The beloved romance novel and movie, “The Notebook,” took the Broadway stage on March 14, 2024. Romance readers and watchers are excited to see the anticipated, heartbreaking love story of Noah and Allie come to life on the big stage. However, the excitement can not protect viewers from the well-known, devastating topics discussed in the show, such as dementia, growing old, and heartbreak.

The musical is based on the novel, which tells the love story of Noah and Allie, who met at a young age and have to fight for love throughout their lives. In contrast to the movie where there is an older and younger version of the couple, the musical has three different versions; a young couple, a middle-aged couple, and an elderly couple. John Cardoza and Jordan Tyson portray young Noah and Allie. Ryan Vasquez and Joy Woods portray middle Noah and Allie. Dorian Harewood and Maryann Plunkett portray older Noah and Allie.

For the majority of the show, all three couples are seen on stage in different color-coded clothing to help differentiate between them. All three of Noah’s and Allie’s characters exist on stage, allowing the viewers to see the growth in maturity and love. However, viewers can also see Allie’s development and early signs of dementia, making the reality of her getting sick even more devastating.

Directors Michael Grief and Schele Williams, as well as writer Bekah Brunstetter, shifted the story’s time frame by two decades, creating a new version of “The Notebook” to help viewers today better relate to its themes. Instead of fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, like in the novel and movie, in the musical Noah fights in Vietnam.

The score is by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, mostly known for her work on “Grey’s Anatomy.” Viewers have raved about how much they enjoyed the music, especially the heartbreaking act one finale, “I Wanna Go Back,” which has left many viewers in tears.

The production staff of the musical expected the devastating show to leave people in tears and happened to sell a $5 box of tissues during intermission.

Luckily, those interested in listening and getting to know the musical’s soundtrack will have the opportunity to when it is released on April 19, 2024.

Overall, “The Notebook” musical allows romance lovers to see one of their favorite stories live. The musical addresses the importance of finding true love and how to make the most of life while it lasts because you never know what might come with age.