced if they take out the trash. The trash is a whole other tale in itself, and whoever designed “the infestation” effects should get a special award, even though it takes us far south of the story.As the evictions roll out, the family moves up the apartment food chain, and while this would appear to be a good thing, Phyllis’s outlook on life does not change. Neither does Carl’s. For me, this is where the play bogs down and rests in a kind of stasis. I thought of Vogel’s play “How I Learned to Drive” recently produced in New York. That play is an unending stream of subtleties that, when added up, shakes us to our core. There are few subtleties in Mother Play, and we could use a few of them to interrupt the barrage of moments marinated in misery and resentment.In spite of Phyllis’s narcissism, her children escape her grasp. Or perhaps we could say they are no longer changing to meet her needs. As time passes, Carl becomes a mentor and protector for Martha. While Phyllis hands Martha stories of sad lesbians, Carl counters with Virginia Woolf, Betty Friedan, the Bloomsbury Group, and Gloria Steinem.In 1968, Carl leaves for Johns Hopkins with parting advice for Martha: “I want you to stay out of this house as much as you can. Take after-school programs. Volunteer. Go out for school plays. Stay out of the house.” You could feel the visceral reaction of the audience as we recognized – perhaps for the first time – that we had chosen a similar path outside of our own homes. The play is full of moments like this where, like it or not, we see our lives displayed on that stage. Perhaps ours was not as extreme. Perhaps it was worse. No matter – the scent is there. “Glass Menagerie,” anyone?In college, Carl comes into his own sexual identity. This pushes Phyllis when she is not sucking down martinis, over the edge, and the next “Eviction” happens because she will not allow a gay son to live under the same roof.Something to remember here. In 1968, homosexuality was illegal. Full stop. Not that it did not exist. It did. But not out in the open where people could kiss in public or even hold hands. So Phyllis’s reaction was not unusual. Her lack of understanding, however, drives a further wedge between her and the children, especially when Martha declares her independence as well.Soon, Phyllis is alone. Nothing to be done about that. As her life closes in on her, there is a sort of rapprochement between the three. She no longer has the strength to fight them – or so we think. It is Martha who stays the course and cares for her family. She has changed from that 12-year-old kid packing boxes for each eviction into a mature, loving woman. She had no real training for that. And she does it anyway. Keenan-Bolger gives a sensitive and subtle performance that appears effortless. Martha is the linchpin that is overlooked until we reach the end of the trail.Martha Play. Indeed.Mother PlayWritten by Paula Vogel and directed by Tina Landau.WITH Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jessica Lange, and Jim Parsons.Scenic design by David Zinn, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Jen Schriever, and sound design by Jill BC Du Boff.Through June 16 at the HAYES Theatre, 240 W. 44th Street. Tickets HERE.Readers may also enjoy our reviews of Fingers and Spoons, Uncle Vanya at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center, Still at the Daryl Roth Theater, Las Borinqueñas at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, Sally and Tom at the Public Theater, Lempicka at the Longacre Theatre, and The Who’s Tommy.https://youtu.be/qhbcN3ew9z0?si=G2PDuEaZAUeu4baN

NEW YORK - Cabaret at the Kit Kat ClubIn this production of Cabaret, now at the August Wilson Theatre, we are greeted with a completely renovated space that leaves us room to sit in a 360-degree formation. Our Emcee (Eddie Redmayne), who will prove to be a chameleon in short order, gives us our marching orders. Stephen Skybell and Bebe Neuwirth in a scene from Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Photo by Marc Brenner.Leave your troubles outside! So… life is disappointing? Forget it! We have no troubles here! Here, life is beautiful… The girls are beautiful…Even the orchestra is beautiful! Except nothing is beautiful when we examine what is dimly lit on the stage. In this production, even the idea of beauty is squashed before it has a chance to slither out into the light. The complete overhaul of the theatre, however, can make a person forget pretty much everything