It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking about. — Page 2

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#26

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 6:08pm

If I decide to see Billy Elliot, it will NOT be because of the Tony performance. The Next to Normal performance made me want to buy the cast album and hopefully see the show somewhere down the road when I have more money.

"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

#27

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 6:16pm

Some shows really don't know how to pick the right number to properly showcase their show. I am a huge fan of Passing Strange but last year they really blew any chance of the show finding an audience with their hideous selection and I dont know what Billy Elliot was thinking using Angry Dance.

N2N really hit it out of the park last night. I've always just hoped they would be able to make it through the summer, but with the buzz they had coming into the Tonys and then the performance they gave, coupled with the 2 big awards they won, perhaps they can have a real healthy run.

Updated On: 6/8/09 at 06:16 PM

#28

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 6:37pm

"Why, I make more money than... than... than Calvin Coolidge! PUT TOGETHER!"
~Lina Lamont

My name wasn't, isn't, and will never be Scott.

#29

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 6:45pm

I have to agree with testing. No fewer than five of my facebook friends (old classmates and such but people who DO attend theatre) commented to me that after watching Billy Elliot's performance last night, any desire they had to see it are gone. Based on my family's experience when we did see it, I happily agreed with them. (They all already had next to normal on their lists and are more excited now that they saw a bit of what I've been talking about for over a year now.)

Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!

#30

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 6:45pm

I think it's a little ridiculous to say that the Best Musical winner isn't a show that people are talking about

I agree, Scott. Everybody's talking about BILLY ELLIOT, it won a number of awards, it has Elton John behind it, it's based on a movie, it's a big show. To say that people are talking about NEXT TO NORMAL "more" or that NEXT TO NORMAL is gonna sell better is pretty ridiculous indeed.
Having said that, BILLY ELLIOT picked a number that works great in the show but makes very little sense out of context. They should have performed "Solidarity" which is a big showstopper and in many ways sets up "Angry Dance," or really they should have done something joyful like "Electricity" (as their main number, not opening act) or "Expressing Yourself."
NEXT TO NORMAL did a fantastic number and I hope the show gets to become a hit.

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#31

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:07pm

I saw N2N in April on the last day of my trip to NYC and it blew me away. I was resigned to the fact that I probably wouldn't get to see it again because I won't be back till November. This thread has given me hope!

I'm glad I'm not alone in thinking the Tony performance was phenomenal - it gave me goosebumps and reinforced my view that this show deserves to run and run and run. It's a truly original and innovative piece of theatre - god speed to it!

Seen some shows in my time....

#32

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:16pm

I've already downloaded the tony performance from youtube so i have a copy! I loved N2N's performance..but did anyone else think the music was off in the beginning? (it was going fast i think)

#33

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:20pm

I wasn't sure if the music was too fast or if Alice couldn't hear it well...or if she was just nervous.

Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!

#34

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:21pm

Everyone around me is talking about how they need to see N2N.

#35

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:25pm

I have to agree with Scott68 and ray-andallthatjazz86. All the news shows and recap clips on entertainment shows or websites are talking about Billy Elliot and showing clips of it. It's easy to get the perception that everyone is talking about N2N because that is what people who post on these boards talk about or say. But that does not reflect the general population. Now whether or not that matters is a different story, because Billy Elliot will do well regardless, and those talking about N2N will be helpful to that show as well.

I liked both performances, btw. I think BE played much better on tv than people here are giving it credit for (the dancing, the action, the projection) and it may dispel the bubblegum image some might have of the show. After all, I know some who thought the N2N performance implied incest. The set-up by Elton was enough if people paid attention. There's no knowing if Solidarity or another number would have done better, and I am happy that they did not do electricity, which has been done on many shows and which you could easily find online.

#36

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:37pm

I wasn't sure if the music was too fast or if Alice couldn't hear it well...or if she was just nervous.

It was definitely the music going too fast. As soon as it started i turned to my boyfriend and said "They are playing that WAY too fast" and eventually that found the right tempo, but Alice didn't let it affect her at all.

when ducks grow thumbs then maybe my opinion will change.

