Preview: Actor Kyle Mangold Opens Up About the North American Tour of ‘The Notebook’

The Notebook carries enormous cultural memory from both the novel and the film. When you step into this musical version, how conscious are you of audiences’ expectations versus simply relinquishing control and telling the story for what it is?

Mangold: I think audiences who love the novel and the film come in excited to see one of their favorite stories come to life. The musical, the novel, and the movie all have their own slightly different take on the story but contain the same emotional depth and love which is what makes the story so palpable. When learning the role of Younger Noah and going to rehearsals, I entered the space with an appreciation for the movie and the novel and an understanding of the way the story made me feel. I allowed that feeling to sit in the back of my mind while also allowing my own personality and life experience to inform my choices.

There are some wonderful quotes in the book that I like to re-read once in a while. I keep a copy of the novel at my dressing room station for that purpose.

Ingrid Michaelson’s score has a very specific and understated feel to it. How does her music shape the way you approach scenes as an actor, especially compared to more traditional Broadway scores?

Mangold: The music and lyrics of Ingrid Michaelson weave in and out of the story seamlessly. The very human and grounded lyrics allow us to continue on with the scenes while the music sneaks its way and raises the emotional stakes. My goal when acting and singing is to leave the audience wondering when the dialogue ended and the singing began. Ingrid Michaelson’s work here makes that very easy.

Your bio notes that this is your national tour debut — congratulations! What’s been the biggest adjustment — artistically or personally — between building work in one place and telling this story eight shows a week across the country? Was there anything in your training or earlier work that you’ve been able to particularly harness as Younger Noah?

Mangold: Thank you! It has been a dream come true, and I have absolutely loved telling the story in all the different cities we’ve been in. There are so many ways touring a show is different from being in one place, but the largest adjustment is simply maintaining a balance between traveling almost every week, wanting to explore the new cities, while also protecting the physical and emotional energy needed for the show. It is a huge adventure and huge job happening simultaneously. Of course, the show always comes first. It is also so much fun to do the show in different theaters and for different communities. It feels like we have a mini opening and closing night every week or two.

Every show is a learning opportunity as an actor. A lot of the work I did at Shenandoah Conservatory was very contemporary musical-theatre-based. My senior year I worked with Matt Edwards on pop and contemporary singing, and I fell in love with that style. I definitely harness that training for this role. My current voice teacher Mike Ruckles has helped me build upon that foundation. I definitely reflect on emotional contemporary roles I have played — for example, Moritz [Stiefel] in Spring Awakening, both in style and in preparing for the emotional journey. I did over 200 performances with Stranger Sings! The Musical Parody and that taught me a lot about maintaining my voice for a show that sits in a very high range eight times a week. However, nothing could have prepared me for adjusting to life on the road. That is a constant, very exciting, learning experience.

Because Noah is portrayed at three different stages of life, the show asks the audience to track emotional continuity across time. As Younger Noah, what feels most essential for you to establish early so the full arc lands by the end?

Mangold: Every version of Noah has to fight for his love for Allie. What is different for Chloë (Younger Allie) and I is that we have to set the groundwork for their relationship. We have to make sure the chemistry between the two characters is so strong that not only does it make sense that they fight so hard to be together after only knowing each other for one summer, but that the audience is desperate for them to find each other again.

Like other renditions of this work, I believe the musical doesn’t shy away from memory loss and aging alongside the romance. How do you navigate the emotional weight of those themes with the lighter elements of the story?

Mangold: I’m going to quote Beau (Older Noah) here: ‘We step into the river and see where it takes us.’ This show celebrates every part of life and every part of falling and staying in love — the ‘Sadness and Joy’.

It is different for everyone, but for me, before doing the show, I like to take a moment to reflect on the people and the things in my life that I love, the things that have brought me sadness and joy. That way when we get to the varying emotions of the show on stage, I have very relatable feelings already living in my body that I call upon. The show does an incredible job of balancing the more intense moments with the lighter moments — especially in the scenes with Older Noah and his physical therapist/comedic relief in the show, Johnny.

Even though it has been more than twenty years, Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Noah is still deeply embedded in pop culture. Do you think about that performance at all, or did you intentionally set it aside when finding your own version of Younger Noah?

Mangold: Since I already quoted Beau, I’ll quote Ken (Middle Noah): ‘Nobody can out-Goose the Goose.’ So, why try? As I mentioned earlier, I allowed my appreciation for Ryan Gosling’s portrayal to sit in the back of my mind. I was inspired by the passion and love portrayed in the movie; however, I did not want to imitate him in any way. This show is very genuine and honest and the best way to harness that energy is to bring my authentic self to the role.

Lastly, touring this show means performing it in very different spaces and cities. What excites you most about bringing The Notebook to Southern California audiences, particularly at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre and Segerstrom Hall in Costa Mesa?

Mangold: We are so incredibly lucky to be spreading love in each new city through this show. Not everyone can come to New York City to see every Broadway show so making it accessible in new cities is a huge honor, especially in famous art hubs like the ones we are visiting in Southern California. As a cast we are very much looking forward to performing at these stunning venues, and for our red carpet in L.A.! I think California audiences are going to fall head over heels for this show. I am also thrilled for the warm weather and the beaches!

Cover image caption: Left to right are Kyle Mangold (Younger Noah) and Chloë Cheers (Younger Allie) in the North American tour of The Notebook. Photo by Roger Mastroianni.