(Review) The Notebook musical brings romance — but uneven songs — to Orlando
Fans of “The Notebook” can now experience Allie and Noah’s emotional love story live on stage in Orlando, but while it delivers strong performances and heartfelt moments, the musical adaptation struggles to match the emotional power that made the original story such a phenomenon.
For audience members unfamiliar with the original novel or film, the emotional core of the story still comes through clearly. However, the stage adaptation may not fully capture the same impact that made the original story such a cultural phenomenon.
Since it’s being told by the older actor reading from the notebook itself, it jumps around quite a lot, while I’m sure this works well in the novel, and probably more so on screen, it’s a bit jumbled and chaotic on a stage.
The production does feature strong performances and emotional moments throughout the evening. The cast shares convincing chemistry, and several scenes — especially the famous rain kiss sequence — earned strong reactions from the audience.
One of the musical’s standout moments comes during the ballad “My Days,” performed by “Middle Allie,” portrayed by Alysha Deslorieux, whose vocal performance was among the strongest of the night.
While the cast and emotional source material help carry the production, the music itself may leave some theatergoers wanting more. Many of the songs are emotionally driven but ultimately forgettable compared to other modern Broadway adaptations.
For longtime fans of “The Notebook,” the musical still offers a chance to revisit beloved moments from the story in a new format. For newcomers, however, this may not be the definitive way to experience Allie and Noah’s romance for the first time.
Dr. Phillips Center official event page
“The Notebook” runs in Orlando through May 17, 2026.
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