Alice Ripley: Her Voice — Page 3

Does anyone have evidence of the smoking attributed to Ripley in the initial post? I've never heard of her smoking cigarettes, or seen it, or heard anyone discuss it before (as opposed to say, Norbert Leo Butz ... who chain smokes, as many of us have observed ... or Esparza, who used to...)

This thread title still amuses me. Not because there's anything wrong with it. It just reminds me of a junior high friend who wrote a term paper the night before it was due, what we used to call an "Ed Sullivan Show Paper", this one called JOAN OF ARC: HER CAREER. I've never forgotten it. Joan of Arc, her career.

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Aw, Norbert smokes? He just got bumped down on my list of Broadway Idols.

I've seen Alice perform many times over the years including the Raw concert and the Kennedy Center one in more recent years. She was actually a lot stronger vocally at the latter concert than the former as others have mentioned. No, she does not sound like she did when she was in Side Show in N2N, but isn't that to be expected? A lot of time has passed and some people need to move on. I actually like the raw emotional power in her voice now (not that she did not have it then...its just different).

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Updated On: 4/13/09 at 09:28 PM

I have a fast-ish vibrato and I don't smoke. It seems stupid to destroy something that you're sort of using to further your career. But neither of them are "traditional" singers anyway, nor do I think they went to school for Musical Theater, so who knows. And they both look like smokers so that isn't TOO surprising. Now if you told me like Aaron Tveit smokes then I'd be like "say what?"

And anyways, I think Ripley's voice is an acquired taste. I use to not care for it, but after hearing her sing "Epiphany" from Sweeney, she's grown on me. I kind of enjoy it, but she needs to figure out when to belt and when not to belt. She sort of like semi-belts "I Miss The Mountains" which is maybe why I hate it so much. But the melody sucks as well.

Updated On: 4/14/09 at 01:37 AM

I feel like "Side Show" would be a more vocally taxing show than "Next to Norma," but I suppose they are both pretty tough.

I just got her "Raw at Town Hall" CD, and her voice is so much better on that recording. Not that her voice is AWFUL, but I think the way she belts is unhealthy and maybe that led to her voice sounding the way it is now. You can sort of hear different hints of the way she pronounces certain words on the "Raw" recording that her voice was headed in the direction it is now.

And yeah, her voice works for the character, but at the same time, I don't think Diana having a nice, clear belt would detract in anyway. It would make her seem more "perfect mother" at the beginning of the show.

RentBoy, Is "Next to Norma" the sequel to "Sunset Boulevard"?

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I don't usually mention people's typos unless they produce something amusing. (I'm not a nitpicker. I just like to laugh.)

All in good-natured fun, I hope you know.

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These are all interesting comments.

You know, though, the voice really does change over time. I don't think she has nodes at all - she would have chronic loss of voice, and would be probably missing shows if that were going on.

I actually think her voice has probably gotten MORE healthy - although it's not the "clear" belt we know from Rocky Horror and Side Show, I think she may have been forcing her voice to sound that way - her vibrato has changed, but I think it's more free - it sound on N2N that her voice has more breath support behind it and it is closer to her natural voice.

I think before she was making herself sound a certain way, to fit a certain style. Now all we're getting is pure Alice, and I respect her strongly for that.

I love her voice either way - loved it then, loved it now. She's on point.

I hear alot of strain in her voice on the N2N cd. I havent seen the show, but from everyone's comments, I assume it wasnt just for the taping.

It's easy to strain your voice, and imperitave to warm up and rest, which I assume she does as a professional. Sometimes it's just not enough. She's been playing this role on and off for alot longer than she was in Side Show and I'd venture to say she acutally sings more in N2N.

Oh, and smoking will not enhance your vibrato. I've never heard of a stupider reason to start smoking.

I noticed this at the Raw at Town Hall concert. By the end of the show her voice was raw. She blew a gasket singing the Kristina song and really couldnt hit the notes at the end of "She's Gone". I assumed she was actually ill.

That said, she's a human being, not a robot. Voices do indeed age. Opera singers lose their voices as well. We're human beings, not robots.

I still think she's great, and I think she's grown more as an actress since Sunset and Tommy than her voice may have deteriorated.

I'd still like to hear her give Mrs. Danvers a try in "Rebecca", but if she cant hit those high notes I hope it brings Judy Kuhn back to the NY stage.

Interesting (or not) the first time I saw Side Show, the phenominal Norm Lewis was straining alot and had to simply (and painfully) yell the end of "You Should Be Loved". The second time I saw it I realized how gorgeous his voice really is.

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Updated On: 4/23/09 at 12:55 PM

Ya'll are just making me want to break out every recording I have of her and see N2N again. The Best "Amy" in COMPANY I ever saw. I Alice.

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Updated On: 4/24/09 at 01:40 PM

IMO, that's using the same logic as the people who say that Johanna shouldn't have a strong soprano voice because she's a fragile character and only sixteen years old.

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Updated On: 4/24/09 at 04:15 PM

IMO, that's using the same logic as the people who say that Johanna shouldn't have a strong soprano voice because she's a fragile character and only sixteen years old.

Except that Johanna is supposed to be a pastiche, and having a strong soprano tone supports that aspect of her character. Diana in Next to Normal is supposed to be a unique and realistic character. That comparison doesn't wash, because of the differences in the character and the shows they're in.

I'm not sure I'm going to objectively ascribe to the 'Diana is flawed so she should be sung with vocal flaws' theory. But...subjectively, I do. On an entirely visceral level, that works for me.