Review: THE NOTEBOOK Presented by Broadway In Chicago

After their famous love story had its musical world premiere at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2022, Allie and Noah return to Chicago — this time for the North American Broadway tour at the James M. Nederlander Theatre. Directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams, with the book by Bekah Brunstetter, music by Ingrid Michaelson, and choreography by Katie Spelman, The Notebook tries to replicate the sparks on the stage, but the musical adaptation fails to capture and convey the connection that the story relies on to make a lasting impression. 

The Notebook tells the story of Allie and Noah through three periods of time. In the present day, Older Noah (Beau Gravitte) reads a notebook to Older Allie (Sharon Catherine Brown), who has Alzheimer’s in a retirement home. As he reads the story of their life together, we see the memories play out of Younger Allie (Makena Jackson, understudying this performance for Chloë Cheers) and Younger Noah (Kyle Mangold) from when they first meet, and Middle Allie (Alysha Deslorieux) and Middle Noah (Ken Wulf Clark) when they reunite ten years later. 

Mangold and Jackson’s youthful energy and enthusiasm for life contrasts the more reasonable and hardened adult Deslorieux and Clark compared to the fragile performance from Brown and Gravitte as they cling to the fragments of their memories and each other. This generational approach of storytelling has the potential to be emotionally powerful, especially the visualization of the vastness of time and age when multiple Allies and Noahs share the stage together. The intentional casting of Allie and Noah as a biracial couple does add some nuances to this love story, as well as shifting the story from the 1940s (as in the movie and book) to the 1960s against the backdrop of the Vietnam War.

The ensemble, which plays a relatively minor role in this show that really revolves around Allie and Noah, does have some brief moments to make an impression. Allie’s Mother (Anne Tolpegin) brings a masterful mix of being the proper, strict mom while also giving us some of the best line deliveries in the show. As Tolpegin shared in an interview with BroadwayWorld Chicago, she also plays Nurse Lori because Older Allie mistakes Nurse Lori with her mother — a moment that Tolpegin handles with warmth and care. Comedic levity is also provided by Johnny (Connor Richardson), a physical therapist assigned to Older Noah and Allie’s Father (Jerome Harman–Hardeman), who knows to step back and let Mother command the stage, as well as the jokes made about the name of Middle Allie’s fiancé, Lon (Alex Benoit). Other ensemble members include Nurse Joanna (Rayna Hickman), Fin (Jordi Bertrán Ramírez), and Georgie (Grace Ohwensadeyo Rundberg), whose appearances are fleeting and, unfortunately, rather forgettable. 

Visually, the show brings a sense of comfort that washes over you, with the blue and brownish yellow color palette appearing in Paloma Young’s costume design, Brett J. Banakis and David Zinn’s scenic design, and Ben Stanton’s lighting design — particularly the string of hanging vertical lights that really help set the mood as they change layouts, heights, and color. Tina Faye leads the live orchestra that includes local musicians who are members of the Chicago Federation of Musicians, Local 10-208. 

As much as I wanted to love the love songs, Ingrid Michaelson’s musical numbers lacked the emotional and lyrical punch to make the songs stick with you in any meaningful way once the show ends. Despite the generally-sweet-but-bland songs that pleasantly wash over your ears, there were some strong vocal performances — namely Deslorieux’s forceful rendition of “My Days”, Jackson’s emotional “If This Is Love”, and Gravitte’s “Iron in the Fridge” that has a gravitas reminiscent of Neil Diamond.

The way Bekah Brunstetter structures the story allows for some beautiful moments with creative staging, but the writing as a whole feels weak, scattered, and unsubstantive. The entire premise of the show depends heavily on the audience believing in this deep, young love that manages to survive distance and time, but the connection between Younger Allie and Noah is sorely missing and, as a result, this love story remains unconvincing at its core. Middle Allie and Noah have more chemistry — especially in the iconic rain scene that is beautifully done — but there is still a certain level of disbelief when it comes to their love for each other that I couldn’t quite shake. 

It’s in the present relationship with Older Allie and Noah that we really feel the love and the pain that gives the story its weight, with Brown and Gravitte grounding the story with their delicate acting. There’s a heartbreaking scene where Allie and Noah’s son (also played by Jerome Harmann-Hardeman) and grandkids come to visit them. Brown’s disoriented and defensive performance — and the subsequent pain from her loved ones, particularly Harmann-Hardeman’s — really hits you in the heart, especially for those familiar with Alzheimer’s and dementia. The themes of love and memory and time in the face of aging and mortality is a complicated and difficult topic that many people have firsthand experience with, and it’s one that this production tries to capture in its heartfelt acting and portrayal of how our ghosts stick by us for a lifetime, even as time continues to move forward.

Despite the unengaging writing and music, the show does have its moving moments, mostly through the powerful acting of Older Allie and Noah combined with the staging of the fleeting memories of the Younger and Middle couples. As a touring Broadway musical, The Notebook’s company does their best with the material they’re given, but without the impactful soundtrack to accompany it, the show ultimately falls short of delivering the emotional depth you might expect or desire from such a generational love story.

The Notebook plays at Broadway In Chicago’s James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) through August 16. Individual tickets are on sale now and range from $37–$132.

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