Ryan Vasquez — The Bare Magazine

Ryan Vasquez is lighting up the broadway stage starring as middle Noah in the epic love story “The Notebook The Musical” based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks that inspired the film of the same name. We met up with him as he got off his usual subway to the theatre and captured him moments before heading to the dressing room to prepare for the show. Scroll on down as Ryan shares his love of the theatre community, his usual show-day routine, what he looks forward to each performance, spirituality/tarot cards, health, tattoos and newly pierced ears which has lead to one of his bare essentials….buying earrings! We imagine a shimmering multi-faceted pair to compliment his talent and warm spirit.

The Bare Magazine: We hear you had a choice to work on a few Broadway shows, including The Notebook, and The Notebook won. Why was it the winner?

Ryan Vasquez: Since beginning work on The Notebook in 2020, I have been consistently struck by the impact the piece has on people, especially men, who are struggling in alarming ways with regulating emotions and expressing vulnerability right now. The show is many things, but above all, it is profoundly moving. And not just because it's a love story, though the romance is moving in its way. It's a deeply human story about life and loss and love in all its forms, and I wanted to be a part of something that had that impact.

Bare: List the top four reasons you look forward to being on stage each night?

RV: 1) I love being in community with the people, on and offstage, that make the show happen. Live theater is a collaborative effort. Everyone from stage management facilitating the flow of the show, to my fellow cast members who are breathing life into the beautiful script and score, the crew working to guarantee integrity of the design elements, and of course the audience, who engages in a conversation with us every night.

2) Specifically, the scene when Noah and Allie reunite in the kitchen of the house that he built for her is really lovely. It's funny, romantic, tense, moving, and all with Joy Woods before she becomes a household name, who is an ideal teammate onstage and off.

3) Drinking in Maryann and Dorian, our older Allie and Noah, as they perform the final scenes of the show, is a nightly education for me. They ground the piece in a way that has kept me invested in it for longer than I've worked on any other project.

4) As much as I enjoy being onstage, we're playing a backstage version of The Traitors that has been too much fun. A deeply emotional show like ours demands an outlet, even if the outlet is putting a big red X on a Faithful's picture in the hall.

Bare: What are a few favorite comments from friends/family after seeing the show?

RV: People always ask if we can hear the sniffling and crying in the audience, and as easy as it is to deflect that as a funny element of what we do, I have to say, it's the most impactful part for me every night. We have gone many years now without gathering in space with each other to have experiences; for a time, we were prohibited from doing so. Imagine that. And all against the backdrop of loss and fear. So, to engage with a group of more than 1,000 people every night in this way, vulnerably, without judgment, without interrogation, simply to share something that moves people and allow ourselves to be moved in community with each other... I've never been in such a delicate, beautiful conversation with a house full of people. And, of course, people love the rain.

Bare: Take us through your morning to night routine (including workout, time you get up/go to sleep, meals, supplements, self care, etc.) on a show day.

RV: My dog gets me up fairly early, which I'm grateful for. Her fuel is attention, and she must be fed! We go on a walk first thing while I brew my coffee, and we come back up to eat breakfast together (yes, I make her a scrambled egg every morning with her food).

I usually catch up on the day's news (Democracy Now!, Offline, and the 538 Politics Podcast are some of my favorites), watch whatever basketball I missed from the night before over coffee and breakfast, and pull some cards to set intentions for the day. Then, if I can, I head to the gym to play a bit of basketball myself, steam, get my body and voice moving, before heading back for lunch and hopefully a walk to the park with the dog to throw the ball around for a bit with her.

Then, I really try to decompress. I'm a big proponent of naps before a show, it's a nice reset. I love board games also, so I will play a solo version of one of my favorites (on a Spirit Island kick right now), or anything that helps me to calm myself and have as normal of a day as possible. It's odd when performing such a high intensity job in the evenings, I never want my days to feel like I'm biding time before work; it makes me anxious.

I get to the show around a half hour before curtain, and usually save my warm up for after the show begins, since I have the dressing room to myself while the younger Noah and Allie carry the show for the first chunk. I move my body, sing a bit, and then let the show take me away. Afterward, I try my best to hit the stage door to meet people who saw the show, and I head home to unwind, listen to some music, settle down in the dark. I can't be up past 1 AM and be fully myself the next day, so I try to be in bed before 12 AM, even when the show runs late. And no, my dog doesn't sleep in the bed with me. Everyone's got boundaries.

Bare: Can you share a bit about your interest in tarot cards and why you enjoy them?

RV: My dear friend Piper got me into tarot when I was really directionless in terms of having any spiritual or mindfulness practice. They clicked for me in providing a creative way to get in touch with my latent anxieties, hopes, or even just the stasis I was in. I run fast and hot, so it's a good way for me to slow down. I'm not necessarily an advocate for tarot over other forms of mindfulness or reflection, but it does interest me that more people are turning to other forms of spiritual practice with a decline in church attendance nationwide. One thing about tarot is that it preserves, in a small way, that spiritual community we seem to be moving away from. While I have an individual practice, it's most fun and engaging when reading cards for others. So it's a good way to connect with myself and with others.

Bare: Your tattoos are beautiful. Can you sum up what their messages are to you? What would your next one be?

RV: I love my tattoos. It's like a roadmap; I can look back over the last 13 years of getting them and reflect on where I was and where I am. It's like an almanac of my emotional life, since I rarely get them in times that are stagnant. Tattoos celebrate uniqueness, and we're in a field where often people are encouraged to blend in. So it's a tiny bit of rebellion against that as well, I guess. My next one is coming as soon as the show's over, but I'm sure it will change. Likely something to commemorate this season of life. And no, not a notebook.

Bare: How do you stay healthy through a rigorous show schedule? Are there certain things you avoid or restrict yourself from?

RV: I can't eat late at night, sadly. Sugar, caffeine, these are addictions I struggle with that have had to really be tabled for the time being. I also stopped drinking alcohol about a year ago, and that's been really helpful. But sleep, stress, and sugar are the things I try to maximize (or minimize for the latter two) as much as possible.

My friends have really helped me through this also. I have leaned on my community in and out of the industry and have stayed remarkably grounded compared to what I was expecting, and I owe it all to them. Perspective is everything, especially in a year that feels more like The Hunger Games than "the Broadway community" with 15 shows opening at once this season. Those with perspective have really helped me along.

Bare: What are your current five bare essentials? (they can be anything)

RV:

Headphones, I'm always listening to something.

A water bottle, my friends make fun of me for bringing one everywhere, even restaurants.

Earrings! They're less than a year old, so I'm still hyper-fixated on every earring I pass in a window. My credit card company probably thinks I'm a jeweler.

An elevated pitch about how supporting local/down-ballot candidates in elections is the better way to engage politically than shouting on Instagram to your curated, algorithmic bubble.

Gum, best way to make friends.