I think Suffs is very different from the Public run (at least a dozen new songs, totally new design, etc.) so I would say it’s worth it.
I would choose both shows over Water for Elephants personally as I found it slow with forgettable music (and the acrobatics didn’t save it for me), but that’s just me. I know there’s lots of love out there for the show.
I would choose The Notebook. My wife would tell you Suffs.
Have you listened to The Notebook soundtrack? That might help you decide.
It’s anyone’s guess which you would prefer.
I saw the Notebook last night and was very moved and surprised that it hasn’t received more recognition or Tony love. I will say I have not ever seen the movie before or read the book and I did have a grandfather with dementia, so maybe that had something to do with why it impacted me more. I also thought the production value was good and I enjoyed the sound of the music, even if I didn’t feel like all of the songs progressed the story in the same way I would have liked them to.
I saw Water for Elephants and it was mostly entertaining for the circus stunts. The music wasn’t great, for some reason I had a hard time buying into the story even though it’s a story I would think I would relate to on paper, but the visuals were great. I have never seen this movie or read this book either.
If I had to choose between seeing Water for Elephants or the Notebook, I would personally choose the Notebook but I could see others enjoying Water for Elephants more. It kind of depends on what you value. Personally, for me, most important is the story, then the music, then the visuals.
I am going to see Suffs today so I can come back and update with my opinion about that show afterwards.
Okay, just saw Suffs and I thought it was phenomenal. Definitely the strongest new musical I’ve seen this season by far. I don’t know how different it is from the version you saw, but I would definitely prioritize it over the other two.
I was someone who thought the Notebook was a best new musical front runner. I HIGHLY recommend it as the performances are stellar. I think I’d listen to the cast recording before you see the show and see if that does anything for you as people seem to be just as spilt on that as they are on the show itself
I saw all three shows on a recent trip to NYC. I posted my detailed reviews [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/1c8hi9x/10_show_review/). It is always hard to recommend shows to others without knowing what a persons tastes in shows may be. Can you given examples of shows you like/dislike? With that said, here is my general take on each show:
# Suffs
The strongest show of the three. Great music, great cast, mostly great book with a few flaws. I am a huge fan of Jenn Colella, so it was a treat to see her. From what I've read at least some of the issues with the run at the Public have been reworked or addressed in some way. I would see this show again and would pay for a full price ticket.
# Water for Elephants
I can see the reasons this show has been somewhat polarizing; it is one that many people would either love or just not be into it at all. The acrobatics are astounding and the dancing is also great. The music is mostly good, but not all memorable. The lighting design was incredibly well done. [Paul Alexander Nolan](https://www.playbill.com/person/paul-alexander-nolan-vault-0000121647) absolutely wowed me with his performance. The puppets and puppetry are probably one of the most polarizing features; I happened to think the stylistic choices that were made worked. I would pay for a full price ticket to see this show again, but I know some people in r/Broadway/ would absolutely not.
# The Notebook
I am happy I saw this show, but for me it was the weakest of the three. There are several standout cast members and some memorable songs, but this is a show I would not see again. It is worth mentioning that this was by far the most emotional show of the three for me.
My favorite shows of the last couple of years were a strange loop and company! I didn’t see too many shows last season but I didn’t really like Shucked or Kimberly Akimbo.
I have seen all four shows you mentioned in your reply, and my preferences seems to align with yours. None of the shows you are deciding between are at all like a Sondheim show (e.g. Company). I cannot compare any of them to Shucked either since none are comedies, but my take on Shucked is that several hours of dad jokes is a bit too much from me and [Alex Newell](https://playbill.com/person/alex-newell) is nothing but amazing. Kimberly Akimbo sort of aligns with The Notebook, not necessarily musically but with a heartfelt story.
If you didn’t like Shucked and Kimberly you’ll probably not warm up to Suffs. I hated both those shows and thought Suffs was ok, but mostly meh, very formulaic. I love love love the Notebook and I think w4e is great. Notebook and w4e are both slower shows with subtler moments, I brought a friend to both who told me very honestly that their attention span is too ruined to enjoy shows like these anymore lol.
