Changes in Next to Normal!! Effective 3/7

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:10am

Just got in from seeing it again tonight. I'd heard that there would be a few changes (one major, a few minor) and wanted to see them ASAP and tonight was the first night for them to be implemented (they were dark yesterday rehearsing them), so...

*spoilers*

The major...
"Costco" is gone!!! Diana's breakdown happens in the house. The ending of "Just Another Day" is changed so that she just keeps going and going until she's on the floor. She just keeps tossing out bread after making the sandwiches for everyone, running out of room on the table (oh...there's like another loaf of bread...and Natalie's sandwich is veggie now) and starts throwing them on the floor, then squirting "oil" on them, and into a bowl with lettuce and ends up almost flat on the floor. (Alice is GREAT in this moment. She just lays there with the squirt bottle.) Natalie is like "Dad...?" And Dan and Diana both say to go get on her bus. When she (and Gabe) leave, Dan helps her up, there's the "like the cavalry" thing, and then he says for her to get dressed, that he'll clean up the salad and they'll go see Dr. Fine. Then we have Natalie and Henry in the practice room with one more line added into Henry's part and Natalie playing something that ends up being the intro to "My Psychopharmacologist And I".

It is so much tighter and clearer what's going on without "Costco". I chatted briefly before and after the show with Michael Greif and after he was like "So...?" I told him I loved it and that it feels so much tighter and smoother. He nodded and said "Oh yeah, it's better."

The minor...
* During the showing pictures scene, Natalie's line is "Here's the crowd the first time you lost it at Whole Foods at the salad bar" or something close.
* When Diana's stopping therapy with Dr. Madden, it's not as clear-cut that she's totally abandoning therapy. She says something like "I'll think about it." So it's not necessarily AS definite a good-bye as it felt before.

The changes really tighten up the show. It is so much better this way... I'd guess they're probably now wondering why they were so bent on keeping "Costco" in seeing what it can be without it. Still, that's probably a phase they had to go through to polish and tighten it.

Can't believe there's just over a week left in this run.

[broadwayfan7]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:11am

Thanks for posting those! Glad to hear the changes are making the show better!

[snl89]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:15am

I was wondering if anyone was going to post about this!!

I REALLY REALLY friggin wish I could see the show again. I swear, it is KILLING me hearing about all these changes that seem like they MUST make the show even tighter, and knowing I won't be able to see them.

But yeah, I had really enjoyed Costco, but I know there were a lot of people (especially ones who hadn't seen the show) that were confused by it. And I had concluded that it actually worked for it to be random and confusing, because I felt like it made it all the more powerful when you DID realize what was actually going on. But, you know, I can also see how taking out the scene would make it tighter.. so.. yeah.. I just want to see it for myself now! lol


I'm really glad though about all these changes, because the general consensus seems to be that it's MUCH better now! It's amazing to me how quickly this creative team gets on fixing the show, and making it as un-choppy as possible. And it's getting me REALLY excited for if they do take it and work on it even more and then do a production in 2009

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:15am

I saw it one last time tonight. Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey were there, too. Major re-writes. I liked Costco, but I think the cut works. I noticed some other little line changes, too.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:20am

"Costso" had grown on me, but I still didn't feel like it moved the story forward in the way they wanted it to. It works so much better this way. Really. It flows a lot better.

I missed seeing Brian Yorkey, but I did see Tom and Michael.

Yeah...there were a few little things here and there. But nothing too earth-shattering or show-changing. Just little things here and there.

Oh, and snl ~ I'd say it's pretty dang close to being ready to go now with these changes. :) *fingers crossed for next season*

Updated On: 3/8/08 at 12:20 AM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:25am

"Costco" was the only song I didn't care for in the show. I'm SO happy that I caught this show and SO pissed that I can't see it again.

PS: The night I went, Stephen Schwartz was there.

PPS: Hi jordangirl.

[snl89]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:26am

So... is it just me getting my hopes up way too high, or is the fact that they're making fairly significant changes (in the case of Costco, anyway) so late in the game a very decent sign that there really could (and, dare I say even, probably will?) be a production in the future?

It just seems like if they were really that up in the air about whether or not they'd be continuing with this project, they'd probably just let it be the way it is, right? Like, what real reason would they have for reworking parts of the show a week before it closes if they weren't seriously intending to have another production fairly soon?

again, this could just be my high hopes speaking, but.. logically, it makes sense to me! And that makes me really, really happy. lol

Updated On: 3/8/08 at 12:26 AM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:33am

It makes sense to me to think that way as well snl. It's like, if you weren't gonna make a run for it, why bother making changes?

I overheard bits of a conversation Aaron was having with someone about this AND the workshop of (I assume) Catch Me If You Can (the lobby was insane tonight) and I heard the phrase "definite but no dates yet"...but I don't know what he was referring to, this or that.

Hi CapnHook! How's it going?

Updated On: 3/8/08 at 12:33 AM

[snl89]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:36am

Right! And it's not like it's just tiny lyric changes here and there that they're playing around with. It's the reworking of an entire scene! Which, in a show that is really quite tight already but just had a couple little choppy parts, that's a very significant change!



I overheard bits of a conversation Aaron was having with someone about this AND the workshop of (I assume) Catch Me If You Can (the lobby was insane tonight) and I heard the phrase "definite but no dates yet"...but I don't know what he was referring to, this or that.

