Sheena Belarmino and Benedix Ramos Think "The Notebook" Has Always Been a Teleserye at Heart

For all its reputation as one of pop culture’s defining love stories, The Notebook is built on remarkably familiar ground: first love, family expectations, class divides, and impossible choices. It's exactly why Sheena Belarmino and Benedix Ramos believe the musical’s international premiere will feel right at home in Manila. 

The two actors take on Young Allie and Young Noah in Theatre Group Asia’s staging of The Notebook The Musical, the Broadway adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel featuring an original score by Ingrid Michaelson. Unlike the 2004 film starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, the stage production follows Allie and Noah across three generations, with Sheena and Benedix joined by Morissette and Celeste Legaspi as Allie, alongside Laurence Mossman and Rody Vera as Noah. The longtime collaborators, who previously shared the stage in Tabing Ilog, Next to Normal, and Bar Boys, now reunite as the youngest versions of the iconic couple.  

Ahead of the musical's first rehearsals, Preview sat down with Sheena and Benedix to talk about reuniting onstage, stepping into Young Allie and Young Noah's shoes, and finding something new in a story audiences already know.

Editor’s note: This interview was conducted prior to the announcement of Laurence Mossman as Middle Noah and Rody Vera as Older Noah.

This is the international premiere of the show. Why do you think the Philippines is the perfect place to do this?

Benedix Ramos: “We have the heart to do it. And I believe this material requires so much heart. Filipino people have that.”

Sheena Belarmino: “Filipinos are known to be very emotional people. In terms of the movies that we see, it’s all romantic dramas, hopeless romantic-related. Ang hilig natin makaramdam ng feelings.

“And it’s something that the Filipino audience could relate to kasi it’s not only that it talks about love. We also have that sense of empathy and sympathy towards characters in movies o sa mga tao sa paligid natin.”

Would you say you’d be inspired by local telenovelas for this production?

Sheena: “Oh my God, yeah! When I watched the movie version of it, it’s so different from the book kasi you have your own interpretation as a reader. But as a watcher, it’s like, ‘Am I seeing a Jericho Rosales plus Kristine Hermosa or Kathryn Bernardo, Daniel Padilla [kind of show?]’ So I’m like, ‘Filipino audiences will really love this.’”

Sheena, have you had conversations with Morissette and Celeste about the character?

Sheena: “Personally, ngayon lang kami nag-meet lahat, in the photoshoot. I’ve met and worked with Ate Mori because of ASAP. I did TV shows before, so I got to work with her. But relating to The Notebook, wala pa. It’s more of catching up. Kamusta kami, naaral na ba namin ’yung songs.

I’m currently working on another stage play, so I haven’t gotten to get in touch with the material again. Sabay-sabay kaming magre-review through this time.

But Ms. Celeste—wow. When I knew it was her, oh my God, mas nadagdagan ’yung pressure. May pressure na kay Morissette. Mas naging pressure ’yung role as Allie when Ms. Celeste came up as the older Allie. I have to read the script fully for how many times kasi I don’t want to miss out. I’m the younger Allie, so I have to establish her for them to have that growth.”

How do you think you’ll work together to create this continuous character?

Sheena: “It’s more of how they get to that point [of older Allie]. Maybe we can talk about our goal as Allie. Anong route niya as a young girl who’s just figuring things out, having a privileged life, to someone who reaches that age where she has a mental condition. There’s this path that she’s gonna go through, and I believe magkakaisa talaga ’yung pananaw namin in terms of mahal namin si Noah.

At ’yun ’yung pagkakabitan namin—that glimmer of hope na may minahal kami.”

You’ve also worked together on several projects before. How has your dynamic evolved, and how does that history help now that you’re playing young lovers?

Benedix: “We started off as a pair.”

Sheena: “It started off as magjowa, mag-love team peg sa Tabing Ilog. Then siblings in Next to Normal, then classmates in Bar Boys, then in another stage play, ako ’yung ate, siya ’yung bebe boy. Ngayon, magjowa na kami dito.

Ang dami naming napuntahan na iba’t ibang universes, pero the chemistry is still there. The friendship.”

Benedix: “I love working with her.”