except what is being presented.We are in Weimar-era Berlin as American writer Clifford Bradshaw (Ato Blankson-Wood arrives. He is there to write and soak up whatever he can find on offer. Bradshaw experiences the grace of a traveler’s casual meeting and is directed to the rooming house of Fraulein Schneider (Bebe Neuwirth) first and to the doorstep of The Kit Kat Club second. There, he meets Sally Bowles (Gayle Rankin), and there is no looking back. Too bad.Things will not go well, and neither party will give up until danger fills the doorway.On the other end of the spectrum is what I consider to be the heart of the story, or at least the one to which we can attach without losing our footing. It is the love story of Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz (Steven Skybell). These are two older people who have already lived through WWI and are getting by from day to day. She is the landlady of a rooming house, and he is a fruit peddler. Both are operating with the permission of the government. Their friendship is well-worn, but it is clear that Herr Schultz would like more. He woos her with fruit, and in his eyes, it is the most romantic of gestures.Meanwhile, back at the Kit Kat Club, things are deteriorating so much that Sally is left homeless until she wheedles her way into Cliff’s room while Frauline Schneider looks in the other direction.The story gets a little spotty as we are asked to divide our attention between what is going on outside the club and what is going on inside. In addition, each time the Emcee appears, he is in costume, wig, and makeup that change with each appearance. His costumes include a Commedia dell’Arte clown, a futuristic black body suit, an androgynous lederhosen outfit, and a freshly minted blonde-haired Nazi. So frequent are these changes that we lose a connection to the Emcee as a guide. He becomes part of the spectacle rather than the conductor of the train.There are other hiccups as well. Gayle Rankin starts on a level so high that she has nowhere to go and gets stuck in the rafters. Ato Blankson-Wood is out of his depth here. His performance as the American observing the approach of the Nazi era lacks specificity. He appears to be one step behind every moment he is onstage. A Scene from Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. Photo by Marc BrennerErgo, there is little connection to our three main characters. A problem.It is Bebe Neuwirth who shows us all how the magic is made. Neuwirth is clear, precise, and focused. When she has to face the fact that her fiancé is a Jew, and this puts them both in danger, the young ‘uns chide her for “giving up.” In no-nonsense, simple words, she tells them:… if you fail – what does it matter? You pack your belongings. You move to Paris. And if you do not like Paris – where? It is easy for you. But if you were me…She then sings:WITH TIME RUSHING BY,WHAT WOULD YOU DO?WITH THE CLOCK RUNNING DOWN,WHAT WOULD YOU DO?THE YOUNG ALWAYS HAVE THE CURE,BEING BRAVE, BEING SURE AND FREE.BUT IMAGINE IF YOU WERE ME…She tells them:…if the Nazis come– I will survive. And if the Communists come– I will still be here – renting these rooms!For, in the end, what other choice have I?This – Is my world!She leaves the stage and we want to go with her. Because we cannot, we stand and cheer – because THIS moment is the nut of the story delivered at the eleventh hour.Everything else leading up to this moment is a spectacle—a beautifully executed spectacle. A puff pastry that is delightful to look at and, once eaten, is easy to forget—which is a disappointment as the whole point of this tale is to remember. Look around at what is going on in this country right now. Look and take heed. It is not a pretty picture.PS The entire show is staged with Orchestra 1 and Mezzanine 1,2 3 in mind. The actors play to these sections roughly 50% of the time. Remember this if you are getting tickets. Sit anywhere else, and you will be seeing a lot of people’s backs and behinds. With all the work put into creating a nightclub out of a theatre, one would think some thought to the staging would have been a good idea. BTB – this happens a lot all over town where there is a thrust stage or an in-the-round production. PPS – There is food and drink available for the ringside seats – you can see that option on the ticket site. There is also a pre-show of dance and drink in the lobby – the entrance is a labyrinth, so watch your step!CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB, Book by