Secrets of ‘The Notebook’ revealed
“Aren’t you afraid that there’s a sex scene?” Celeste Legaspi, asked with her usual candor, putting Sheena Belarmino off-guard as Morissette Amon and the rest of the room waited with bated breath for the response. The three stars are playing the older, younger, and middle Allie, respectively, in the international premiere of The Notebook: The Musical—the stage adaptation of Nicholas Spark’s novel featuring music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and a Tony-nominated book by Bekah Brunstetter, to be presented by Theater Group Asia at Samsung Performing Arts Theater in September.
We, like Celeste, had many questions at an interview recently when Laurence Mossman and Rody Vera, the actors playing middle and older Noah, were finally revealed after the long wait since the younger one played by Benedix Ramos, was announced last April. The three “couples” were meeting all together for the first time, excited to compare notes ahead of rehearsals as they portray the celebrated love story of Allie and Noah across three generations. The energy was infectious, leading to hilarious banter as we tried to pry as many “secrets” from them.
Like did you know that Morrisette is a book nerd and bought all the novels of Nicholas Sparks in preparation for the role? Celeste was incredulous that there were other books. “There are tons at National. I’m sure mauubos yun after they watch our musical,” says the concert diva famously crowned “The New Queen” by OPM icon Regine Velasquez. Celeste, the Grand Dame of OPM herself, aside from being a trailblazing actress who had an early start in theater, was already impressed with Morissette for her work in Song of the Fireflies, the film that Celeste co-produced. This revelation simply confirmed the lengths she goes to in perfecting her craft.
“It’s such great material,” the middle Allie gushed. “And even in preparing myself for the role I was able to understand more what they were going through. It’s also a story I personally relate to. I know how it feels to fight for love.”
“It’s one of the greatest love stories ever written,” added Laurence, the London-based Filipino-kiwi actor. “I can resonate with Middle Noah and his big declaration of love. I especially love the lyric, ‘making a messy, beautiful life.’” He looks fondly upon his Manila theater experience: “I lived here for seven years. Fun Home was my first show, with Lea Salonga under the direction of the late Bobby Garcia. It was a lot of training, seeing how people like Lea conduct themselves and just learning the craft within the room. Learning to be vulnerable. Learning to make bold choices.”
For Benedix, it was destiny. As a child, he saw the film three times and cried: “When I was a kid, I already knew what love means. (A collective “Awwww” is heard in the room) I already knew how painful it is to be heartbroken. And also, All My Days (The song Morrisette sings in the musical’s video teaser) was actually the one I chose to audition for a film.”
He almost didn’t do Noah because, after a hectic period “nabu-burnout na ako so I was planning a theater break this year but when TGA called me, who am I to say no? This is really a special story, this is a big thing.”
For Rody Vera, who’s also a playwright and was the Narrator/Mysterious Man in TGA’s Into the Woods, since none of his previous theater work can inform his role as older Noah, he finds that “I can approach it on my own terms. I don’t have a template. Noah is the epitome of perseverance. At that point when Allie has lost all memory, and cannot even recognize Noah, it is easy to despair. But Noah’s courage and faith is determined to plumb Allie’s mind, believing relentlessly that somewhere in the deep recesses of Allie’s consciousness, the love remains. This is something new for me so it excites me more, we can discover what’s going to happen at rehearsals.”
Sheena, who has had a string of theater engagements with Benedix in Bar Boys, Next to Normal and Tabing Ilog, tells us, “Mabusisi ako sa mga projects. I do research even on Older Allie, why she got Alzheimer’s. I have to understand everything so it’s clear and I can communicate that to the audience.” It was at this point that Celeste asked the sex question and Sheena answered “Well, if it’s important in the scene, why not?” (Giggles as we all chide her.)
She can be confident thanks to an intimacy coordinator. But doesn’t that ruin spontaneity in acting? She says there is the “skeletal” way as a guide on how to do it, to which Celeste gave a puzzled look and when we asked why, she shared “Kasi I did a lot of, ano...” “Sex?” we asked (Laughter) “I remember I was doing a bed scene,” Celeste continued, “and Lino Brocka was the director. I don’t remember him saying the “skeletal” of kung anu-ano (laughs).” Laurence explains that “it actually allows you to be more spontaneous because you create an environment where you and your fellow actors all speak the same language. You know what is safe and with that knowledge you can explore more.”
Adjustments, of course, have to be made for every role one takes. Benedix says he’s a baritenor but the role is “very tenor so I’m working on my vocals.” Laurence comes from a more classical background as opposed to the musical’s contemporary style. Rody has to sing while showing the age of older Noah through his voice.
Morissette concedes theater is different from what she’s used to at concerts so she has to pace her voice “to sustain yourself for as long as you can. Also, I want to show na hindi puro birit and more storytelling.” Sheena is working on her stamina “for the choreo and all” and is taking singing workshops again, something Celeste has kept in her regular schedule ever since: “But what’s important is that every time I approach a song, whether in theater or a concert, I study the lyrics well. Everything is determined from that.” All the Allies and Noahs can’t wait for rehearsals to begin because, as Sheena says, “That’s where the magic really happens, where all of us will get to connect.”
Theatre Group Asia’s The Notebook: The Musical will run from Sept. 3 to 20 at Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Follow @theatregroupasia @cpatofficial