#37

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:39pm

yes Alice handled it well

#38

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:45pm

Oh I wasn't saying she didn't. It was hard to really hear in my little corner at the Beechman party last night. She did an amazing job!!

Experience live theater. Experience paintings. Experience books. Live, look and listen like artists! ~ imaginethis
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!

#39

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 7:49pm

At the beginning of the show last night, half of the people I was with (about 5) were rooting for Billy Elliot, but the Next to Normal performance made them switch sides. They were really disappointed. When it didn't win, as was I. But some of them went and bought the cast recording today.

<-----Bernadette Peters and Alexander Hanson in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.

Send in the clowns...Send in the crowds!

"I prefer neurotic people. I like to hear rumblings beneath the surface."-Stephen Sondheim

#40

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:02pm

Yeah. The borderline-incestuous moment in N2N freaked out a few of my friends.

#41

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:05pm

I think it's clear Next to Normal chose the best songs to showcase their show and Billy Elliot chose the worst. That's what's being shown on the itunes top 100 albums. Either that or Billy Elliot is the lowest because it came out years ago and a lot of people already have it.

#42

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:07pm

Or a bunch of people don't realize that the OLR is THE recording they can get.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

#43

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:09pm

I saw Next to Normal a few weeks ago and loved it! I was just as blown away by their Tony performance as I was in person. Maybe I just don't "get" Billy Elliot but I agree with what others have said, the number they performed was just kind of awkward. The 3 boys winning was pretty adorable, though. In any case it seems like this years Tony's have generated more buzz and publicity than in past years, which rocks. I would love to make a return trip to see this show again!

"You don't just stop posting horse s*** on the web!"-The [Title of Show] Show

#44

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:19pm

I think Alice definitely couldn't hear the music. She was too slow because of the horrendous sound system. Also, hearing about all of the positive word of mouth is FANTASTIC! So exciting!!

#45

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:24pm

^ uhm, YES! What the hell was going on with the sound people, anyway? lol it was horrible!

"You don't just stop posting horse s*** on the web!"-The [Title of Show] Show

#46

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 8:56pm

I posted the scene from YouTube on my Facebook page. It's THE new show I wish I could see, particularly now that I've scene that performance on the Tonys.
Broadway Mouth: Legally Blonde: Omigod, That Music! (Part 2)

#47

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 9:15pm

I think Billy's number was just not one that was meant to be on television, with closeups and such, as bootlegs I have seen without much zooming made the number work much better.
And, as everyone was saying, N2N was absolutely incredible.

"Art, in itself, is an attempt to bring order out of chaos."-Stephen Sondheim

#48

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 9:17pm

I think it's a little ridiculous to say that the Best Musical winner isn't a show that people are talking about, but I do agree that the Next to Normal performance was extremely well-chosen, while the Billy Elliot choice was a bit more haphazard.

^Ditto.
It's not like people weren't talking about Billy Elliot all night either. Many people aren't going to dislike or turn against it just from that one performance on the Tonys. Don't forget all the wins - 10 wins is a huge deal, especially Best Musical. I heard many people saying how they need to see Billy Elliot now just because that's the winner they kept hearing all night. And of course the tourists will still flock to it. Billy Elliot doesn't need that one performance of theirs to help sales anyway. It's already doing amazing business and will have a healthy run. Plus, many people do not watch the Tonys - they may choose to see Billy Elliot just when they see that they won so many Tonys.

I agree that Next to Normal?s performance was better though. (Not that Billy's was bad, I just wish they chose something else.) It's already doing increasingly well, so I am certain that the Tonys will give it an even greater boost. It will do well during the summer.

I'm not trying to compare the two shows, I'm just saying that Billy Elliot will not be forgotten about just because of their performance. I love Next to Normal too. I'm thrilled that it is getting attention from non-theater goers, that's great!

Updated On: 6/8/09 at 09:17 PM

#49

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 9:25pm

It's very clear? Really?

I'm not talking about it...

"Two drifters off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. . ."

#50

re: It's very clear that NEXT TO NORMAL is the show people are talking abou

Posted: 6/8/09 at 9:33pm

It is at the top of my list..of shows NOT to see. After watching that number (was that a number???) on the Tonys, I know to keep away from this one.

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