VIDEO: First Look at THE NOTEBOOK World Premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Broadway directors Michael Greif and Schele Williams team up with choreographer Katie Spelman to stage this deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.

By: Sep. 23, 2022
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Chicago Shakespeare Theater is presenting the world premiere musical The Notebook, now extended by popular demand through October 30, 2022.

Get a first look at footage from the production below!

Featuring music and lyrics by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and book by playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC's This Is Us), the new musical is based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks that inspired the iconic film. Allie and Noah, both from different worlds, share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. Broadway directors Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT) and Schele Williams (Aida, Motown the Musical) team up with choreographer Katie Spelman to stage this deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.

Portraying Allie and Noah across their lifetimes are Jordan Tyson as Younger Allie, Joy Woods as Middle Allie, and Maryann Plunkett as Older Allie; John Cardoza as Younger Noah, Ryan Vasquez as Middle Noah, and John Beasley as Older Noah. The company also includes Yassmin Alers (Nurse Joanna), Andréa Burns (Nurse Lori / Mother), Jonathan Butler-Duplessis (Father / Son), Dorcas Leung (Georgie), Omar Lopez-Cepero (Lon), Sophie Madorsky (Sarah), and Liam Oh (Fin / Justin). Understudies include Alex Benoit, Mary Ernster, Jerica Exum, Jerome Harmann-Hardeman, RhonniRose Mantilla, and Carson Stewart.

The production's music supervisor is Carmel Dean, who is also collaborating on arrangements with Ingrid Michaelson and on orchestrations with John Clancy. Geoffrey Ko is The Notebook's music director.

The Notebook features scenic design by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, costume design by Paloma Young, lighting design by Ben Stanton, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and wig and make-up design by Mia Neal. Casting is by The Telsey Office / Patrick Goodwin, CSA, with Chicago casting by Chicago Shakespeare Theater Artistic Associate/Casting Director Bob Mason. Also featured on the creative team are Asmeret Ghebremichael (Associate Director), Anna Ebbesen (Associate Music Director), Emily Madigan (Associate Choreographer), Sasha Smith (Intimacy Director), Matthew Buttrey (Associate Scenic Designer), Annie Le (Associate Costume Designer), Wilburn Bonnell (Associate Lighting Designer), Daniel Lundberg (Associate Sound Designer), Erica Maholmes (Assistant Lighting Designer), and Emily Hayman (Assistant Sound Designer). Victoria Navarro is the Production Stage Manager.
More information at www.chicagoshakes.com/notebook.

The Notebook will be presented through October 30, 2022, in The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare. Tickets ($45-$125) are on sale now. Special discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Box Office at 312.595.5600 or visit the Theater's website at www.chicagoshakes.com. Chicago Shakespeare's most up-to-date health protocols can be found at www.chicagoshakes.com/health.


ABOUT Chicago Shakespeare Theater


Regional Tony Award-recipient Chicago Shakespeare Theater produces a bold and innovative year-round season-plays, musicals, world premieres, family productions, and theatrical presentations from around the globe-alongside nationally recognized education programming serving tens of thousands of students, teachers, and lifelong learners each year. Founded in 1986, the Theater's onstage work has expanded to as many as twenty productions and 650 performances annually. Chicago Shakespeare is dedicated to welcoming the next generation of theatergoers; one in four of its audience members is under the age of eighteen. As a nonprofit organization, the Theater works to embrace diversity, prioritize inclusion, provide equitable opportunities, and offer an accessible experience for all. On the Theater's three stages at its home on Navy Pier, in classrooms and neighborhoods across the city, and in venues around the world, Chicago Shakespeare is a multifaceted cultural hub-inviting audiences, artists, and community members to share powerful stories that connect and inspire. www.chicagoshakes.com



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