Darlesia Cearcy & Wilson Jermaine Heredia in NEXT TO NORMAL at Westport Country Playhouse

And Katie Thompson as the doctors...shut up and take my money. 

Just saw the first preview tonight, and all I have to say is: Darlesia Effing Cearcy. A spectacular, gorgeously sung performance, and definitely worth the trip if you can swing it. 

So happy to hear these positive reviews! I’m going this weekend and even more excited having read your comments! Any thoughts on the production?

Thank you so so much! I’m even more excited to see this on Sunday. Very different look from the Broadway production but similar to David Cromer’s production in Chicago, which I preferred to the original. That production was more intimate and he treated the show like a chamber musical. It was a masterful decision.  

Updated On: 4/8/22 at 12:18 PM

Any discount codes for this?

I saw it last night and wasn't thrilled. As others have said here, the three kids are great, particularly Ashley LaLonde as Natalie. Dar.Lee.See.Ah. (as it's spelled in the program) was a disappointment for me. She does sing it beautifully, but she seems to be going for The Big Stuff - both vocally and in the book scenes - and missing a lot of the quieter moments. For me, the most frustrating moment in the show was So Anyway. I remember when the show first came out people complained that Diana didn't have a giant "tear down the house" 11 o'clock number. This production seems to be trying to make up for that by turning So Anyway into a self-consciously Big Moment, which ends up feeling false.

Wilson Jermaine Heredia was dropping lines left and right, but hopefully that's a symptom of a bad night and not a bad performance.

The biggest issue for me, though, was the (to my mind) slapdash way the production approaches the family as mixed-race Black and Latino. I'm toggling spoilers below.

Saw this yesterday and was very impressed. I will say, I think this show works best on a smaller scale like the Westport production or Cromer’s take in Chicago a few years ago.  Sadly, the direction was noticeably absent throughout the night and actors were left to their own devices, particularly Heredia who often took the lyrics too literally. 
 

Darlesia was a revelation and reason enough to see this performance. This performance was the first effort I’ve seen that was a complete 180 from Alice Ripley’s version. To call the rendition soulful doesn’t do it justice but begins to identify what she brings to the part. While, as an earlier poster points out, she delivers devastatingly powerful high and sustained notes, she also treats the music delicately where appropriate. There were moments throughout where I felt I was listening to Audra. Going to remember this performance for some time. 
 

Updated On: 4/11/22 at 07:32 AM

Play Esq. said: "Saw this yesterday and was very impressed. I will say, I think this show works best on a smaller scale like the Westport production or Cromer’s take in Chicago a few years ago. Sadly, the direction was noticeably absent throughout the night and actors were left to their own devices, particularly Heredia who often took the lyrics too literally.


Darlesia was a revelation and reason enough to see this performance. This performance was the first effort I’ve seen that was a complete 180 from Alice Ripley’s version. To call the rendition soulful doesn’t do it justice but begins to identify what she brings to the part. While, as an earlier poster points out, she delivers devastatingly powerful high and sustained notes, she also treats the music delicately where appropriate. There were moments throughout where I felt I was listening to Audra. Going to remember this performance for some time.
"

She was Audra's understudy in Shuffle Along, so that's a fitting comparison. 

WesternSky2 said: "Has anyone traveled here from NYC via public transportation? It looks like it's possible, with some transfers. Wondering if it's straightforward/worth it!"

No transfers necessary from Grand Central, on Metro North's New Haven line. Westport is a stop, so you'd just need to rideshare from/to the train station. The Playhouse is only a couple of miles away.

We caught this too and agree Darlesia is fantastic - mainly vocally.  The direction is non-existent and insecure.  It felt choreographed and without purpose or by a less skilled director.   Also surprised Katie T wasn't as strong as she usually is -  We too enjoyed the Cromer direction/ Chicago production and Broadway version to this.  Darlesia's vocals are the reason to see it - but in a stronger production. Nothing here that hasn't been done in regions beyond her performance including multi-ethnic casting we've now seen a few times in the west and south. General regional production with Broadway vocal from Darlesia. 

Updated On: 4/11/22 at 07:31 PM