The Notebook the musical
Review by Ernest Goes to the Theatre/Ernest Edwards
I was as the opening night for the National Tour stop of The Notebook at the Ordway in downtown St. Paul. The Notebook is the second musical of their Broadway at the Ordway 2025/2026 season.
The music and lyrics are by Ingrid Michaelson, with book by Bekah Brunstetter, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks. Direction by Michael Greif & Schele Williams.
I still have not read the book. I have seen the movie multiple times. I did see the preBroadway run of The Notebook at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in October 2022. When I had seen the preBroadway run in Chicago, I felt like no changes were needed for Broadway. I really didn’t see any big changes opening night from when I had seen it three years ago in Chicago.
The stage musical is the story from the book & movie, but it is not the movie word for word. Nor moment by moment. The musical is its own entity with how the story is told. The story takes place in a Mid-Atlantic coastal town in the 1960’s, 1970’s and today. There are three actresses who play Allie at those different ages, and there are three actors who play Noah at those different stages of life. What I really liked about the first act, was that older Allie and Noah were either on the side of the stage or upstage center, watching their story unfold before their eyes.
If you not familiar with The Notebook, the story begins today at a memory care facility. Allie is suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's. She doesn’t know who she is. Noah, her husband is there with her. She thinks he just kind a friend, but doesn’t remember that he is her husband. He reads to her. What he reads to her is their story. She said if you read it to me, I will come back.
Their story is kind of like star crossed lovers. He’s poor and looked down upon by her parents. She has a bright future, with college, and meeting the right kind of people and marry someone worthy in her parents eyes. Which means, comes from money and has money.
Years later Allie’s Mom had thought Allie had completely forgotten about Noah, until his photo of their dream house appeared in an article. He did fix it up, just like he said he would A week before her wedding, Allie had to go see that house and Noah. This is where the audience learn that in an effort to keep Allie and Noah apart, Allie’s Mom hid the letters that Noah wrote to her. He wrote to her every day for a whole year before he stopped. Allie thought he didn’t care, because she didn’t see the letters.
Now the souvenir stand also has for sale boxes of Kleenex with The Notebook the musical marketing all over the boxes. You’ll need tissues for the final moment of the musical. If you have read the book or seen the movie, you know what I’m talking about.
This show has a really good cast. Lots of vocal talent. Great powerful songs, and songs with lots of emotion. This is a very good score. The three Allie’s and three Noah’s really make the show. Such a good story to see on stage.
I had an epiphany opening night. I finally realized why the story is called The Notebook. Maybe it’s the prop in the tour that made the connection for me. Allie had used a leather bound journal to write down her and Noah’s story. That is the same notebook that Noah uses to read to her every day. I don’t remember the prop looking that in the movie. That was a lightbulb moment for me opening night.
The musical plays at the Ordway through November 30, 2025. Check out Ordway.org for tickets.
