Love In The Time of Dementia: Sharon Catherine Brown Stars As 'Allie' In 'The Notebook'

Sharon Catherine Brown stars in 'The Notebook'

By Darlene Donloe 

Sharon Catherine Brown is bringing the iconic character of Allie to life in the LA premiere of the Broadway musical "The Notebook" at the Pantages Theater, opening January 6, 2026.

Brown plays Allie as a grown woman struggling with dementia, showcasing her impressive acting range. 

The musical, an adaptation of the iconic 2004 film starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, James Garner and Gena Rowlands, tells the story of Allie and Noah's timeless love, spanning decades and continents. The movie, set in 1940s South Carolina, is a love story read from an elderly man's (Garner) notebook by a woman with Alzheimer’s (Rowlands).

The play, directed by Michael Greif, who helmed both the original Broadway hit ‘Rent’ and the West Coast production, which also starred Brown, is a profoundly moving portrait of the enduring power of love, with music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson. 

Allie and Noah are two people from different worlds who share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. 

The movie featured white actors in the roles. The current theatrical production has colorless casting.  Brown, who is Black, is playing opposite a white actor in the role of Noah, which, she says, ‘doesn’t make a difference.’ 

“It’s such a layered question with a layered answer,” said Brown, the mother of one son. “I didn’t know what Black Allie and white Noah were going to be. What I’m feeling is that love is, in fact, prevalent, and it is stronger and more common than what we are currently seeing on the news.”

Chloë Cheers, Alysha Deslorieux, and Sharon Catherine Brown
star as Allie in 'The Notebook' at The Pantages theatre.

Allie and Noah are each played in the production by three actors: Kyle Mangold as younger Noah, Ken Wulf Clark as middle Noah, Beau Gravitte as older Noah, and Chloë Cheers as younger Allie, Alysha Deslorieux as middle Allie, and Brown as the older Allie. 

Brown's portrayal of Allie is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and memory. 

Playing Allie, a grown woman battling dementia, is a role Brown is tackling with emotional intensity.  She declined to reveal how she developed the character.

“Process is something I only have with actors I’m working with and directors,” Brown said. “I don’t want the audience to know anything but what they see. This is the most challenging role I’ve ever had. It also carries the most responsibility.” 

Brown's vibrant personality and impressive range as an actress draw audiences in, and what's interesting is that she hadn't seen the movie version of "The Notebook" before taking on the role of the older Allie.

“I saw the movie after I saw the show,” she said. “I cried so hard when we all went together to see The Notebook. It was very emotional. What I loved about the movie is Gena Rowlands as Gloria. I focused on that. I saw the movie for the first time last year. I liked it. In my opinion, this is controversial, but I’m going to say it. James Marsden should have been Noah, and Ryan Gosling should have been Lon. No shade to either one of them. Marsden’s version of Lon made it hard for me not to see the roles flipped.”

"The Notebook is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love," the show's description says, and Sharon's performance is sure to bring this poignant story to life. 

Brown's experience playing complex characters is evident in her nuanced performance. She's not just playing a character with dementia; she's bringing depth and humanity to the role.

“Playing the role of Allie isn’t easy,” said Brown. “But that’s what makes it interesting. When it comes to deciding what roles I’m going to take, it has to be bigger than me and tougher than me. It has to scare me a little bit. You want to reach for it. You have to work. It’s about the peeling of the layers. I have to find it. Stop using color and age as an obstacle. Just let me get in and prove myself. My parents taught me – ‘You go to the theater full and leave empty – so the audience is full.’ When I leave the theater at night, I’m spent.” 

Brown is a classically trained actress with a passion for her craft, having been surrounded by theater her entire life. She's a Broadway Baby, following in the footsteps of her parents, Johnny (‘Good Times’) and June Brown, both former Broadway performers. Sadly, Johnny Brown passed away on March 2, 2022. 

“My parents are the greatest love story I’ve ever known,” Brown said. “They were together for over 65 years. I owe everything I am to them.” 

With a career spanning over three decades, Brown has amassed an impressive list of credits, including "Days of Wine and Roses," "Caroline, or Change," and "Dreamgirls."

But it's not just stage productions that Brown has dominated. Her television and movie credits include "Generations," "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge," and "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit." Clearly, Brown, who has been in show business for 55 years, is no stranger to the spotlight.  She’s been acting since she was three, doing baby modeling. 

“I did not have a say in this,” Brown said. “I came out of the womb acting. My mother said when I came out, I spread my hands like jazz hands. I have a cherished pedigree. I’m a double Broadway legacy baby. I feel at home on stage. I love being on stage because it feels like a huge blessing. Acting fills my soul and heart with joy.”   

This is Brown’s fourth time performing at The Pantages! She was in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (The Narrator), Dreamgirls (Effie), Jekyll & Hyde (Lucy), and now The Notebook (older Allie).

Planted deeply in show business roots, Brown said she doesn’t have a concept of what she would do if she weren’t in the arts. 

“I would love to be a panda wrangler,” she said. “I don’t have to think about what I would have been. I am so blessed. I’m an actress. These are the best roles. My roles get juicier and juicier. I am so grateful. Always blessed and always booked.” 

“The Notebook is ultimately a celebration of life, love, and the power of memory,” said producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch. “Audiences first fell in love with this timeless story as a novel, then as an iconic film, and now they can experience it anew as a moving musical event. With multi-platinum artist Ingrid Michaelson’s unforgettable score and Tony Award-nominated Bekah Brunstetter’s beautifully crafted book, The Notebook comes to life on stage in a way that will resonate deeply with audiences across North America.” 

The Notebook is directed by Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT) and Schele Williams (The Wiz, Aida). It features music and lyrics by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, book by Bekah Brunstetter (NBC’s “This Is Us”), and choreography by Katie Spelman. 

The production will play at The Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles from January 6-25, 2026, and at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa from January 27-February 8, 2026.