Joe Masteroff, based on the play by John van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood, Music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb, Directed by Rebecca FrecknallWITH Eddie Redmayne, reprising his London performance as The Emcee; Gayle Rankin as Sally Bowles; Ato Blankson-Wood as Cliff; Bebe Neuwirth as Fraulein Schneider; Steven Skybell as Herr Schultz; Natascia Diaz as Fraulein Kost and Fritzie; and Henry Gottfried as Ernst Ludwig.The cast also includes Marty Lauter as Victor, Gabi Campo as Frenchie, Ayla Ciccone-Burton as Helga, Colin Cunliffe as Hans, Loren Lester as Herman/Max, David Merino as Lulu, Julian Ramos as Bobby, MiMi Scardulla as Texas, and Paige Smallwood as Rosie.As in the production’s West End run, the theatre has been transformed into an in-the-round Kit Kat Club. Ticket holders receive a “club entry time” before their show date so that everyone’s able to take in the pre-show, which can even include a full dinner at some ticket levels. The prologue company, a group of 12 dancers and musicians, welcomes theatergoers with a pre-show performance beginning approximately 75 minutes prior to curtain time.The Broadway prologue company comprises dancers Alaïa, Iron Bryan, Will Ervin Jr., Sun Kim, and Deja McNair. The musicians include Brian Russell Carey on piano and bass, Francesca Dawis on violin, Maeve Stier on accordion, and Michael Winograd on clarinet. Rounding out the company are dancer swings Ida Saki and Spencer James Weidie, and dedicated substitute musician Keiji Ishiguri.Much of the production’s creative team is reprising their work for the Broadway bow, including choreographer Julia Cheng; club, set, and costume designer Tom Scutt; lighting designer Isabella Byrd; sound designer Nick Lidster (for Autograph); and music supervisor and director Jennifer Whyte. Sam Cox designed the hair and wigs, and Guy Common handled the makeup. Angus MacRae composed and directed the prologue, with Jordan Fein serving as the prologue director.TICKETS HERECabaret at the Kit Kat ClubAugust Wilson Theater245 W 52nd StreetNew York, NY 10019Readers may also enjoy our reviews of Suffs, The Two Hander, Gun and Powder: The Legend of the Sisters Clarke, To Whom Should I Complain, Address Unknown at the Town Hall, The Moth Project, and The Who’s Tommy.https://youtu.be/odZhCQK7R6U?si=8UlvNfcjWFswHfIg

NEW YORK - SuffsFirst of all, the term is “Suffragist,” not “Suffragette.” A Suffragist is a person who demands suffrage (the right to vote) for everyone. Suffragette is a derogatory term created to turn a female Suffragist into an innocent and misguided twerp.This fact is not new to me. It was, however, new to most of the people who were in the audience at the Music Box Theatre. That alone makes this show worth seeing. Brush up your history, folks!Shaina Taub wrote this show from top to bottom: Book, Music, Lyrics. It is astonishing that this entire creation came out of one woman. So there is that.As to the rest of the cast, they are each singular and engaging. There is no one person who stands out, and this makes sense because it is a women’s ensemble, and women share the spotlight easily. Bravo us. In addition, the orchestrations – the three and four-part harmonies – the costumes and wigs are off the charts. You can practically feel the corsets and hat pins. The package is entrancing.Back in the 1980s, I had a one-woman show, “What Everywoman Knows” that told the tale of many an American woman who was a known progressive of her time and had been forgotten. One of the women I portrayed was Alice Paul (Taub). Ms. Paul had this crazy idea that women deserved the right to vote, and rather than wait her turn, she clawed her way up to the front of the line and took thousands of women (and men) with her. She began with the idea of a march on Washington – something that had never been done. (The song “Find A Way” becomes a recurring theme throughout.) In short order, there were 250,000 women converging on Washington in 1913.Before social media, before the radio, before television, before telephones were in common use – a quarter of a million people showed up to demand an Amendment to the Constitution that enfranchised women.It only took seven years for that to happen. But who’s counting? In the meantime, Alice Paul and her National Woman’s Party members were arrested for picketing Woodrow Wilson Whitehouse, carrying banners quoting the President on the importance of Democracy (this was his reason for entering WWI). The women