TGA's The Notebook: The Musical Review: A Beautiful, Heartfelt International Premiere
Veronique Nazareno
September 7, 2026
Morisette and Laurence Mossman play Middle Allie and Middle Noah
TGA’s international premiere of The Notebook: The Musical brings together a superb all-Filipino cast, heartfelt performances, and a staging that makes the familiar love story feel deeply personal.
It’s difficult to come down from a production that made you this emotional.
Theatre Group Asia (TGA) bravely brought The Notebook: The Musical, to the Philippines for its international premiere following its Broadway staging. With an all-Filipino cast and Nicholas Polonio at the helm, Manila feels like the perfect place for a show that speaks so closely to the Filipino heart.
The Notebook on stage is not exactly like the film, nor is it a direct recreation of the book. But whether you are a fan of either or both, the musical stands on its own.
With music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson with book by Bekah Brunstetter, the emotions are sung—and they hit even harder because of it.
A casting made in heaven
The casting of this production is one of its biggest strengths. Rody Vera as Older Noah and Celeste Legaspi as Older Allie feel like a pairing made in heaven.
Vera, who stole the show, is perfect as Older Noah. He is vulnerable and fragile, but there is also a quiet determination in him. He can be funny and witty one moment and heartbreaking the next. There is something so comforting about his presence on stage that, when the emotional scenes come, they affect you even more.
Legaspi is brilliant as Older Allie. She plays her so naturally that she almost immediately reminds you of your own grandmother, older aunt, or someone in the family you instinctively want to take care of. The familiarity is there, the way she cracks jokes, the way she gets lost in memory... you care for her almost immediately. And despite already knowing Noah and Allie’s story, you still find yourself rooting for them.
Rody Vera and Celeste Legaspi are Olders Noah and Allie
Morissette, meanwhile, is a revelation. Of course, we already know that “Asia’s Phoenix” can sing. We know she can belt. What is particularly enjoyable is discovering more than the voice we already know. She has great comedic timing and brings so much emotion into her singing.
Hearing and seeing her perform “My Days” in this production is a completely different experience. Morissette soars. It is easily one of the most unforgettable and most breathtaking moments on a theatrical stage.
Laurence Mossman also brings a great deal of heart to Middle Noah. His soulful performance of “Leave The Light On” is another highlight, allowing us to see the longing and steadfastness that define Noah through the years.
Benedix Ramos and Sheena Belarmino are both forces to be reckoned with. These two have been booked and busy lately, and watching them here, it is easy to see why. Their talent is evident both vocally and acting-wise. And it is an honor to witness these unfold on a big stage and in an international premiere nonetheless
The supporting cast is likewise strong. Omar Uddin as Johnny, the physical therapist, is a standout. His comedy gives the audience some breathing room in between the more emotional scenes, and he makes sure that his every appearance on stage count.
This is also true for Shaun Ocrisma as Fin, Felicity Kyle Napuli as Sarah, and Jillian Ita-as who plays Georgie. Carla Guevara Laforteza, who plays Allie’s mother as well her nurse, looks like she is having an absolute blast on stage, stealing scenes left and right.
Sheena Belarmino and Benedix Ramos as Younger Noah and Allie.
Miguel Urbino’s production design beautifully brings Noah and Allie’s world to life, complemented by Cha See’s atmospheric lighting design.
With tall grass in the background and the boat dock completing the picture, the stage transports us to North Carolina during that memorable summer of Younger Allie and Noah.
Noah’s house is, in many ways, the soul of the setting, and the production gives it enough detail to make it feel lived-in.
The scene transitions are also handled smoothly, with the “memories” themselves helping move pieces of the set. This is a nice touch that ties the staging closely to the show’s central theme.
Despite some technical difficulties with the set and sound during the September 2 Gala Night, the production still delivered and did little to take away from the overall experience.
The beautiful house.
One of the most pleasant surprises is how the different generations of Noah and Allie remain present throughout much of the production. At the forefront are Older Noah and Older Allie, with Noah reading from the notebook to his beloved. But the other generations of Noah and Allie continue to move in and out of their world throughout the show. The younger versions of Noah and Allie do not disappear because of the passage of time. They remain there alongside the people they eventually become, much like the memories we continue to carry throughout our own lives
More than just a love story
The central plot may revolve around the romantic journey of Noah and Allie, but underneath it is something much bigger: how we live our lives and what remains of them through memory. What happens when those memories begin to disappear? That thought stayed with this writer.
Moreover, the lyrics of “My Days” resonate: “I wanna live a life where I'm allowed to say. That I'm proud of the way that I spent my days.” This is not just applicable to love but also to life in general. Did we follow our joy? Did we follow our heart? Are we proud of the choices we have made with the one life that we have?
The show will make us reassess some of those choices, but it will also reaffirm the ones we have already made.
Whether one is a fan of love stories or not, the production will move you in more ways than you will actually expect.
Nicholas Polonio deserves much credit for bringing these different layers together. At only 28 years old, he handled a production that moves constantly between generations, memories, emotional tones, and timelines with impressive confidence.
His cast has described him as a collaborative director, and whatever that process looked like behind the scenes, it clearly worked on stage.
For an international premiere entrusted to an all-Filipino cast, there is an added sense of pride. Filipino talent does not need much proving at this point. But productions like TGA's The Notebook: The Musical will make you prouder of what Filipino artists can bring to an international work.
The Notebook: The Musical is one of the most beautiful, most deeply felt production to date—and one that leaves you wanting to experience it all over again.
Bring tissues.
The Notebook: The Musical is only running until September 20, 2026 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater at Circuit, Makati. Tickets are available at Ticketworld.