Best times to catch Ripley (and not Pearl) in the N2N Tour- Page 3

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 3:45pm

The thing was, I don't really think she did act the sh*t out of it. I have no doubt that she has before and perhaps it was an off night and she still generally DOES do that, but I thought her performance was pretty low-key.

[aliceripleysnumber1]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 4:39pm

Steven22, So Marin really is that good?! The few clips I had seen of her didn't really impress me. And I've heard mixed reviews about her...people either LOVED her or HATED her. I loved Marin when I saw her in Ragtime years ago...but her voice just doesn't seem like it fits the belty, rock-type score of Next to Normal..that's just my opinion. But, who knows - I may have thought completely different if I had seen her in the role.

[rorschach37]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 4:44pm

I went into the show for the first time seeing Marin and before the show I didn't think she would be as good as Alice. The videos didn't impress me either. However, from the second the show started I fell IN LOVE with her performance. Her "You Don't Know" had me in tears.

[steven22]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 4:57pm

aliceripleysnumber1,

I saw Alice all throughout her broadway run. She is/was phenomenal. In every aspect EVERY single time, EXCEPT her voice. I would say maybe the last 3 times I saw Alice on broadway, her voice was shot. 2 of those times I saw her after a week of vocal rest (I thought I would be seeing Jessica Phillips as Diana and Ripley was on).

I saw Marin 3 times. Once in the beginning of her run, once in the middle, and once at the end (the final broadway performance). Each and every time I saw Marin she got better. The only thing that I did not like about Marin's performance was at the beginning of her run as Diana, she would make awkward mouth movements as she sung, and sometimes in 'You Don't Know/I Am The One," she would screech every so often. Marin also has far better control over her voice than Alice. She uses it in a completely different way. Not better, just different. Which is why I cannot pick a favorite Diana (out of the two I've seen live).

[aliceripleysnumber1]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 5:29pm

Interesting...thanks for sharing your experiences. You know, Alice Ripley's voice has always had a very raw, edgy quality to it. Even when her voice is in fine shape, people have criticized her for pitch problems, control issues, etc. Since Side Show, she has become known for her strong belt. Belting I think in general, is difficult to control. As the years have gone by, she has begun to have a lower and lower vocal range, I've noticed. For instance, if you watch a performance of hers from when she was in Sunset Boulevard - you would have thought you were watching a different person entirely.

The Side Show score was MUCH more difficult to sing than Next to Normal's. Not that it's a walk in the park, but it doesn't compare to "Violet"'s range in Side Show. Having said that, Side Show was open for all of 3 months on broadway, and Emily had a vocal injury during it's run. If Alice had played "Violet" for over 3 years, who knows..maybe we'd see the same thing happen.

Just disecting this a little bit...its interesting talk. In any case, I hope that once the tour is over, she can get some much needed rest, and we can see her perform her magic in another project.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 7:29pm

I didn't think anyone could top Ripley in the role, but I also saw Marin in the final performance and was astonished. Two truly great performances in a wonderful role and a wonderful show.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 7:41pm

I love Alice and Marin. The one thing Marin has over Ripley is control and technique. She knows how to use her voice properly and can deliver nightly. Ripley goes balls out and shreds her voice.

Having seen Alice and Marin, I think Alice plays a much more heightened, frenetic Diana and Marin played a more emotionally grounded and real Diana. Both interpretations are valid. Alice seemed more splintered and frantic and Marin seemed more wounded and fragile.

[binau]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 8:16pm

I'm not sure if I'd say Marin's Diana is "emotionally grounded" only because she was almost crying throughout the whole thing I thought - I agree with fragile and wounded. I found her completely believable though - the way she cried between "I Dreamed a dance" and "There's a world" - I felt so bad for her Diana, like trying to desperately 'hold on' or whatever to her Son, the *************SPOILERS*********suicide attempt seemed like a natural progression/plausible.

I thought she was pretty thrilling/forceful in "You don't know" and its reprise (this especially, I get nothing out of it from the cast recording - not sure how Ripley delivers it on stage), I really liked the screeching.

Updated On: 4/14/11 at 08:16 PM

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 8:42pm

By emotionally grounded, I guess I meant Marin gave a more naturalistic portrayal of a grieving woman. Alice seemed somehow more affected, almost Kabuki-like in her performance.

Both were incredibly moving portrayals but quite different.

[steven22]

Posted: 4/14/11 at 8:59pm

Both Ripley and Mazzie are emotionally driven when they play the role (as evident during 'There's a World," I believe. I've seen Ripley and Mazzie both from the front row at the Booth and both cry and act the role unbelievably well.