proposed that Democracy was a swell idea if women could be included in the mix. For this, they were arrested for “Obstructing Traffic” and sent to a workhouse where they were force-fed until their letters were smuggled out to the press. Wilson denied any knowledge of these doings.And what has changed in the past 110 years? Sorry to say not a lot. Sure, sure, women can have their own credit cards (signed into law in 1974 by Gerald Ford), and we can wear pants, and we can ask for equal pay. But then there is that pesky Pro-choice issue that is accompanied by the idea that some people know better than I do about my body – or yours, for that matter – because they have a direct line to God Almighty. And speaking of arrests – what about the students at Columbia protesting the Palestinian situation who have been carted off to jail? Wonder when protesting became a crime?These are the thoughts that swirl around your head when watching what amounts to a travelogue through the past century of American Women’s history. The excitement, the challenge, the thrill, and, of course, the idiotic situation where women had to ASK. We were and are trusted to bear and raise children, but not to run a corporation. And so far, the Equal Rights Amendment authored by Paul and first submitted to Congress in 1923 – “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex” has not been ratified by the states in a way on which everyone can agree. Suffice it to say the same tired arguments – and ERA it is not needed – and the new arguments that it might lead to transgender or Queer rights are being passed around like loose joints.There are a few inconsistencies in this script. The role of black women is never made clear. Did they march in 2013, or did they acquiesce and step to the rear? The spat between Ida B. Wells (Nikki M. James) and Mary Church Terrell (Anastacia McCleskey) is never fully realized. They had opposing views about how best to participate in the suffrage movement. It is almost as if black women got overlooked in the script the same way they did for the march. This choice feels deliberate, but I cannot imagine why. We could have used a little less Wilson and a lot more NAACP. In the end, all we know is that they agree that suffrage will not be granted to them.In case the fire in your belly has gone out, “Suffs” will throw some coal on it. For centuries women have fought, been raped, tarred and feathered, murdered, and in general tortured just so that we would shut up. The women in this show were fighting so that their great-granddaughters would have shoulders to stand on.We would be those great-granddaughters.What are you going to do??? This is what Suffs asks of us. You could begin by taking a young woman to see this show.SUFFS book, music, and lyrics by Shaina Taub, direction by Leigh Silverman,WITH Shaina Taub, Nikki M. James, Jenn Colella, Grace McLean, Hannah Cruz, Kim Blanck, Anastacia McCleskey, Ally Bonino, Tsilala Brock, Nadia Dandashi, and Emily Skinner.Choreography by Mayte Natalio, scenic design by Riccardo Hernández, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Lap Chi Chu, sound design by Jason Crystal, orchestrations by Michael Starobin, and music supervision and music direction by Andrea Grody.SUFFS at the MUSIC BOX THEATRE239 W 45th StreetNew York, NY 10036Click HERE for TicketsReaders may also enjoy our reviews of The Two Hander, Gun and Powder: The Legend of the Sisters Clarke, To Whom Should I Complain, Address Unknown at the Town Hall, The Moth Project, and The Who’s Tommy.https://youtu.be/jhuMXJhGS4o?si=vuH3JBTfN99OQT0g

NEW YORK – The Notebook on BroadwayRegarding "The Notebook" – the new musical that just opened on Broadway: If you have ever been in love, or read about it in magazines, or if you know anyone who was in love or know someone who knew someone who was in love, or if you have ever heard the word "love" spoken or sung, or if you ever read a story or a poem or even a recipe in the New York Times that used the word love, or maybe you have heard the word but it was in a different language like French or Mandarin – if, if, if any of these apply to you – have I got a show for you!!!I'm not that big a love fan myself. Onstage, it can be clunky. Passion can be badly choreographed or altogether unbelievable. It can be too loud or, too long, or too sophomoric. It can be too repetitive. I'm judgmental. Sue me.Which is why it is baffling that I got sucked into this story. It could be because everything starts with the fabulous and