Best times to catch Ripley (and not Pearl) in the N2N Tour — Page 4

They don't have a full touring orchestra - They acquire all of the string instruments from the areas they are touring in. So basically, the quality of the orchestra is entirely dependent on the area they are in. I was told that the strings were the best in Des Moines so far which had a lot to do with the acoustics of the theatre, I guess.

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Oh yes, I definitely don't think it would bother a first-timer or someone not familiar with the score but it was just something I noticed. Also, I agree with Elphaba about the transition between It's Gonna Be Good (Reprise) and Why Stay/A Promise. Easily the strongest moment of Marin and Jason's show and I grew attached to it but it's just not there with the touring cast.

Honestly, I could just talk about this show all day but I will stop now, haha.

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Saw the show on Tuesday and again today. Ripley was in on Tuesday, but she was out for today's Matinee. Being that I saw Ripley on Tuesday, and in New York I wasn't too disappointed with her being out. My friend I went with on the other hand hadn't seen the show previously, and was very disappointed.

That being said she turned to me at intermission and said "Don't tell Alice, but I don't mind that she's out." And I couldn't agree more. Both actresses are great, yes. But, after listening to Ripley's performance on Tuesday, and Pearl's today, Pearl was just a breath of fresh air. That isn't to say Ripley was bad at all. It's just that after performing the role for so long the wear and tear on her voice is quite obvious. And some of the phrasing she has added to her characterization just makes it REALLY difficult to understand at times. And the times in the music the call for singing softly she really wasn't able to pull off either.

But, Pearl on the other hand. You can tell what she is singing, and she hits all the notes. Her voice is just so precise, I really appreciated it after seeing Ripley. And she does a hell of a job acting the role. The only difference here is that Pearl acts the hell out of the role, while Ripley BECOMES Diana. Pearl is GREAT, but Ripley is just on a whole different level.

So, if you are going to be seeing Next To Normal anytime soon, and walk into the theatre and see that Ripley will not be in, do not be disappointed at all! You are in for a treat.

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http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2011/05/alice-ripley-proving-a-tad-elusive.html

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"According to Broadway in Chicago, the show's presenter, Ripley is contracted to perform her demanding role six out of eight weekly performances"

Ah. I wonder if this isn't being done in every market... the pattern makes sense now.

Maybe in Chicago but in LA if it was part of her contract that didn't happen. She didn't miss much in L.A. It was in Denver, the second stop and continuing elsewhere where the absences became more frequent.

I have noticed that Pearl has been going on most Fridays (so if you want to see Alice, avoid Friday performances). Since it has been happening for several weeks now, I definitely think Pearl should be credited as the alternate.

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Updated On: 5/4/11 at 03:22 PM

The buzz at the theatre last night is that Ripley hasn't been back since press night in Chicago. I don't know if that is completely true, but the people next to me tried three different days to catch Ripley in the show and finally resigned to see it last night without her. But they knew she was scheduled to perform a cabaret show Monday night.

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You are very lucky to have caught her...she hasn't been on since last Wednesday (a week ago). The article in the Tribune stated that she would be finishing the end of the Chicago leg starting YESTERDAY, but she was again out. It'll be interesting to see if she's on tonight.

Probably the best time to catch Ripley in the Next to Normal tour is to knock on her hotel room door after 7 PM.

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