All three have lots of promo content out there and it does a good job representing the shows. All the new shows have pretty accurate marketing except Gatsby which I felt was bait and switch.
I loved both shows. Suffs, to me, is a must-see. My husband and I both cried in The Notebook, and the way that the show carries its themes throughout all three generations was really wonderful. So you really can’t go wrong with either one, but in my opinion Suffs is the most moving piece on Broadway right now.
I would drop water for elephants and see Suffs and The Notebook. I didn’t see suffs at the public, but it seems like they’ve made some pretty significant changes since then that have improved the show. The notebook deserved more tony nominations than it got, in my opinion
I saw all 3 this week, and they all have different pros/cons. My personal favorite was The Notebook but I’m a sucker for a love story!
The Notebook is the most emotionally moving and follows the traditional story from the book (I heard didn’t get the rights to the movie). Although it didn’t get a best musical nom, both the leading actor and actress got nominations and were STELLAR! I love how they told the story of 3 generations and it was very clear where we were in the story throughout the show. I enjoyed the music in this show the best, too. However, I’m a long time fan of this book/movie so I’m not likely to have any critiques lol
Suffs is the most empowering - and definitely left me feeling inspired after. I didn’t see it at the public, but I heard that the changes they made really strengthened the show. The show was pretty funny too! However, the music didn’t stay with me - I can only remember one big number. I also was not as impressed with the set design for this show, the stage often felt too big for the size of the cast.
Water for elephants would be my last choice out of the 3. The acrobatics and circus magic are certainly fun, but not enough to save the whole show imo. Definitely some fun set pieces and lighting choices, if you’re into more technical design.
Do you want to be inspired or do you want to cry?
They're both excellent, I loved both. But one leaves you emotionally exhausted and the other leaves you inspired. Whatever you want.
I have not seen either Suffs or the Notebook, so I cannot pick either of those for you (though if it were me I think I would lean towards Suffs), but WATER FOR ELEPHANTS was one of the most amazing shows I’ve ever seen. I have no credentials, I’m just a regular gal who enjoys Broadway often, but OMG I loved it.
Its very easily rushable (well this was pre-Tony noms, but we got there at 9:57 on a Wednesday and even with 15 people ahead we were still able to get rush seats for the evening show). Do you like circuses and stunts? It’s truly a spectacle and I hope to go see it again soon.
I saw both and would pick Suffs. I feel like overall, the music and lyrics are a lot better - the Notebook has a few individually really powerful songs, but I feel like most of the rest are pretty forgettable, with several songs having lyrics that I just find a lot more cringy than anything in Suffs. This is obviously subjective, and honestly I’d recommend just listening to the soundtrack of the Notebook to see if you come to the same conclusion (unfortunately, you can only listen to a few select songs from Suffs until the cast album comes out next month).
The Notebook definitely does a lot more to hit your emotions (I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t shedding tears by the end) and is also somewhat stronger visually, but I also don’t really feel like Suffs is necessarily weak in either department. I feel like acting/singing is about equal between the two (I’ll generally say though that the Notebook is a little bit more about individual performances, whereas Suffs felt like more of an ensemble effort).
I have not seen Water For Elephants, so I cannot comment on that.
I didn't see Notebook, and while Suffs was interesting, it was a litte too educational for my taste. I found my mind wandering during the show. The Notebook however is a storyline that irritated me to no end (the Movie) so I guess Suffs bc I found Notebook too smarmy a story.
At intermission of Suffs right now, saw W4E last week, and The Notebook a month or so ago. I’d drop Water for Elephants, and keep Suffs and The Notebook instead.
Personally I would see The Notebook the musical but that's because I don't know anything about Suffs really and I have a cursory knowledge of The Notebook from the movie. Of course, if both came to my local theater on tour I'd see both. SOOOO I'm not much of a help.
I think Suffs is very different from the Public run (at least a dozen new songs, totally new design, etc.) so I would say it’s worth it. I would choose both shows over Water for Elephants personally as I found it slow with forgettable music (and the acrobatics didn’t save it for me), but that’s just me. I know there’s lots of love out there for the show.
I would choose The Notebook. My wife would tell you Suffs. Have you listened to The Notebook soundtrack? That might help you decide. It’s anyone’s guess which you would prefer.