Sheena: “Ang dali niyang katrabaho. We understand each other’s needs as actors. Ano ’yung kulang namin as actors kasi nabibigay namin ’yun sa isa’t isa. And I believe dahil doon, mas napadali ’yung chemistry. So excited ako sa kung anong kalabasan namin representing the younger versions of Allie and Noah.”

Is there a particular scene or moment you’re excited about?

Sheena: “The dancing scene.”

Benedix: “Which dance?”

Sheena: “’Yung nasa road tayo.”

Benedix: “Ah, ‘Dance With Me.’”

Sheena: “Yeah. And the other half of the movie na nagsasayawan lang sila with people around them, parang mga neighbors ni Noah. And I can’t wait to see if it’s gonna rain. We don’t know the set yet!”

Rehearsals haven’t started yet, but what do you think will be the most challenging part of preparing?

Benedix: “To me, it’s the songs. The songs are really challenging but beautiful. Technically, I’m a baritenor, and the one who played Young Noah on Broadway was a pure tenor with a very distinct tenor voice. I’m just really exploring my way up there. I’m taking lessons, and I just can’t wait to learn all the songs.”

Sheena: “I always love script analysis. It’s always something that I love to do. There are so many images that you get to see when you’re doing script analysis. The subtexts of things.

As younger Allie, I’m just here to show you how love can really bring you to places, how it can really deliver you to different kinds of emotions as a growing young girl, as a growing young lady.

And understanding the music. Because you have to have that synergy with the music, with the choreo. Bawat galaw, bawat bigkas ng linya, dapat may meaning. If you know what you’re doing, if you know what you say, you know the reason why you moved, mas nagiging clear ’yan sa audience. Kung clear ’yun sa actor, clear ’yun sa audience.”

What makes Alllie and Noah different from all of the characters you’ve played together before?

Benedix: “Maraming kissing scene.”

Both: [laugh]

Sheena: “Yes, ito ’yung masasabi kong makikiss ko na talaga ng ilang beses si Ben after a very, very long time na magka-work kami. The friendship is growing!

But aside from that, of course, it’s the first international premiere character that I’m gonna do. That’s a big pressure kasi we’re the first ones who are going to do Young Allie and Young Noah in Asia—internationally, actually.”

Benedix: “The songs are in English, and it’s on a bigger stage—the CPAT [Samsung Performing Arts Theater] stage. We used to perform in an intimate space as a pair, but this time it’s the biggest stage we’ve ever been on.”

If you could give Young Allie or Young Noah one piece of advice before their story begins, what would it be?

Benedix: “Build your dreams, but don’t lose yourself.”

Sheena: “To Young Allie, let love lead the way. Let love lead your work. Kasi iyon ang pinaka-genuine thing na nagawa niya, and I believe magtatagal siya sa mundo pag marunong siyang magmahal. Hayaan niyang magmahal. Mom and Dad, let me love that person kasi that’s how I stay true to myself!”

If Young Allie and Young Noah existed in 2026, what kind of couple do you think they’d be?

Sheena: “OA at tsaka si nonchalant. Feel ko ’ganun.”

Benedix: “Feeling ko she’s the type of girl who video-calls her boyfriend every now and then.”

Sheena: “Kahit saan siya pumunta, chinachat, ‘Nandito na ako.’”

Benedix: “Noah is the kind of guy who would send memes to Allie.”

Sheena: “Tapos maiirita na lang si Allie.”

Benedix: “Hindi ah. Tatawanan niya.”

Sheena: “Feel ko maiirita siya tapos magse-send siya ng other meme. Parang hindi puwedeng ikaw lang magse-send ng meme.”

Benedix: “Competitive with each other.”

Sheena: “Competitive siya eh.”

One word that describes your version of Allie and Noah?

Benedix: “Grounded.”

Sheena: “Matapang. Specifically, the Tagalog. Iba ’yung strength ng Filipino woman eh.”

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Notebook: The Musical will be staged at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater this September 2026.

Artistic Director: Clint Ramos
Executive Director: Christopher Mohnani

Creative Direction for Shoot: Ernest III / Art Directed
Photographer: Jyll Bitalac
Producer: Jaz Orbe
Make Up Artist: Don De Jesus
Hairstylist: Miggy Carbonilla
Styling: Team Ryuji Shiomitsu

Shot on Location, Samsung Performing Arts Theater