I knew very little about "The Notebook" before seeing "The Notebook: The Musical" Thursday evening at Chicago's Nederlander Theatre. I have never read the Nicholas Sparks novel, and I have never seen the Ryan Gosling/Rachel McAdams movie. I knew only that it was a love story and that it included a scene in which lovers kissed in the rain.

My lack of experience did not prevent me from enjoying the evening's musical.

"TN:TM" tells the story nonlinearly. The play opens with Noah and Ally physically deteriorating in a nursing home. Ally is losing her memory, and Noah's failing health eventually results in a stroke. But their relationship survives - primarily because of Noah's devotion to his wife, who often does not recognize him. The aging couple narrates their life story through a notebook from which Noah reads, as others act out the story on stage.

Three different actors (Beau Gravitte, Ken Wulf Clark, and Kyle Mangold) portray Noah at different stages in his life, and three actresses (Sharon Catherine Brown, Alysha Deslorieux, and Makena Jackson) portray Ally during those same time periods.

The different versions of Noah communicate across the years via song, making the audience feel the emotion of the passing years.

The score by Ingrid Michaelson (music) and Bekah Brunstetter (lyrics) alternates songs of love with songs lamenting what they have lost. Nothing sounds like a hit single, but all the music was enjoyable.

The set design was brilliant in its simplicity, as panels moved in and out to seamlessly \transport us inside, outside, and across time. Most impressive was the rain kiss, which featured water falling from the rafters onto the stage - something I have not seen before.

"The Notebook: The Musical" is a melodramatic story told beautifully with enjoyable music and great emotion. It touched me.