THE NOTEBOOK MUSICAL

With beautiful songs in place, this musical already has a strong foundation. The set design looks clean and polished. The background looks like a painting, setting the mood for love.

The lyrics are conversational. The words don’t sound forced, flowing naturally within the conversations. They feel like a natural part of the characters’ everyday language. Even when the lyrics get sensual and provocative, the actors say it like they mean it.

Sheena Belarmino commands the spotlight in her own right. She reaches every note with ease, yet never loses the power and control that make her performance impressive.

Benedix Ramos proves to be a worthy partner, complementing her well through the songs while showing genuine joy and admiration whenever they’re together. His falsetto has room to become fuller and stronger, but his voice remains charismatic and pleasant regardless.

Whether in singing or acting, Morissette never holds back and always gives everything she has. She savors every word, making you feel every bit of it. Her signature vocal squeaks remain part of her performance without taking away from her commitment to the role. In fact, they add even more flavor to it. The moment she steps onto the stage, her presence is undeniable. And when she opens her mouth, her voice is unstoppable.

It’s magical whenever different generations of actors come together. Their voices blend seamlessly, making them sound like one — which fits the bill.

The melodies are refreshing to hear, moving in different directions without sounding chaotic. They make the songs feel more exciting and alive.

To a fault, the songs become engaging enough that you become more excited about hearing the next one — more than seeing where the story goes.

The show’s biggest weaknesses lie in the direction and dramaturgy. Many scenes, that should have been crucial and heart-wrenching, pass by without so much impact.

The very essence of the story, which is love, barely comes through in the musical.

Confrontations between Noah and Allie don’t carry much weight. It seems like they aren’t madly in love with each other.

Laurence Mossman can easily hit the notes, but his portrayal could use more soul and passion.

When Old Allie finally remembers everything, it should’ve been filled with love, relief, and longing, but the show also fails to capture that feeling.

Most of the other theater actors are also underutilized, even if their characters hold significant roles in the story.

Lon Hammond, a loving man willing to make sacrifices for Allie, is reduced to almost nothing in the musical, leaving his presence barely felt.

In contrast, the Physical Therapist gets more time, even though the character adds little to the story.

A meaningful mother-daughter moment between Anne and Allie could have added another emotional layer, with Anne Hamilton offering some real talk and guidance, but the musical doesn’t explore this opportunity.

It’s not difficult to keep up with the jumping timelines. However, these shifts repeatedly break the momentum. There are a lot of shortcuts and detours in the storytelling, preventing the characters from maintaining their emotional connection.

The characters’ experiences aren’t given enough time to gradually develop, with transitions that can sometimes feel abrupt. Some minor conversations drag on, while the more important ones are given only a few seconds to unfold.

The placement of Old Noah and Old Allie onstage isn’t initially a problem. But for most of the show, they have to literally turn their backs to watch the scenes behind them. It becomes repetitive and visually awkward, especially when they do it almost every time. The staging for those parts could have been more creative.

Despite the many shortcomings, the musical still deserves its applause. Much of that credit goes to Morissette and Sheena, whose performances do justice to the songs onstage.

The music and the way it is performed remain among the show’s strongest qualities.

𝘐𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘐𝘴 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 is an instant favorite with its catchy melody. It’s one of the many performances that showcase Sheena’s vocal stability and prowess. This track deserves a spot at the top of the pop charts.

𝘔𝘺 𝘋𝘢𝘺𝘴 by Morissette takes its rightful place as the musical’s best moment. With stars lighting up the backdrop and the full orchestra in place, Morissette shines the brightest. It rightfully deserves a standing ovation.

Morissette and Sheena could fill the entire show with their solos and duets, and it would be a show worth watching on its own. They are a perfect combo.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 may not bring everything to life effectively, but there are still parts worth holding on to.

This is not quite one to put in the 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, but the performances are certainly worth taking 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘦 of.