Chances of Seeing Alice Ripley Opening Night in Cleveland?

I have tickets to the Opening Night of N2N in Cleveland, and I have heard that Ripley's attendance is less than stellar. I know she is Originally from Cleveland, and that it is opening night, coming off a 2 week break, but what experiences have you all had on opening nights of N2N's tour? Is there a good chance she will be on?

I'd also bet her attendance will be particularly good during the Cleveland run, but I'd say you're especially safe on opening night.

---

Thanks! Yeah, that's what I thought :)

I would say she'll probably make it through at least the whole first week. There's a solid chance I'll be there opening night as well, but I hope that I'm able to see Pearl another day.

---

A friend just told me that Pearl is on for today's matinee in Cleveland. So much for not missing a performance. I'll be there tomorrow afternoon, and I'm anticipating probably seeing Pearl.

---

I was at the matinee today, Pearl was on for Alice and was wonderful. Pearl has a really beautiful voice, and while she isn't as good an actress that Alice is she is more than adequate in the role. The show was amazing and although I looked forward to seeing Alice, she wasn't immensely missed.

Just got back from the final day of the tour in Cleveland.

I saw the show in Pittsburgh in April, as well as opening night in Cleveland on June 7th, and I must admit, I was shocked at the state Alice's voice was in. I finally understood what people were talking about.

HOWEVER! I don't know what the heck has happened to her over the past two weeks in Cleveland, but she suddenly sounds MUCH, MUCH better!!

It's a HUGE, very noticeable (and I must say, quite remarkable) improvement. The keys are still a bit lower, but she's not struggling anymore. She's hitting the high notes again with ease. Her voice is also clearer.

The rest of the cast were in top form today, as well. I saw both the matinee and the evening show, and all vocals/performances were at the same energy and quality level both times. Great day!

---

I saw her twice during the Cleveland run: a week ago, Sunday's matinee (after she'd had both Saturday performances off) and then again Friday night. At Sunday's performance, I could tell that her voice was very weak, but it was okay at the beginning of the show. However, as it progressed, you could hear the strain creeping in. But then, on Friday, I finally had the worst reports confirmed. She could barely be understood, and you could tell the whole show was a struggle vocally. The people I was with both times commented on how distracting this was. Her performance on Broadway, which I saw two years ago, the week after the Tonys, remains one of the very finest I've ever seen, but things have really changed in those two years. However, her acting is still incredible, and she really owns this role. Too bad the vocals are becoming a bit too demanding for her in this vocal state.

---

Not the entire run, but I know at least a handful for a fact:

Alice was for sure IN:

1st Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Sunday-both performances

2nd Friday
Saturday-both performances
Sunday-both performances

Alice was for sure OUT:

1st Saturday-both performances

So I guess the only ones I'm not sure about were Tuesday through Thursday of the second week. Though, with the shape her voice was in on the second Friday, I'd assume she was in all those performances. If this is true, she only missed two performances (both on the 1st Saturday). Not bad, considering her track record, but I'd be willing to bet her voice is absolutely shredded after this run.

---

So I broke down and got tickets for N2N in Toronto hoping to see Ripley again. Im going with a friend and we are hitting a Weds matinee during the second week. Im hoping Riley goes balls out and does all the shows since it is the last stop of the tour. Then again she might just shine it on. We shall see.

There's a ton of amazing seats available for all shows, so I wonder how well it is selling.

---

N2N opened last night at the Kennedy Center in DC. Alice was in and she was great. Her voice seemed very different from song to song, depending on where Diana was emotionally and mentally.

I saw the show with two friends, one who knew nothing about it other than that it was about a family, one who knew the plot but hadn't heard the score. Each of us were blown away.

I do honestly feel bad for people who show up wanting to see Alice (especially us theatre geeks)and didn't get her. I got to see her three times on Broadway, but my friend never has and he adores her.

---

Ripley's voice was in terrible shape tonight. She was passable for most of Act I, though clearly struggling, but by the end of Act I and throughout Act II, her voice had severely deteriorated. It took on a ragged and distinctly unattractive quality that proved immensely distracting, making me acutely aware that it was a tired Alice Ripley onstage rather than Diana Goodman.

And, unfortunately, her singing detracted from the overall dynamism of a performance which I greatly admired on Broadway. I heard someone say after the show: "She won a Tony for this?" Disappointing.

Updated On: 7/1/11 at 11:48 PM