The Notebook’ coming to Bass Hall
Show personal to director
For the second time in less than a year, Schele Williams is directing a show that will be onstage at Bass Hall. And while all directors become attached to their shows, this one affects Williams even more so.
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“This show is so special to my heart. My mom has Alzheimer’s,” Williams said. “My mom and dad have been together since high school.”
The story of “The Notebook” follows Allie and Noah, two lovers from different worlds who face fierce opposition from their families and the ravages of time. The show uses a beautiful framing device to tell its story: an elderly Noah reads from a shared notebook to his wife, Allie, who is struggling with Alzheimer’s disease in a nursing home.
The 2004 movie starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams was adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ iconic 1996 novel. It has since been adapted for the stage, receiving three Tony Award nominations in 2024. And now it’s coming to Bass Hall as part of Performing Arts Fort Worth’s Broadway at the Bass Series presented by PNC Bank with performances June 23-28. “My dad saw it and said he felt validated,” Williams said of the story that has touched so many lives.
BACK TO BASS Almost a year ago, in mid-July of 2025, Williams directed “The Wiz” at Bass Hall. It’s rare for the same director to have two shows in the same venue in the same city in less than a year, but Williams has actually had these two shows appear in several theatres across the United States in that span.
“It is such a blessing. I was with my family in Miami and we went by [the Arsht Center] and I saw posters for both shows. I was so humbled and it was so special,” she said. “It is so wonderful to be a part of two shows connecting with humanity like these shows.”
NATIONAL RECOGNITION “The Notebook” arrives as the nation is recognizing June as National Alzheimer’s Brain and Awareness Month. Williams said the show provides a much needed reminder to viewers coping with a family member fighting Alzheimer’s that “The person you love is in there, just in a different way.” Williams also noted that because Alzheimer’s affects so many people, “It’s validating to have your experiences seen,” which this show does. “There are the tears of seeing the family go through this, but also tears of joy for Allie,” she said. “You’ll cry, but you’ll laugh.”
To capture the span of their lives, three separate pairs of actors play younger, middle, and older versions of Allie and Noah. Unlike the movie, combinations of these actors can be onstage simultaneously, Williams noted. “What you can do in theatre is show all the levels in their life crossing over,” she said. “There are moments when youngers and middles are onstage at the same time, middles and holders.” Williams added that while Alzheimer’s is associated with elderly adults, “No matter what age you are seeing the show, there is something you can connect with.”
‘The Notebook’ Musical At Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth June 23-28 Tickets: https://www.basshall.com/notebook
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