Manuscripts, Movies, & Musicals, Oh My: An Evolution of Adaptations

Something fascinating has taken over the live entertainment industry. Stories that are now considered pieces of classic literature are being adapted into modernized stage performances. Beloved books that have been adapted in 2024 include The Great Gatsby, The Outsiders, and The Notebook. These three shows are currently some of the biggest and most popular pieces on Broadway. Even more interesting is that instead of simply staging a play, these works are full-fledged musicals with exceptional scores, dialogue, and choreography. 

The Great Gatsby was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and was originally published on April 10, 1926. This book depicts the failed love story between Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. In the novel, Gatsby attempts to gain Daisy’s affection by attaining her lifestyle. Unfortunately, this does not come to pass and the couple is ultimately separated based on societal differences during the 1920s. The current Broadway show was created through a collaborative team which included Kate Kerrigan for the book of the play, Jason Rowland and Nathan Tysen on music. The theatrical version takes a bold departure from the source material and centers its focus on the love story between Daisy and Gatsby, appearing more like a flashy and traditional over-the-top musical versus a more book-accurate adaptation. The score is very upbeat and portrays the exciting and nostalgic feeling of living through this very interesting time in American society. 

A key factor behind the Gatsby’s musical success is the dedicated social media team. Social media has provided their Gen Z audience content from their favorite actors on a weekly basis. This type of engagement is possible because of social media consultant, Katherine Quinn. Quinn first began interviewing various cast members almost a year ago, while it was still in a regional level rehearsal phase. 

This star-studded cast includes Eva Noblezada, best known for originating the role in the musical Hadestown, and Jeremy Jordan, best known for originating his role as Jack Kelly in Disney’s Newsies, the musical. I had the pleasure of seeing this show with the original cast, and it was truly one of my favorite live performance events to date. 

A second novel that was transformed into a modern version was The Outsiders. This book was written by S. E. Hinton and was published on April 24, 1967. At the time of the publication, the author was just 18 years old. The coming of age story depicts the social class differences between the poor, nicknamed “Greasers,” and the rich in the West nicknamed “Soc’s” through the lens of the protagonist, PonyBoy. The book is now recognized as a fan favorite and one that remains relevant even today. The book was later adapted into a film in 1983 and included a cast full of young actors who went on to become legends in Hollywood. These actors included Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Diane Lane, Sofia Coppola, and many others.

On June 16, 2024, the staged musical adaptation of The Outsiders would go on to win four Tony Awards for Best Lighting Design, Best Sound Design, Best Direction of a Musical, and even Best Musical. This show has only grown in popularity since receiving the highest honor for a Broadway show. This show was also one where I was able to see members of the original cast. The overall experience from the story and technical elements were incredible and absolutely breathtaking.

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There is a third book-to-film-to-stage adaptation that was a popular contender among audiences in the 2023-2024 Broadway season. This adaptation is the beautiful and heart-wrenching love story of The Notebook, written by Nicholas Sparks. This story explores the evolution of a romance between Allie and Noah, while also showing elements of the harsh reality of Alzheimer’s disease. The work was published on October 1, 1996, and was later made into a film which was released on June 25, 2004. This adaptation stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Gena Rowlands, who played older Allie (going through the struggle of Alzheimer’s) was diagnosed with this same condition earlier this year. Rowlands passed away on August 14, 2024. 

The musical adaptation grew in popularity from audiences of all generations, as many got to experience the beloved classic from a new perspective. The staged version seamlessly transforms this body of work into a gorgeous live experience, the novel by Bekah Brunstetter, and music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson. The choreography and staging even incorporates the fan favorite rain scene where Allie and Noah finally reconnect romantically after spending several years apart from each other. With this adaptation of a story, the creative team behind it makes it clear that the musical is going off of the original novel as opposed to being a carbon copy of the movie. 

Joy Woods, who plays Middle Allie, has gained massive popularity for her performance in this show. Her song titled “My Days” has been trending on social media following the release of the official soundtrack.  It fully showcases how vast and powerful her vocal range and acting abilities are. I was blessed to see this performance with the original cast as well, and out of all the previous work that was mentioned, sonically, this was my personal favorite experience because of the level of talent and gorgeous musical score that was behind it. Unfortunately, due to harsh feedback from critics in the beginning previews and performances, this production recently announced its set to close on Broadway on December 15, 2024. 

With stories like these being able to succeed in new life, it proves that there is a high demand for classic retellings. The popularity reflects how these stories impact viewers who choose to watch these stories in a new light. When given the right support from a creative standpoint, this is further proof that art is something that is universal. Whether it be a book, film, or a stage musical, the content people choose to immerse themselves in may have a significant impact on their life.

Something fascinating has taken over the live entertainment industry. Stories that are now considered pieces of classic literature are being adapted into modernized stage performances. Beloved books that have been adapted in 2024 include The Great Gatsby, The Outsiders, and The Notebook. These three shows are currently some of the biggest and most popular pieces on Broadway. Even more interesting is that instead of simply staging a play, these works are full-fledged musicals with exceptional scores, dialogue, and choreography. 

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