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THE ACCLAIMED BROADWAY MUSICAL
BASED ON THE BESTSELLING NOVEL THAT INSPIRED THE ICONIC FILM
THE NOTEBOOK
NOW PLAYING AT
BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S
JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE
THROUGH AUGUST 16 ONLY
FEATURING AN AWARD-WINNING CREATIVE TEAM
Music & Lyrics by INGRID MICHAELSON
Book by BEKAH BRUNSTETTER
Choreography by KATIE SPELMAN
Directed by MICHAEL GREIF and SCHELE WILLIAMS
“A romantic musical for the ages.” – Chicago Sun-Times
Beau Gravitte (Older Noah) and Sharon Catherine Brown (Older Allie)
All Production Photos by Roger Mastroianni
REVIEW
By Bonnie Kenaz-Mara
I found myself in downtown Chicago last night with tears streaming down my face and not a tissue in sight. The Notebook is back in town and the waterworks flowed as freely as the gorgeous rain showers on stage. By the unanimous standing ovation I don't think there was a dry eye in the house.
Ken Wulf Clark (Middle Noah) and Alysha Deslorieux (Middle Allie)
When we saw opening night of The Notebook world premiere in Summer 2022 at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, I found it to be poignant and powerful. It's a brutally beautiful love story beginning to end. And this tour is every bit as moving. This is no rom-com or summer fling. The Notebook stands as an artistic monument to being truly seen, deeply loved, and bonded for a lifetime, for better or for worse.
Sharon Catherine Brown (Older Allie) and Beau Gravitte (Older Noah)
This time around the production hit me even more intensely. In December of 2024 my parents were in a bad car accident and since then my dad has had ongoing, incapacitating health issues. I've been trying to get down to help them at least once a month, driving the 12 hour round trip, and I can attest it's tough to navigate the aging parents years. Yet my 88 year old mother has been his caregiver 24/7 at home for over 20 months now. And during numerous hospital and care center stays she was by his side for hours on end. They're celebrating their 64th wedding anniversary August 18th. That type of deep, selfless, abiding love is what The Notebook challenges us to aspire to, with a soaring score, and three interwoven storylines involving teenage passion and rebellion, active young adult choices, and devotion through the devastation of dementia.
I've long admired the work of playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC's “This Is Us,” The Cake), and she more than did the novel justice with this heart-wrenching yet hopeful adaptation for the stage. In fact, the entire cast, crew, and creatives are exceptional at bringing this story to life and evoking emotions in the audience without crossing over into the maudlin. The Notebook is truly an empathy inducing tearjerker that reminds us of the best qualities of being human. ChiIL Live Shows on our Radar. Highly Recommended. ★★★★ Four out of four stars. Don't miss this!
Bonnie is a Chicago based writer, theatre critic, photographer, artist, and empty nester. She owns two websites where she publishes frequently: ChiILLiveShows.com (adult) & ChiILMama.com (family friendly).
“THE NOTEBOOK is ultimately a celebration of life, love, and the power of memory,” said producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch . “Audiences first fell in love with this timeless story as a novel, then as an iconic film, and now they can experience it anew as a moving musical event. With multi-platinum artist Ingrid Michaelson’s unforgettable score and Tony Award nominated Bekah Brunstetter’s beautifully crafted book, THE NOTEBOOK comes to life on stage in a way that will resonate deeply with audiences across North America.”
Allie and Noah, two people from different worlds, share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. “Full of butterfly-inducing highs and beautiful songs” (Entertainment Weekly), THE NOTEBOOK is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.
Based on the book that has sold millions of copies worldwide and a film that is one of the highest-grossing romantic dramas of all-time, the musical adaptation of THE NOTEBOOK played Broadway at the Schoenfeld Theatre from March 2024 to December 2024 following a critically acclaimed world premiere engagement at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2022.
“Absolutely gorgeous. Not to be missed.” – Chicago Tribune
THE NOTEBOOK features music and lyrics by multi-platinum singer-songwriter IngridMichaelson and a book by playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC's “This Is Us,” The Cake). The production is directed by Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT) and Schele Williams (Aida, The Wiz), with choreography by Katie Spelman (Associate Choreographer on Moulin Rouge! The Musical).
“Romantic, life-affirming and ingeniously adapted.” – USA Today
Chloë Cheers (Younger Allie) and Kyle Mangold (Younger Noah)
The creative team for the tour includes scenic design by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, costume design by Paloma Young, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Mia Neal, and projection design by Lucy Mackinnon. The production’s music supervisor is Carmel Dean, who also collaborated on arrangements with Ingrid Michaelson and on orchestrations with John Clancy, and the music director is Tina Faye. Casting by The Telsey Office, Patrick Goodwin , CSA.
The production was recently recognized with three 2024 Tony Award nominations (Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical), Drama League Award nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical, two Distinguished Performance Awards and the Founders Award for Excellence in Directing, Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical, and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Performer in a Broadway Musical.
“A love story for the ages.” – The New York Daily News
Atlantic Records officially released the Grammy-nominated THE NOTEBOOK (Original Broadway Cast Recording), with a score that Vanity Fair calls “strikingly beautiful” by multiplatinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, available HERE.
Following its release, THE NOTEBOOK (Original Broadway Cast Recording) debuted at #1 on the Top Broadway chart in Music Connect, with breakout single “My Days” now surpassing 9 million streams on Spotify alone.
www.NotebookMusical.com
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PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, August 4 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 5 – 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 6 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 7 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 8 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 9 – 1:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, August 11 – 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, August 12 – 1:00 p.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 13 – 7:00 p.m.
Friday, August 14 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 15 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 16 – 1:00 p.m.
Alysha Deslorieux (Middle Allie) and Ken Wulf Clark (Middle Noah)
TICKET INFORMATION As of August 4, based on availability and subject to change)
Individual tickets for THE NOTEBOOK are on sale now and range from $37.00 - $132.00 with a select number of premium tickets available. Ticket price listed is when purchased in person at the box office. Additional fees apply for online purchases. Patrons can also participate in a digital lottery for a chance to purchase $30.00 tickets for each performance, which is inclusive of all mandatory taxes, restoration, handling, and third-party fees. In addition to the lottery, a limited number of day-of-show, in-person Rush tickets will be available for $49.00 for all performances. Click here for more info on Digital Lottery and In-Person Rush. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
Chloë Cheers (Younger Allie) and Kyle Mangold (Younger Noah)
ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 26 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining up to 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, The Auditorium, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place.
For more information and tickets, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
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