‘The Notebook,’ ‘Moulin Rouge’ get new start dates in Chicago due to COVID surge

The COVID surge continues to wreak havoc with Chicago’s live theater season schedules.

On Wednesday, Chicago Shakespeare Theater announced the postponement of the world premiere of “The Notebook.” Originally slated for a March debut at the Navy Pier theater, the musical, based on the bestselling novel of the same name, will now run Sept. 6-Oct. 16 at The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Current ticketholders are being contacted for rescheduling options.

The show features music and lyrics by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson with a book by playwright Bekah Brunstetter.

Single tickets ($45–$125) are currently on sale www.chicagoshakes.com/notebook.

On Thursday, Broadway in Chicago announced it is pushing back the date for the North American tour launch of “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” to March 19; the show will run through May 14 at the James. M. Nederlander Theatre.

It’s not the first time the tour’s launch has been rescheduled due to COVID concerns. The production was originally set to bow in 2020 at the Nederlander Theatre, but was then pushed to Feb. 26, 2022 due to the onset of the pandemic.

In a statement, the showrunners said: “The change in engagement dates have allowed the producers to make the pro-active decision to slightly delay the start of the rehearsal and production period due to the fast-moving Omicron variant.”

All persons with tickets for shows Feb. 26-March 18 are being notified via email of rescheduling options. Individual tickets, starting at $52.50, are now on sale www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

On Wednesday, the Goodman Theatre announced the indefinite postponement of the world premiere stage musical adaptation of “The Outsiders.”

Porchlight Music Theater on Thursday announced the postponement of “Blues in the Night,” now slated to run Feb. 9-March 13, due to the COVID surge. In addition, the theater company is postponing Paul Oakley Stovall’s stage reading of “Clear” and the Porchlight Revisits presentation of “Passing Strange.” No new dates for the latter two productions have been announced.