Maryann Plunkett and Dorian Harewood in ‘The Notebook’ on Broadway. Photo Credit: Julieta Cervantes.
Actor Dorian Harewood chatted about starring in “The Notebook” on Broadway as Older Noah.
Harewood started his career on stage in the Broadway musical “Two Gentleman of Verona” and subsequently went on to star in the original Broadway productions of “Streamers,” “The Mighty Gents” and “Jesus Christ Superstar.”
Harewood on being back on Broadway after 46 years
This shows marks Harewood’s return to the Broadway stage for the first time in 46 years. Harewood is thrilled to be back and to be taking on this beloved role in “The Notebook” musical (which was played by the late James Garner in the 2004 film). “That’s unbelievable that it has been that long,” he admitted.
“Time seems to stand still; I look around and it has been 46 years since I was last on Broadway. It seems like it was only yesterday. That’s the uniqueness of time. It seems to stand still, but it constantly goes on, as we all know,” he elaborated.
“So, time in itself, is just unique,” he added.
‘The Notebook’ on Broadway
While the feature film of the same name and the book by Nicholas Sparks are iconic enough, Harewood truly feels that this new musical is “next level.”
“To come back after 46 years and to be back on Broadway seems like it has only been am inute
He went on to praise Ingrid Michaelson for composing the music and lyrics in this production, while she simultaneously made her debut as a musical composer on Broadway. “The music is so great, and everyone in the cast is supremely talented,” he exclaimed.
Harewood on working with Maryann Plunkett as the Older Allie
On performing opposite Maryann Plunkett, Harewood said, “The most exciting thing about my job is getting to work with the unbelievably talented Maryann Plunkett who is breathtaking as the Older Allie.”
Harewood on working with Ryan Vasquez
Harewood had great words about Ryan Vasquez, who portrays the “Middle Noah” in the musical. “Ryan Vasquez is very talented and a great guy,” he exclaimed. “Ryan is just an unbelievable performer.”
Harewood on working with John Cardoza
“John Cardoza is also a terrific guy just like Ryan,” Harewood said about Cardoza who plays the “Younger Noah.” “John is a very giving person and actor, and the same holds true for Jordan Tyson and Joy Woods as the Younger Allie and Middle Allie respectively.”
“Like I said, this cast is made up of supremely talented artists,” he underscored. “More importantly, they are all really good human beings, and that adds to the fact that they are all so talented.”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Harewood said, “I’m still learning. I think we should all be learning everyday.”
“I learn something new every day,” he said “We are all students, and we are all here to learn, and to get better, in my opinion, to become better people and kinder and to be more respectful. We are all one human family. The human race is one race and one family. We are here to learn that, to experience that and to grow and evolve as a species.”
Harewood on being mentored by Bette Davis
Harewood credits the late but great Bette Davis for his passion for acting when he starred opposite her in the Philadelphia stage musical “The Corn is Green” which featured a locale switched to American South from Wales.
“Bette Davis was the one that got me into acting,” he revealed. “Bette was my mentor. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be acting or doing any of that. I would be singing still but I’m not sure I would’ve been acting. Bette was the one who talked me into acting, and she was my mentor for that.”
The screen and TV work of Dorian Harewood
Harewood is known for his work on screen and television. He first garnered attention in the ABC-TV miniseries, “Roots: The Next Generation.” He then went on to star in the ABC-TV series, “Strike Force” and the widely popular TV Movie, “The Jesse Owens Story” as the titular character.
In 1994, he garnered a NAACP Image Award for his role as Jazz/Blues saxophonist Clarence “Cool Papa” Charleston on the NBC television series, “I’ll Fly Away”.
Other Television credits include, NBC-TV’s “Viper”, “The Hoop Life”, and guest starring roles in such series as “Private Practice”, “Boomtown”, “Las Vegas”, “Sarah Connor Chronicles”, “Criminal Minds”, “9-1-1”, “Big Sky” and most recently, a recurring guest starring role on “Bel-Air”.
His film credits include “Full Metal Jacket,” “Against All Odds,” “Sudden Death” and Showtime’s “12 Angry Men,” among others.
Dorian Harewood: ‘The Voice’ of NBC
In 2012, he became a fixture at NBC as the network’s voiceover announcer. “The voiceover work has been a lot of fun,” he admitted. “I’ve been doing that for several years now… about 15 years or so. I do all of their dramatic shows and people call me the ‘Voice of NBC.’ While I don’t think that I’m the ‘Voice of NBC,’ I think that I am one of the voices of the network.”
Harewood has recorded several albums and toured with The Four Tops on their European Tour and he has opened for Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gladys Knight.
Harewood on being able to move an audience
Harewood’s greatest satisfaction as an actor and storyteller is when the audience leaves the theatre being moved by the show. Judging by the critics and fan reaction, it is safe to say that he and his “Notebook” castmates have accomplished this objective.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Harewood said, “Success, to me, is the act of achieving and the energy of pursuing a goal.”
“Whether you achieve it or not, it is all about going for that certain goal, and that is a success in itself,” he said.
Closing thoughts on ‘The Notebook’ on Broadway
For fans and viewers, he concluded about “The Notebook,” “I want people to walk away from this show knowing that love is universal and it affects everyone, and they will be affected different when they come to see it.”
“I think that every human being experiences love in some form or another, if they are fortunate,” he said. “We all pretty much are fortunate to experience it even though we may not have it all the time. I want people to experience a universal love story, which touches all human beings.”
To learn more about veteran actor Dorian Harewood, check out his IMDb page, official website, and follow him on Instagram.
For more information on “The Notebook” on Broadway, visit its official homepage.
Read More: “The Notebook” Broadway review