MAY 30 • 2024 | 49

and a woman’s right to vote. Written
and composed by Shaina Taub, who is
nominated for best book of a musical, it’s
co-produced by Hillary Rodham Clinton
and Malala Yousafzai. Leigh Silverman is
up for best director.
At the Music Box Theatre, 239 W.
45th St., (212) 239-6200.
The Great Gatsby, with one Tony nod,
is set in the 1920s and based on F. Scott
Fitzgerald’s timeless great American
novel. The audience is taken back to the
Roaring Twenties, as eccentric millionaire
Jay Gatsby pursues the lost love of his
youth, Daisy Buchanan. Starring Jeremy
Jordan and Eva Noblezada, it’s directed
by Marc Bruni.
At the Broadway Theatre, 1681
Broadway, (212) 239-6200.
The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks’ roman-
tic, heartbreaking love story, has gone
from novel to screen to stage. Allie and
Noah fall madly in love, spending over 50
years together as husband and wife. Years
later, Allie suffers from dementia and,
at her bedside at a nursing home, Noah
reads to her from a notebook she had
written years before.
Garnering three nominations, it’s
directed by Michael Greif and Schele
Williams. The sound design is by Nevin
Steinberg and music and lyrics by Ingrid
Michaelson.
At the Schoenfeld Theatre, 236 W.
45th St., (212) 239-6200.
The Outsiders, up for 12 awards,
including best musical, is based on S.E.
Hinton’s novel and the movie. Reaching
out to a new generation, it’s about teens
caught in a class war in an Oklahoma
town. Tony and his brothers try and
figure out where they fit in the world.
Justin Levine nabbed three Tony
nominations — one for book of a musi-
cal, one for orchestrations and one for
original score. Danya Taymor earned
a nomination for direction, and Jeff
Kuperman and Rick Kuperman for
choreography.
At the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242
W. 45th St., (212) 239-6200.
The Who’s Tommy, with one Tony
nod, is an unforgettable rock opera that
returns to Broadway after three decades

and a fresh new take. It’s the story of
Tommy Walker, a young boy who became
traumatized after witnessing a murder.
He retreats into himself, often staring
into the mirror. Growing up, he is emo-
tionless and unrelatable to anyone or any-
thing —until he tries pinball, where he
becomes a wiz. Music and lyrics by Pete
Townshend, starring Adam Jacobs, Alison
Luff and Reese Levine as Tommy at age
10. Scenic design is by David Korins.
At the Nederlander Theatre, 208 W.
41st St., (212) 239-6200.
Uncle Vanya, an amusing production
of the classic tale written by Anton
Chekhov, earned one nomination and
stars Steve Carell. The story focuses on
a man and his unmarried niece who
manage the family farm only to have
everything disrupted when their relatives
move in. Directed by Lila Neugebauer.
The show closes June 16.
At the Vivian Beaumont Theater, 150
W. 65th St., (212) 239-6200.
Water For Elephants, up for seven
nominations including best new musical,
is based on Sara Gruen’s bestselling novel.
When a veterinarian student’s parents
are killed in an accident, he drops out of
school and winds up joining the circus,
where he cares for the animals. He also
finds romance with the ringmaster’s wife.
Going back and forth from the past to
the present, the show includes high wire
acts, people swinging and death-defying

leaps. It stars Grant Gustin and Gregg
Edelman. Jessica Stone is nominated for
best direction, Rick Elice for book of a
musical, David Israel Reynoso for cos-
tume design, and Shana Carroll and Jesse
Robb for choreography.
At the Imperial Theater, 249 W.
45th St., (212) 239-6200.
A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond
Musical is not a new show, but it is a hot
ticket in New York, especially since it’s
closing June 30. It’s the story of music
legend Neil Diamond, a poor Jewish boy
from Brooklyn who became universally
revered.
His first break into songwriting was
in the 1960s, and this energetic show
highlights his disappointments, successes
and rise to stardom. Direction is by
Michael Mayer. The musical score fea-
tures the singer’s most beloved hits,
including “Sweet Caroline” and “Cracklin’
Rose.” Audiences sing along with some of
Diamond’s unforgettable hits during the
show.
After the Broadway run, the musi-
cal will go on the road and make its
Detroit premiere at the Fisher Theatre
Dec. 24-Jan. 5, 2025. The casting will be
announced later, but fans are encouraged
to visit abeautifulnoisethemusical.com to
sign up for the email newsletter to receive
tour news and updates.
At the Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W.
44th St., (800) 447-7400.

MATTHEW MURPHY, 2023

The leads from Merrily
We Roll Along at the
Hudson Theatre