‘The Notebook: The Musical’ cast opens up on bringing Noah and Allie’s love story to Manila stage
When The Notebook: The Musical finally takes the stage in Manila, audiences won't just be watching a familiar romance—they’ll be experiencing a sweeping, deeply emotional reimagining built entirely by world-class local talent.
At the media briefing on Thursday, Aug. 27, at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati, the cast and creative team offered an exclusive inside look at what to expect from this historic international premiere.
Executive Producer Christian Mohnani explained that the musical follows Noah and Allie through three stages of their lives, celebrating “the quiet bravery found in loving someone faithfully through every season of life.” That structure also presented a unique challenge for the actors playing the couple at different ages: how to make three different performers feel like the same person, with the ultimate goal for audiences to see the different actors as "one" Noah or one Allie rather than separate portrayals.
To build that single identity, the cast had to navigate their distinct personalities and acting styles. Morissette, who plays middle Allie, shared that figuring out “how can we be one?” was one of the key things they looked forward to during rehearsals.
For Rody Vera, who plays older Noah, another element that makes the musical distinctive is the way it plays with time. The production repeatedly breaks the continuity of the story, allowing the different versions of Noah to exist together and giving the actors a different perspective on their character.
Hits close to home
Even after weeks of rehearsals, the cast admitted that the story's emotional weight hasn't gotten easier to handle. Laurence Mossman, who plays middle Noah, said there is “nothing” that can really prepare them for the show's emotional scenes because every run can reveal something new.
“It might be a word, it might be someone's delivery of a line. You see either a part of yourself in your life, or you see someone that you love, or a friend of yours, just in that character in that moment. That's when it truly becomes this huge moment. So I can't really ever prepare for it,” Mossman said.
Associate Director Jamie Wilson added that after five weeks in rehearsals, he has yet to make it through the show without crying.
“I haven’t stopped crying,” Wilson said. “And I cry in different moments, sometimes for different reasons,” explaining that rehearsals often reveal something deeper in a scene that gives him a new reason to become emotional.
Jillian Ita-as, who plays Georgie, said the musical makes them want to call their parents, grandparents, and siblings, hoping audiences leave the theater with “a deeper appreciation” for their loved ones. Shaun Ocrisma, who plays Fin, similarly shared that watching Noah and Allie's story makes him see his own parents and the people he loves, describing the show as being about not only love but “life and about everything you love about life.”
Shaun Ocrisma, who plays the role of Fin, similarly said that when watching Noah and Allie's story, he sees his own parents and the people he loves, describing the show as being about not only love but “life and about everything you love about life.”
A celebration of Pinoy artistry
For Celeste Legaspi, who plays older Allie, the production is also a celebration of the local artists bringing it to life.
“This is Filipino talent at its very best,” Legaspi said, praising everyone from the production and crew to the singers involved in the musical.
Director Nicholas Polonio echoed this sentiment, noting that the Filipino identity of the production comes from the artists behind every creative decision—from the actors and crew to the designers and music team.
“Every single creative choice that was made on this stage is designed by Filipino imaginations and artistry,” Polonio said.
The Notebook: The Musical stars Benedix Ramos, Sheena Belarmino, Laurence Mossman, Morissette, Celeste Legaspi, and Rody Vera as Noah and Allie at different stages of their lives.
The musical runs from Sept. 3 to 20 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Circuit Makati.