not seen enough Dorian Harewood (Older Noah), who sings in a rich, rumbly voice:Time to get up, time to get up nowAnd let the bones crack into placeI look in the mirror, I see an old manBut in my eyes, a young man's faceTime, time, time, timeIt never was mine,Mine, mine, mineBut you know what is?Love, hope, breath, and dreamsAs cliché as that seemsSoon, the other generations of Noah and his wife Allie – Joy Woods as Middle Allie, Ryan Vasquez as Middle Noah, Jordan Tyson as Younger Allie, John Cardoza as Younger Noah – and we see them as living memories all singing the same tune that time never belongs to us. The older Allie (Maryann Plunkett) is also revealed. She is a patient in a Care Facility. It is clear she is suffering from dementia. For the most part, she does not recognize herself or anyone around her – even her husband, Noah, who is also a resident. One surprise here is the multi-racial casting.The three couples are completely different races. No idea why, perhaps to mark the three time periods we observe. Who knows? Once you grab onto it, however, it works fine enough not to matter.Over the next couple of hours, we are on a guided tour through Allie and Noah's love-filled life via The Notebook. When Allie was diagnosed, she wrote their story in this Notebook, partly as a way to help her remember before she forgot and also as a promise. She told Noah that when things got bad, really bad, she wanted him to read to her from the Notebook. If he did that, she would come back to him. Reading to her every day has become Noah's raison d’être. He is the sole possessor of the belief that Allie will indeed come back to him, and he will stop at nothing to be at her side every day with The Notebook. Of course, there are setbacks that sideline Noah, which calls for the PT staff member Johnny (Carson Stewart) to pick up the ball, which means we get to see the story with new eyes, and the tale takes on a new convert in the "rescuing Allie" mission.The tour of the past includes the highs and lows, beginning with the falling in love part – and this, dear reader, is where you come in. WHY these two fall in love, we never find out. But then, neither do they. All they know is that there is a fierce electricity pulling them together – despite parental wishes that would direct them elsewhere. As much as this is an equal opportunity tale, the women (Jordan Tyson as Younger Allie and Joy Woods as Middle Allie) are given solos that not only come close to stopping the show but reveal the depth of these characters' emotional journey. What is their path, commitment to loving, and commitment to themselves? Where are the guideposts? A scene from the Broadway musical The Notebook. Photo by Julieta CervantesThis is such a tightly knit cast it is difficult to single anyone out. Plunkett's performance, however, as a woman suffering from dementia is the core of the story. Her sensitive portrayal becomes the planet around which everything else revolves.By the time the tale unfurls and concludes, we are heavily invested in this couple and all their iterations. Even the spring break students in the balcony were howling their approval song after song. In the final moments of this production, we are returned to our seats changed, lighter and more vulnerable than when we entered. Which is what theatre is all about, is it not?When thinking about writing this review, I remembered a quote by Annie Lamot."I do not understand the mystery of grace — only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us."The Notebook: music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson, book by Bekah Brunstetter, directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams, with choreography by Katie Spelman.Maryann Plunkett as Older Allie, Dorian Harewood as Older Noah, Joy Woods as Middle Allie, Ryan Vasquez as Middle Noah, Jordan Tyson as Younger Allie, John Cardoza as Younger Noah, Andréa Burns as Mother/Nurse Lori. Playing various roles are Yassmin Alers, Alex Benoit, Chase Del Rey, Hillary Fisher, Jerome Harmann-Hardeman, Dorcas Leung, Happy McPartlin, Juliette Ojeda, Kim Onah, Carson Stewart, Charles E. Wallace, and Charlie Webb.Schoenfeld Theatre236 W 45th StreetNew York, NY 10036Click HERE for tickets.Readers may also enjoy our reviews of My Beatnik Youth: A Solo Riff, My Mother Had Two Faces, Before the Drugs Kick In, The Effect, Dead Outlaw, Jelly’s Last Jam, The Maid and the Mezmerizer, and This is Not a Time of Peace.https://youtu.be/2vTKmVvyNRc?si=p67FF0sV1V801xv0