Sheena Belarmino and Benedix Ramos are riding a career high.
Just three years after stepping onto the theatrical stage, the powerhouse duo are handpicked to lead the highly anticipated Philippine production of The Notebook, the musical adaptation of the popular 2004 film starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling.
It ran for nine months in Broadway in 2024, then had a North American tour in 2025.
This September, the musical will make its Philippine debut in a local staging produced by Theatre Group Asia (TGA).
Here, Sheena and Benedix will portray young Allie and young Noah, star-crossed lovers separated by class differences.
“We were called. We were selected,” Sheena told the PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) when asked how she got the role.
Benedix concurred.
“We just got a call, there was no audition. There was no open audition for this.”
The two stage performers are frequent collaborators. They first worked together in Tabing-Ilog: The Musical in 2023, as friends-turned-lovers Rovic and Eds.
In 2025, they were both cast in Bar Boys: The Musical.
Then in last year’s Next to Normal, they played emotionally-charged siblings Natalie and Gabe Goodman.
And despite their prolific stage credits, neither anticipated being directly cast in prominent roles like young Allie and young Noah.
Admittedly, Benedix felt anxious.
“Like, imposter syndrome is peaking, because I know that there are a lot of good and deserving actors who could also play this part,” he said.
Thankfully, he was able to channel this emotion directly into the role.
“Right now, tinanggap ko na, na okay, okay na, kailangan ko itong i-own, otherwise it's not going to be a good product if I don't believe that I can do it,” explained the 25-year-old performer.
He added: “That trust from the team is, I'm really grateful for that.”
For Sheena's part, when she got the call, she immediately accepted the role and promised to do well.
“So parang, ‘Go for it, girl!’” recalled the 20-year-old singer.
“Kasi kapag ako naman din, pag nakatanggap ako ng trabaho, kung kaya sa schedule, kung kaya ng katawan ko, kaya ng utak ko, why not? Kasi minsan lang itong darating sa buhay mo, e.”
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ON-STAGE CHEMISTRY
Sheena and Benedix like working together.
They’ve become close friends, at times even planning to audition together at every opportunity.
That’s why they were pleasantly surprised when they found out that they were paired for The Notebook.
“I love working with her,” Benedix said about Sheena. “And mas masarap katrabaho kapag kilala mo na yung isa't isa, and the chemistry just comes natural.”
He surmised that TGA saw their previous work and liked their on-stage chemistry.
“Hindi ko din naman sisisihin yung mga nagha-hire sa amin kung nakita nila yun, because I'm so comfortable working with Sheena,” added the former Pinoy Big Brother housemate.
Sheena agreed with Benedix.
“Baka nakita nila yung sense of comfort din. Kasi when, kahit magkapatid kami, magkaibigan, classmate, love team, there's this comfort when people are watching us.”
ABOUT THE NOTEBOOK
When PEP talked to Sheena and Benedix on June 4 in Makati, they haven’t started rehearsals for The Notebook because they were still booked for another production that will premiere this month.
Instead, the two are studying the movie, recordings of the musical, and the script. They have also met the other stars who will play their older versions.
Morissette will play middle Allie, while Celeste Legaspi will take on older Allie.
Benedix’s old counterpart is yet to be announced, but the middle Noah will be played by Filipino-Kiwi performer Laurence Mossman.
Sheena gushed that she will be working with the powerful songstress and the theater icon.
“Sobrang excited na kasama ko sila doon. Excited ako ma-meet si Ms. Celeste.
"And I've met Ate Mori, I've worked with Ate Mori during my ASAP days, so parang nagka-catch up na lang kami ngayon,” she said excitedly.
Benedix is equally anticipating being on stage with the still unnamed cast members.
“They are really the better version of the young Noah, which I really like because that's what the story is all about. Like, you have to be the better version of yourself,” he said.
The Notebook will debut this September at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati.
Tickets are now available via Ticketworld.