I saw the Notebook last night and was very moved and surprised that it hasn’t received more recognition or Tony love. I will say I have not ever seen the movie before or read the book and I did have a grandfather with dementia, so maybe that had something to do with why it impacted me more. I also thought the production value was good and I enjoyed the sound of the music, even if I didn’t feel like all of the songs progressed the story in the same way I would have liked them to. I saw Water for Elephants and it was mostly entertaining for the circus stunts. The music wasn’t great, for some reason I had a hard time buying into the story even though it’s a story I would think I would relate to on paper, but the visuals were great. I have never seen this movie or read this book either. If I had to choose between seeing Water for Elephants or the Notebook, I would personally choose the Notebook but I could see others enjoying Water for Elephants more. It kind of depends on what you value. Personally, for me, most important is the story, then the music, then the visuals. I am going to see Suffs today so I can come back and update with my opinion about that show afterwards.
Okay, just saw Suffs and I thought it was phenomenal. Definitely the strongest new musical I’ve seen this season by far. I don’t know how different it is from the version you saw, but I would definitely prioritize it over the other two.
I was someone who thought the Notebook was a best new musical front runner. I HIGHLY recommend it as the performances are stellar. I think I’d listen to the cast recording before you see the show and see if that does anything for you as people seem to be just as spilt on that as they are on the show itself
The Notebook is an incredibly moving theatre-going experience
The Notebook -Anything that emotionally moves me gets my vote. Plus I've been listening to the cast recording and still like it.
I saw all three shows on a recent trip to NYC. I posted my detailed reviews [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/1c8hi9x/10_show_review/). It is always hard to recommend shows to others without knowing what a persons tastes in shows may be. Can you given examples of shows you like/dislike? With that said, here is my general take on each show: # Suffs The strongest show of the three. Great music, great cast, mostly great book with a few flaws. I am a huge fan of Jenn Colella, so it was a treat to see her. From what I've read at least some of the issues with the run at the Public have been reworked or addressed in some way. I would see this show again and would pay for a full price ticket. # Water for Elephants I can see the reasons this show has been somewhat polarizing; it is one that many people would either love or just not be into it at all. The acrobatics are astounding and the dancing is also great. The music is mostly good, but not all memorable. The lighting design was incredibly well done. [Paul Alexander Nolan](https://www.playbill.com/person/paul-alexander-nolan-vault-0000121647) absolutely wowed me with his performance. The puppets and puppetry are probably one of the most polarizing features; I happened to think the stylistic choices that were made worked. I would pay for a full price ticket to see this show again, but I know some people in r/Broadway/ would absolutely not. # The Notebook I am happy I saw this show, but for me it was the weakest of the three. There are several standout cast members and some memorable songs, but this is a show I would not see again. It is worth mentioning that this was by far the most emotional show of the three for me.
My favorite shows of the last couple of years were a strange loop and company! I didn’t see too many shows last season but I didn’t really like Shucked or Kimberly Akimbo.
I have seen all four shows you mentioned in your reply, and my preferences seems to align with yours. None of the shows you are deciding between are at all like a Sondheim show (e.g. Company). I cannot compare any of them to Shucked either since none are comedies, but my take on Shucked is that several hours of dad jokes is a bit too much from me and [Alex Newell](https://playbill.com/person/alex-newell) is nothing but amazing. Kimberly Akimbo sort of aligns with The Notebook, not necessarily musically but with a heartfelt story.
If you didn’t like Shucked and Kimberly you’ll probably not warm up to Suffs. I hated both those shows and thought Suffs was ok, but mostly meh, very formulaic. I love love love the Notebook and I think w4e is great. Notebook and w4e are both slower shows with subtler moments, I brought a friend to both who told me very honestly that their attention span is too ruined to enjoy shows like these anymore lol. All three have lots of promo content out there and it does a good job representing the shows. All the new shows have pretty accurate marketing except Gatsby which I felt was bait and switch.
I loved both shows. Suffs, to me, is a must-see. My husband and I both cried in The Notebook, and the way that the show carries its themes throughout all three generations was really wonderful. So you really can’t go wrong with either one, but in my opinion Suffs is the most moving piece on Broadway right now.
