The Ordway
“I’m not crying, you’re crying,” must be the silent, shared sentiment washing over the audience at every performance of “The Notebook,” now gracing The Ordway stage through Nov. 30. This new musical adaptation, inspired by Nicholas Sparks’s 1996 novel, is not a superficial theatrical event. It is, instead, a profoundly moving portrait of enduring love, delivered with sincerity and grace.
If you seek a show that leaves you feeling merely lighthearted and humming tunes, look elsewhere. If you seek a show that leaves you feeling profoundly blessed to have loved and been loved, you have found your show. The musical is masterfully structured, weaving seamlessly between sadness, joy, humor, and heartbreak as we watch the lives of Noah and Allie unfold. The script, crafted by “This is Us” writer Bekah Brunstetter, is wonderfully cinematic in its approach to time. However, it is Ingrid Michaelson’s gentle, heartfelt score and lyricism that truly define the characters’ emotional landscape, providing a sense of grounding and truth when mere words are not enough.
The theatrical conceit of casting three distinct couples to portray one lifetime of shared love is acted with flawless emotional continuity. The veteran actors, Beau Gravitte and Sharon Catherine Brown, as the older couple, anchor the entire piece, delivering nuanced performances that bear solemn witness to decades of love and struggle. They embody a devotion tested by time and the cruelty of memory loss. The younger versions seamlessly support them: Kyle Mangold and Chloë Cheers set the initial mood of attraction and chemistry, their youthful traits perfectly informing the mature decisions of Ken Wulf Clark and Alysha Deslorieux as the middle couple. All six actors who portray Noah and Allie deliver emotional portrayals across time.
Photo by Roger Mastroianni
The supporting ensemble further elevates the piece. Connor Richardson delivers a necessary element of comic relief and unexpected humanity as Johnny, the physical therapist. This role, added specifically for the musical retelling of the familiar story, showcases his hopeful optimism and quiet empathy as he wedges his way into Noah’s life. He is the kind of unassuming, enthusiastic employee we hope walks the halls of every care center, providing a dose of grounded reality.
The storytelling transitions beautifully between past and present as Noah reads to Allie from a notebook, retelling their shared memories. This episodic flow is prevented from becoming choppy by the powerful musical and choreographic throughlines. Nowhere is this more deeply felt than when the older couple shares a reflective dance, echoing the very steps we had already witnessed. When words and lyrics fail, the body moves with the expressive choreography of Katie Spelman, creating a profound, nonverbal summation of their journey.
No matter how deeply Alzheimer’s may have touched you, or whether you’ve simply been witness to authentic, enduring love, this production offers an intimate, honest portrayal of both. An evening at “The Notebook” is the perfect balance of joy and heartbreak from a genuinely talented cast of storytellers at their finest.
Photo by Roger Mastroianni
