The national tour of The Notebook has brought an splendid production of an absorbing, affecting show to the Fox Theatre. The musical is based on Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel of the same name.

The show’s central element is the abiding live between Noah Calhoun and his wife, Allie. In the present, she is being treated for Alzheimer’s disease in a care facility. He is living there, too, so he can be fully involved in Allie’s treatment. To trigger her memory, Noah reads to her from a notebook. It contains their own story, but Allie does not recognize it.

Flashbacks pick up the story at two key times in the past. When Noah and Ally first meet as teenagers, her wealthy parents are hostile to him because he is from a lower social class. Noah and Allie reconnect a decade later when she is engaged to marry someone else.

The book by Bekah Brunstetter effectively interweaves the plot threads from the past and the present. The music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson are an integral part of the storytelling.

A different pair of performers play Noah and Allie in the present and at their two earlier ages. All six are superb. Beau Gravitte is Older Noah, and Sharon Catherine Brown is Older Allie. Ken Wulf Clark is Middle Noah and Alysha Deslorieux is Middle Allie. Kyle Mangold is Younger Noah, and Chloë Cheers is Younger Allie.

On opening night, the show was interrupted just before intermission because of technical issue. At the end of the break, Makena Jackson went on for Younger Allie and maintained the show’s high standards.

The excellent supporting cast includes Connor Richardson, Jesse Corbin, Jerome Harmann-Hardeman, Rayna Hickman, Caleb Mathura, and Grace Ohwensadeyo Rundberg.

The imposing scenic design by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis keeps the action moving quickly with set pieces that come in with amazing speed from above and the sides. The staging is further enhanced by Paloma Young’s costume, Ben Stanton’s lighting, Nevin Steinberg’s sound, Lucy Mackinnon’s video, and Mia Neal hair and wigs.

The Notebook continues through November 16 at the Fox Theatre, 527 North Grand Boulevard.

—Gerry Kowarsky

Photo by Photo by Roger Mastroianni
Older Noah (Beau Gravitte, right) reads from his notebook to Older Allie (Sharon Catherine Brown) in The Notebook.