6 Shows in 4 Days (My Review of my Trip)*Spoiler*

Next to Normal- 7/30
*SPOILERS*
I'm so glad I took the advice of people who told me to find out as much as I could about this show... then see it. I was able to focus on the performances given by the amazing cast.

We had 2nd row seats and they were great. I felt so involved sitting that close. I LOVED the score, set, lighting, musicians...everything! I had chills all night, even though the cast was on fire If they were to give out a Tony for an Outstanding Ensemble this bunch should get it. Great chemistry, blend, and voices.

Alice was INCREDIBLE! The only thing I found odd about her performance was when Gabe would singing above her, and she would throw herself back against the chair. Almost like she was getting turned on by her dead son. Oh well, wonderful performance by Alice Ripley. One of my favorite parts was during "You Don't Know" when Diana totally blows up and throws the forks. What an exciting moment.

J. Robert Spencer was great! For some reason I connected with him, like I had known him my whole life. Which is strange because I'm only 16 and he is a father. I felt so bad for Dan because once the family got over one thing and things looked normal, again, it was all turned upside down. My favorite Dan moment was when he broke the music box.

Jennifer Damiano was outstanding. What a great actress. So many different emotions come from that girl. I love her characters transformation. I connected with Natalie most. Her scene at the end with Alice was heartbreaking. I never cry (not even at family funerals) and I started tearing up during "Maybe (Next to Normal)" and the scene that followed.

Kyle Dean Massey was awesome. I liked how he would just appear out of nowhere. I didn't think he looked too old at all. Adam Chanler-Berat, what a wonderful actor. My favorite Henry moments were the foreshadowing scenes between Dan/Diana & Henry/Natalie. Both Adam Chanler-Berat & Louis Hobson had great voices. They really surprised me. The part where the cast walks down stage during the end of "Light" was so powerful.

I did the stage door after, and boy was I glad. Everyone except Jennifer came out. Can I send my Playbill to the theatre and ask her to sign it? I even got a picture with Alice even though the door man said she wouldn't.

Phenomenal show. It is so deep and not just fluff.

5/5 Stars

Up Next: Billy Elliot

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Shrek-8/1 (mat)
Understudies for Shrek- Ben Crawford
Mama Bear- Heather Jane Rolff
Lost another slip- Humpty Dumpty wasn't in.
instead this purple thing was on singing HD

I went in expecting a horrible show. I was very surprised after it though.

Ben GREAT such a soulful singer. My family didn't even read their slips and they thought he was the regular Shrek.

One of the most disappointing parts for me was Sutton Foster during "Morning Person" I love "Morning Person" and was expecting energy to to filling the theatre. She looked like she didn't even care while she was tapping.

Christopher Sieber was so funny. The name of his horse that day was "Plastic Horse." It was so funny

Daniel Breaker was hysterical. The kids around me were so loud when they laughed.

Oh Kate Hudson was 2 rows in front of us, which was cool. She seemed to enjoy it.

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Did someone say something about him being on vacation?

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Thanks for the clarification...I thought I remembered Brian as one with an excellent attendance history.

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Not gonna lie. Your reviews make me laugh... especially your Billy Elliot review. RELAX! Don't get all stressed out about whether something is going to go wrong on stage. Everything is choreographed perfectly, so that the show runs smoothly.

Personally, I think you should watch the Billy Elliot movie to get a better understanding of who the characters are. Grandma should definitely not be acting like a grandma. That's just not who she is. You may also get a better understanding of what the British phrases mean.

Also, I'm glad you saw Keean Johnson as Michael. He truly is a talented kid. It's too bad that he isn't being handed that role permanently though. Let's hope Trevor Braun does a better job with the role of Michael than what he did with Flounder in The Little Mermaid. It'll be hard since David Bologna oozes charisma and will always be seen as THE Michael to see.

As for Jennifer Damiano not coming out the stage door, I'm not surprised. From what I've been told by the cast and crew at N2N, Jennifer Damiano rarely comes out to sign autographs. She's your typical 18 yr.old and still doesn't feel overly comfortable with all the fame.

I think BE works so well as a stage show. When I watch the movie now I want them to sing.

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I went in expecting a horrible show.

Then why had you booked to see it?

I was also at that Shrek matinee and believe Rachel Stern (Humpty Dumpty) was in, just in a different costume. It sounded like her and she wasn't listed on the understudy board as out (
picture of the understudy board).

"My family didn't even read their slips and they thought he was the regular Shrek."

Many people near me thought the same thing and at intermission and as we were leaving, people couldn't stop talking about how much they liked him near us. It was really cool and amazing to hear. =)

I was so glad to FINALLY see Ben go on as Shrek, I've been trying but every time he knew/let me know in enough time, I couldn't go because of school. He proved to me once again why he is one of my favorite actors and singers. His Who I'd Be had me crying (yes dorky and dumb, but it did).

Chris naming his horse Plastic Horse was one name I NEVER expected and I admit, I busted out laughing really hard. And John changing Dutch Elm Disease to Pine Flu still has me cracking up.

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Oh wow totally forgot I started my "reviews." :O
OK Shrek got a 3.5/5 Stars

West Side Story 8/1 (eve)
A lot of understudies but OLIVO WAS IN!!! Woo woo. She was the saving grace of that show. Haley Carlucci was a great Maria. I really tried to love this show, but just couldn't. Oh and totally agree with the comments about Matt C's voice. I like his voice on the CD a lot better. Ummm...so boring production. 3.5/5 Stars. Oh and I loved Kat during I Feel Pretty, LOLed the whole time.

South Pacific 8/2 (mat)
I loved it. About 2 weeks before this, I finished a local production of South Pacific and it got some pretty incredible reviews. But this show made our show look like a preschool production. Paulo Szot was out but William Michals was phenomenal! I loved every minute of this production. However, I couldn't stand Andrew Samonsky speaking voice. I was very strange. Laura was great, I liked her smart Nellie (I never saw Kelli O'hara, so not sure how she played Nellie.)
4.5/5 Stars.
Oh I really liked the showing of the pit. very cool!

In The Heights 8/2 (eve)
So disappointed. I saw it with the full original cast and LOVED it. But I didn't walk out with the same feelings for this show 1 year later. A lot of understudies as well. Javier was fine. But I think it is hard to live up to Lin-Manuel Miranda, because he practically wrote the part for himself. Abuela was played by Blanca Camacho. She was just okay. I missed Olga. Gabriella Ruiz was on as for Carla and she really played up the stupid side of the character, she made me laugh. So she was good. Doreen Montalvo was Daniela she did a mean Carnaval del Barrio. But other than that she was kind of boring. I really like Rick Negron as Kevin. It was really nice to hear someone sing the part with proper technique. I didn't like Priscilla Lopez this time around. Most of her serious lines came off as jokes. Robin De Jesus stole every scene he was in. He was the highlight of the night. Christopher Jackson was great this time around as well. I hated Marcy Harriell as Vanessa. I wanted to hear Karen Olivo so badly when Marcy sang any of her songs. It sounded like her voice was straining though, so that could have been why i didn't like her. Nina Lafarga was Nina (lol) She was so boring. All she every did was park and bark. She was not into the role at all. I missed Mandy deeply. Oh a funny thing happened during Carnaval del Barrio. Michael Balderrama fell off his basketball and it rolled all the way into the lap of a girl in front of me in the first row.

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It's been one of the rainiest seasons in decades here in the Big Apple. Great reviews! Always good to get people's opinions on shows that have been running a while, see if they've gotten better or (as it sounds like was the case for "In The Heights") not so much.