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Even if you don’t know the love story that Noah reads Allie from his trusty, timeworn notebook by heart, you’ve surely heard of it before. After all, The Notebook has reached audiences for decades in many different forms: a bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks, a hit romance film starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, a Tony-nominated Broadway musical. Most recently, it’s taken on new life on a national tour, with the latest stop being here in South Florida, at the Kravis Center. I have no shortage of memories tied to this classic story—from when the movie made my friends and me cry at countless sleepovers in middle school, to a decade later, when I found myself tearing up all the same, this time watching it on Broadway. Now it’s your turn to reach for the tissue box and engage yourself in this stunning story that asks its viewers, can love really transcend anything? Differences, distance, memory…and even time?
Directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams, with book by Bekah Brunstetter and music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson, The Notebook follows Allie Nelson and Noah Calhoun, a couple who come from two different worlds, on a decades-spanning journey as they navigate the ups and downs of love and life. In a creative storytelling choice, the musical introduces viewers to the characters at three distinct stages: Younger, Middle, and Older. Younger Allie (Chloë Cheers) and Younger Noah (Kyle Mangold) embark on a whirlwind summer romance that soon deepens into something more, much to the chagrin of Allie’s parents, who are determined to keep the duo apart. Middle Allie (Grace Ohwensadeyo Rundberg) and Middle Noah (Ken Wulf Clark) feel an undeniable pull back to each other, despite having spent years going in separate directions. Older Allie (Sharon Catherine Brown) and Older Noah (Beau Gravitte) are now living in a retirement home, where Allie, suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, struggles to remember her husband and life. In an effort to help keep her memories alive, Noah reads Allie their love story, as the audience, too, watches it unfold onstage.
Each version of Allie and Noah was beautifully brought to life by these actors. Cheers and Mangold capture the joy and understanding the characters find in each other; as Younger Allie sings, “I never knew / That I would find someone who sees the things I do.” In my personal favorite performances, Rundberg and Clark convey the tension of reconciling the lives they have chosen to lead in the present with the love they have always had—will always have—for each other. Finally, Brown and Gravitte express the rawness and heartbreak of feeling like a stranger to the person who once meant everything, and the small glimpses of hope that surface in the form of simple memories.
Costume designer Paloma Young has an important task: ensuring that the characters’ outfits demonstrate the ever-changing time periods, their evolution as people, and the visual throughline for the audience to connect all three life stages together. Needless to say, this is no easy feat, but she is absolutely up to the challenge! Even as time passes and their lives change, all three versions of Allie and Noah feel cohesive, with a single color unifying each character—Allie always in shades of blue, and Noah always in shades of brown—and giving further insight into who they are. Scenic design, by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, and lighting design, by Ben Stanton, are equally as immersive and impactful, demonstrating the powerful yet fluid nature of memory and its ability to transport a person anywhere. Similarly, Katie Spelman’s choreography seamlessly connects movement and memory and elevates the musical’s storytelling throughout.
And when it comes to the music and lyrics for The Notebook, it’s no surprise that singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, known for her light, whimsical melodies coupled with poetic, sentimental lyrics, is the perfect person for the job. I loved the musical’s soundtrack at first listen, before even seeing it on stage, and this production reminded me why. Each song certainly shines in its own right, from the beautiful opener “Time” to the tender “Kiss Me” to the emotional “My Days.” However, the poignant “I Wanna Go Back” was a particular standout for me, highlighting Allie’s struggle with dementia and her longing to return to the life she once knew, captured in quietly heartbreaking lines like “I didn’t know that the last time I’d leave the house / Was the last time I’d leave the house” and “I’m in love with all the things that I forget.”
While The Notebook shows that some things in life may be transient and ever-changing—time moving too quickly, memories fleeting in the blink of an eye—love somehow always endures. It’s Allie and Noah’s strong bond that helps them weather any storm that’s thrown at them (and sometimes even dance in the rain); after all, their commitment and devotion to each other can withstand anything. Don’t miss your chance to see their bittersweet, romantic, and truly touching story!
The Notebook runs at the Kravis Center through May 3. Purchase your tickets here.
