Ingrid Michaelson's The Notebook Musical to Premiere in Chicago

Chicago Shakespeare Theatre will present the world premiere of Ingrid Michaelson and Bekah Brunstetter's new musical adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's The Notebook, running September 22-November 8. Michael Greif will direct.

A deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love, The Notebook chronicles the decades-long love story between a mill worker named Noah and a privileged debutante named Allie. Beginning with a whirlwind summer romance in North Carolina in the 1940s, their love affair spans an entire lifetime — in spite of the differences that threaten to pull them apart. The world-premiere production will feature a diverse, multigenerational cast, reflecting the timeless and universal nature of the story. Casting is underway and will be announced at a later date.

Best known as a singer-songwriter, Michaelson made her Broadway debut as Sonya in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. In addition to being the playwright of The Cake, Brunstetter is a supervising producer and writer on NBC's This Is Us.

Published in 1996, The Notebook was adapted into a popular 2004 film starring Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner, and Gena Rowlands.