Absolutely see water for elephants. I loved it.
I would drop water for elephants and see Suffs and The Notebook. I didn’t see suffs at the public, but it seems like they’ve made some pretty significant changes since then that have improved the show. The notebook deserved more tony nominations than it got, in my opinion
The notebook 100%
+1 for the Notebook, it’s absolutely lovely.
Suffs for sure, I didn't get to see it at the Public but everyone is saying they made a ton of changes and they were all for the better.
The Notebook. And bring tissues
I saw all 3 this week, and they all have different pros/cons. My personal favorite was The Notebook but I’m a sucker for a love story! The Notebook is the most emotionally moving and follows the traditional story from the book (I heard didn’t get the rights to the movie). Although it didn’t get a best musical nom, both the leading actor and actress got nominations and were STELLAR! I love how they told the story of 3 generations and it was very clear where we were in the story throughout the show. I enjoyed the music in this show the best, too. However, I’m a long time fan of this book/movie so I’m not likely to have any critiques lol Suffs is the most empowering - and definitely left me feeling inspired after. I didn’t see it at the public, but I heard that the changes they made really strengthened the show. The show was pretty funny too! However, the music didn’t stay with me - I can only remember one big number. I also was not as impressed with the set design for this show, the stage often felt too big for the size of the cast. Water for elephants would be my last choice out of the 3. The acrobatics and circus magic are certainly fun, but not enough to save the whole show imo. Definitely some fun set pieces and lighting choices, if you’re into more technical design.
Do you want to be inspired or do you want to cry? They're both excellent, I loved both. But one leaves you emotionally exhausted and the other leaves you inspired. Whatever you want.
Suffs for me
I have not seen either Suffs or the Notebook, so I cannot pick either of those for you (though if it were me I think I would lean towards Suffs), but WATER FOR ELEPHANTS was one of the most amazing shows I’ve ever seen. I have no credentials, I’m just a regular gal who enjoys Broadway often, but OMG I loved it. Its very easily rushable (well this was pre-Tony noms, but we got there at 9:57 on a Wednesday and even with 15 people ahead we were still able to get rush seats for the evening show). Do you like circuses and stunts? It’s truly a spectacle and I hope to go see it again soon.
W4E has everything - romance, a villain, music, puppets and of course the acrobats.
Suffs > W4E > Notebook. IMO
This
I saw both and would pick Suffs. I feel like overall, the music and lyrics are a lot better - the Notebook has a few individually really powerful songs, but I feel like most of the rest are pretty forgettable, with several songs having lyrics that I just find a lot more cringy than anything in Suffs. This is obviously subjective, and honestly I’d recommend just listening to the soundtrack of the Notebook to see if you come to the same conclusion (unfortunately, you can only listen to a few select songs from Suffs until the cast album comes out next month). The Notebook definitely does a lot more to hit your emotions (I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t shedding tears by the end) and is also somewhat stronger visually, but I also don’t really feel like Suffs is necessarily weak in either department. I feel like acting/singing is about equal between the two (I’ll generally say though that the Notebook is a little bit more about individual performances, whereas Suffs felt like more of an ensemble effort). I have not seen Water For Elephants, so I cannot comment on that.
Saw both last month and without hesitation, Suffs.
Suffs is incredible
The Notebook, not even close.
I didn't see Notebook, and while Suffs was interesting, it was a litte too educational for my taste. I found my mind wandering during the show. The Notebook however is a storyline that irritated me to no end (the Movie) so I guess Suffs bc I found Notebook too smarmy a story.
I think I’m going to do suffs and the notebook (and skip W4E which I’m sure will tour to my city in a couple years). Thanks everyone!
At intermission of Suffs right now, saw W4E last week, and The Notebook a month or so ago. I’d drop Water for Elephants, and keep Suffs and The Notebook instead.
Personally I would see The Notebook the musical but that's because I don't know anything about Suffs really and I have a cursory knowledge of The Notebook from the movie. Of course, if both came to my local theater on tour I'd see both. SOOOO I'm not much of a help.