Next to Normal this afternoon with Jessica Phillips as Diana

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:24pm

My friend won the next to normal lotto this afternoon, and I agreed to accompany her. Shortly after, we found out Jessica Phillips would be on as Diana. If anyone here has followed my posts, you know that I'd seen her go on the night after the Tonys and absolutely hated her. At the time, I felt I was justified in using words like "disaster", "horrendous", and "train wreck" to describe her performance.

So, I went in to the matinee today with a lot of trepidation. However, after watching her performance this afternoon, I am pleased to do almost a 180 on her. I thought she was, for the most part, spectacular today.

Gone is the silly British accent, the smiling during I Miss the Mountains, the weird head bobbing during I Am the One. She's toned down the goofiness, and is now giving a really fantastic performance.

Her act 2 is absolutely flawless. From the moment she says, "And who are you?", I was with her. Just incredibly touching all the way through the second act. She knocks the music box scene out of the park. She brought a lot of depth and emotion to that scene, and actually looked she understood what was happening, as opposed to staring blankly like she did last time. To say that I was blown away by her in act 2 would be an understatement. She was just fantastic.

I still don't like a few of the choices she makes in act 1. I'm not sold on her rendition of I Miss the Mountains, which has too many "aahhs" for my taste, and she still overacts during Didn't I See this Movie. But, in the grand scheme of things, these are both minor quibbles. She's excellent during I Am The One, since she's no longer bobbing her head back and forth.

Her voice is, as I've always said, very strong. I really enjoyed the way she sang You Don't Know, I Dreamed a Dance, and Maybe.

Act 2 was definitely her stronger act. Like I said, she was flawless in the second act. I'm glad I got to see her again, if for no other reason than to erase the memory I had of her previously.

A friend reminded me of a comment I had made back when I saw her in June. I said that if Jessica Phillips ever improved to the point where I enjoyed her, I would make a $100 donation to Broadway Cares. So, because I'm a man of my word, I wrote the check just a short while ago:


Updated On: 11/29/09 at 08:24 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:27pm

Amazing. I want to see to her now.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:28pm

I'd edit the picture of the check, as some of your ID# is still visible.

That said, very nice of you to be good of your word. And I'm sure Jessica, who, if being an actor is any indication, will read this and smile.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:35pm

Fixed!

[LuminousBeing]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:38pm

I haven't seen Jessica, but I just wanted to say good for you for going into the 2nd performance with an open mind! Also, good for you for making that donation. I wish I could see Jessica's performance!

[defygravity24]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 8:46pm

I was there today (I was at the lotto too and I lost, but already had tickets anyway) and I when I saw that sheet in the playbill I was so upset, but she was actually really good. I thought her singing was no wear near as good for the part as Alice Pipley's singing, but I loved her acting and how she was a bit more goofy and more out there than Ripley.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 9:01pm

Wow, bravo to you for keeping your word and donating to such a good cause. Very admirable. I honestly would be devastated if Alice was out and I had tickets, but I've heard mostly positive things about Jessica and I'm glad you enjoyed her this time around.

[legally_popular]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 9:02pm

Great review! She must've been really amazing to get you to change your mind like that. I would love to see Jessica in the role myself. And what a very nice gesture with the donation.

[winston89]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 9:52pm

Talk about literally putting your money where your mouth is. I am glad that you enjoyed her performance and glad you were willing to give her an honest second chance. I feel that it would have been one thing to walk in there with a bad attitude due to the fact that you saw her once a few months ago, didn't like her, and now that you had to see her again you were upset.

However, you were willing to go in there with an open mind. And, you did some great helping out in the process.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 9:54pm

I love that you stayed true to what you promised and that's a great thing for BC/EFA.


I liked Jessica more then Alice. She was actually believable as a real person.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 10:06pm

This was great to read.

I wasn't a fan of her performance when I first saw her but, of course, am always willing and hoping to see her again, if she has in fact improved.

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 11/29/09 at 10:54pm

I still would love to see her in the role.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 6:28am

I'm glad that you like her this time. Now we won't have to read about you constantly bashing her anymore.

Updated On: 11/30/09 at 06:28 AM

[cglaid]

Posted: 11/30/09 at 11:16am

This is a great story. Thanks for sharing.