It best be this. Don't get me wrong, I'd LOVE to see him in Catch Me If You Can, but if it comes down to him having to choose between the two... *sends vibes to Aaron* choose NtN!! choose NtN!! lol


aaand also it best be this because, well, that would be AMAZING to know that it will happen for sure!

Updated On: 3/8/08 at 12:36 AM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:38am

I know! It would be so awesome.

And I know Michael was practically bouncing out the door tonight. Everyone cast-wise I talked with (only Jennifer went on out...but she looked really tired) was VERY high on the changes.

It all seems like good signs.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 1:58am

This makes me happy. Costco was the only number I didn't particularly like, either of the two times I saw the show. I'm excited to see how it plays without it (I'll be seeing it again at its final performance).

I'm also pleased as punch because the fact they are still making VERY significant changes this late in the game suggests to me that this is not "the end" for this show. I highly doubt they'd be doing this much work on it if there weren't a future production (s) planned for somewhere.

Maybe at the end of the last performance we'll get a big announcement??!!??!!

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 5:59am

How did Costco tie into the plot? I love that place! Free samples, anyone?

[Liverpool]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 6:05am

It was pretty much the catalyst for the for the rest of the show millie. Its a song about how her mania casuses her to become overwhelmed in costco and buy everything as she breaks down. But as the change is described, it seems like they've got the same catalyst, just, sans the song and at home instead.

My question is, even if they are planning on rewokring the show and doing out of towns later int he year or next year, whats the point of making a change like this a week and a half before you close?

I wish they'd bring back So Many Ways to Die.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 6:22am

Liverpool ~ Yeah, it looks like they went with one of the options that was hinted at in the "Costco" discussion at the talkback I was at early on. This works a lot better and does catch people off-guard. Alice said the collective look on people's faces as she lay there on the floor with the squirt bottle (it's supposed to be oil, but I'm sure they use water since she's just randomly squirting it at the bread on the stage) was this "Omigod! Did she slip? Was that supposed to happen? What's happening?" which I think is the uneasiness they were going for. And it does make her problems clearer. With "Costco", IMHO, until Dan actually got there, it wasn't overy clear that it was a mental break of that ype and not just over-busy, over-stressed life stuff.

As far as why not wait, I didn't ask that (still dealing with a voice that's on the puny side), but my GUESS would be this way they can get the fan-base reaction to it before tweaking any further away from people who know the show. Especially knowing that next week is almost all non-subscribers (the only ones of those really being the ones who had to reschedule tickets), They may be guessing there will be a lot of repeat business next week. Or I guess the possibility exists that they decided to scrap out of town. I don't know.

I'm not sure I see them adding any songs back in ~ especially not as tightly as it was running last night. It feels like they may finally have the mix right.

Oh, and adamgreer ~ see you there!

Updated On: 3/8/08 at 06:22 AM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 11:56am

Or, you know, taking advantage of the opportunity to be able to gauge the response of an audience while they still have it. It's not all about the fanbase. I obviously can't speak for the creative team, but they'd probably be more interested in the reactions of people who don't know the show, because they need to make sure it makes sense to people who aren't familiar with it. It's going to take a lot more than pleasing the fans to get it ready to (hypothetically) go to Broadway.

Updated On: 3/8/08 at 11:56 AM

[Glory]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 12:03pm

I love the Costco scene Oh well, it just stinks that after next weekend this show will be gone. I loved it so much and i'm really sad I didn't get to see it again.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 5:14pm

True. To rephrase, an audience more of choice than subscription. Last night I'd say the audience pretty much loved it based on what I saw and heard.

Well, other than the woman complaining to her husband that "there was no real resolution to anything" ~ like life has resolutions all the time.

Updated On: 3/8/08 at 05:14 PM

[JeaniusIsMe]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 9:32pm

Saw it this past Tuesday and really liked it a lot. Thanks for posting the changes- I felt it just needed a bit of tightening, and the cutting of Costco (while it was a fun song) will definitely make the show flow a bit better.

CapnHook- I saw stephen schwartz leave the theatre Tuesday and had a brain fart and couldn't for the life of me remember who he was. Thanks for posting that!

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 9:33pm

Jeanius ~ It's ok. I'd moved over next to CapnHook at intermission (hey...an empty, unused front row seat is a SAD thing!), and he said "Stephen Schwartz is here" and I had a "Who?" moment. LOL.

Oh, and you're welcome! :)

Updated On: 3/8/08 at 09:33 PM

[Liverpool]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 9:35pm

its probably for the best if we all forgot Stephen Schwartz every so often.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 9:39pm

I saw the show for the first time at the matinee today and really enjoyed it. Could someone tell me where in the show "Costco" was? Just trying to piece it together, which is becoming harder as I don't know the names of any of the songs.

EDIT- Also saw Michael Greif after the show, but I have to give credit to Jay for recognizing him. Updated On: 3/8/08 at 09:39 PM

[Liverpool]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 9:41pm

it was right after she makes the sandwhichs at the end of Just Another Day. Dan, Natalie and Gabe leave for school/work and she goes to costco.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 9:42pm

Ah, much obliged.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 9:43pm

Yeah, just after the practice room scene with Natalie and Henry.

The breakdown's moved to the end of "Just Another Day" with some added lyrics and a change in the action there. Then the practice room scene which goes into "My Psychopharmacologist And I"

[Liverpool]

Posted: 3/8/08 at 9:44pm

oh right, i forgot the practice room scene came first.