Samantha Ríos was 17 the first time she watched a musical at the National Theatre. Starting Tuesday, Aug. 18, she'll perform on that same stage.

Ríos, a Latina actress and singer who grew up in the Washington area, returns to the District as dance captain, swing performer and understudy for the role of Younger Allie in the national tour of The Notebook. The musical plays the National Theatre at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW from Aug. 18 through Aug. 30, according to IBDB tour records.

"It's a dream come true," Ríos told El Tiempo Latino in an interview published Aug. 11. "When I was about 17 years old I went to see one of my first musicals at the National Theatre. Now being able to come back and walk out on that stage is something I still can't believe."

Born in Arlington, Virginia, to an Ecuadorian mother from Otavalo and a Honduran father, Ríos got her start performing with a gospel choir that took her to the Kennedy Center, the White House and the National Museum of American History. At 14, she competed on La Voz Kids, reaching the semifinals on Daddy Yankee's team.

But it was GALA Hispanic Theatre in Columbia Heights that changed her trajectory. At 17, she played the lead daughter in the world premiere of La Foto: A Selfie Affair alongside actress Luz Nicolás. The production ran in February 2018 at the nonprofit theater on 14th Street NW, according to TheatreWashington records. Ríos told El Tiempo Latino that the GALA experience convinced her to study musical theater. She earned her degree at the University of Michigan, then moved to New York.

Four roles, one performer

As a swing in The Notebook, Ríos has memorized four parts: Younger Allie, Georgie, Sarah and Nurse Joanna. She has been called in mid-show twice to replace a cast member, with the substitution announced to the audience at intermission. As dance captain, she supervises rehearsals, trains new company members and knows every position on stage.

The preparation is relentless. Ríos goes to the gym daily, takes ongoing voice lessons and practices singing while running in hotel hallways because the show demands near-constant movement with almost no breaks between scenes.

The musical, based on Nicholas Sparks's novel and the 2004 film, features an original score by Ingrid Michaelson, a book by Bekah Brunstetter and direction by Michael Greif and Schele Williams. The tour launched in September 2025 in Cleveland and is scheduled to run through May 2027 across more than 30 cities.

A pipeline for the next generation

Ríos's path from GALA's stage to a Broadway tour mirrors what the theater's Paso Nuevo program aims to build. The free, year-round bilingual program trains DC-area youth ages 14 to 19 in acting, playwriting and technical theater. Its students have performed at the Kennedy Center, Shakespeare Theatre Company and the White House.

GALA artistic director Gustavo Ott told American Theatre that Paso Nuevo's youth audiences are growing, noting that "the kids are bringing their parents to the mainstage."

Ríos, the only professional performing artist in her family, said she plans to reconnect with relatives and friends during the DC run. She mentioned looking forward to pupusas, her grandmother's home cooking and a stop at Clyde's in Georgetown.

Upcoming events

  • The Notebook national tour at the National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW: Aug. 18–30. Tickets at broadwayatthenational.com.
  • GALA Hispanic Theatre 51st season opens Sept. 3 with the world premiere of Garbo: El artista que salvó al mundo at 3333 14th St. NW.
  • Paso Nuevo Fall/Winter 2026 session begins Sept. 8. Free for ages 14–19. Details at galatheatre.org/paso-nuevo.