[rorschach37]

Posted: 4/16/11 at 2:25pm

I just got my tickets for a Saturday matinee in DC. Does anyone know if she misses matinees often?

[brianoxenhandler]

Posted: 4/18/11 at 9:43pm

Does anyone know how she's been doing during the St. Louis stop?? I am seeing her Thursday, and I was wondering if she had been on most of the time??

[grandpianoalex]

Posted: 4/18/11 at 11:37pm

Ripley was out Thursday, Friday and Sunday. She did both shows on Saturday. I was at the Saturday evening performance. Her voice was better than I expected when the show started (I was expecting the worst) but by Act 2, things were going downhill. When she's in her upper belt range things come out great...but softer and lower, or higher (end of "So Anyway") things get messy. I enjoyed the show very much, and Alice's voice really didn't take away from the show.

[Eos]

Posted: 4/19/11 at 2:18am

A friend of mine (a for real theatre reviewer, as opposed to my little blog) learned from her that she feels that her voice is stronger at matinees. (A hint for all of you wanting to catch Alice).

I've seen it 3 times in St. Louis -- once with Alice (on opening night) and the other two times with Pearl, who has a fantastic voice.

I'll apologize in advance for the --
Shameless self-promotion

[Eos]

Posted: 4/20/11 at 1:52am

So, over one week down and less than a week to go here in "The Lou".
Anyone seen in lately? Just curious as to who's been on...

[brianoxenhandler]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 2:25pm

Did alice go on either last night (wednesday) or today's matinee?? in st. louis

[aliceripleysnumber1]

Posted: 4/21/11 at 3:23pm

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe Alice was in last night. Somebody posted on her facebook page that she was amazing tonight..

I'm going tonight again, so we'll see! Hoping to catch her in the show this time around. :)

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 4/30/11 at 12:36am

Pearl was on tonight for Alice for the Friday night Chicago show..I think this is the first one Alice has missed in Chicago.

kinda sad I missed her.... but Pearl was great!

[littlegreen2]

Posted: 4/30/11 at 5:32pm

Alice has taken every Friday off for several weeks now.
I have seen the tour a few times and I haven't seen Pearl yet, but I'm trying. Alice is off for the matinee today. To the person who bought tickets for all four weekend shows - You'll definitely see Alice.

I've had great understudy luck with every character but Diana! I've only seen Marin and Alice.

[littlegreen2]

Posted: 4/30/11 at 5:40pm

Also - All of these really horrible things that people are saying about Ripley's voice (in reviews, on here, etc) are not relevant unless you see her when she's sick. Does she sound like she did in Side Show? No. Is it as controlled as the cast recording? Nope, but it never has been, really. When she hits a really great note, especially in You Don't Know, it's solid and powerful. I think her voice is just tired but it's not completely shot like everyone is saying.

I'm really late to this thread but I do want to say that Marin's performance was devastatingly beautiful and heart-breaking. They played the role so differently. Ripley plays up the crazy and Marin was in tears for the entire show... The closing cast was the closest the show ever was to perfect. 100%.

[twinbelters]

Posted: 4/30/11 at 6:04pm

littlegreen: Thank you for commenting on Ripley's voice. In the last day I've read several negative comments about her voice sounding like a growl, or what have you. I am seeing the show Sunday night and my excitement is renewed viewing your assessment!

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 4/30/11 at 6:18pm

I agree with littlegreen's comments about her voice. I'm planning to go tomorrow night, but I'm worried she'll be out because of her concert of Monday.

As for Mazzie, she gave the greatest performance I've ever seen on any stage.

[binau]

Posted: 4/30/11 at 6:23pm

Yay Mazzie!Love.


p.s., has anyone noticed changes in the orchestrations for the tour? It appears like they have an electronic sounding harpsichord during "My Psychopharmcologist and I" instead of piano.....(I don't like the change)

[littlegreen2]

Posted: 4/30/11 at 6:34pm

(I personally have not taken notice to any changes but I don't think it's something I focus on. I think when I'm seeing Alice I have a hard time focusing on anything but her. She's electric.) BUT everything is FAST! I saw the tour for the first time in March and it had been two months since I had last seen it (at closing on Broadway). I hadn't listened to it or anything since then but I honestly thought they didn't play the entire prelude. I panicked but upon going back and listening, it's just fast fast fast. Everything seems to be sped up a little (especially The Break, which seemed fast enough already, but I guess not, haha). The scene with the cake/He's Not Here is rushed through and it makes me sad.

Updated On: 4/30/11 at 06:34 PM

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 4/30/11 at 6:34pm

Yes, there are some minor changes. None of which I like. My least favorite is the addition of the "ahs" in Catch Me I'm Falling.