Michael Berry on for Dan in NtN tonight (6/16)

[heo1128]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:19pm

Dear Bobby Spencer,

HURRY BACK.

I feel bad for Michael Berry, I really do. He was trying SO hard, but honestly he's just not that good. The rest of the cast is so many levels above him. There was virtually no chemistry between Michael and Alice, or Michael and Jennifer, but they were great as usual. Maybe he got the call last minute and was nervous, but his Dan was so mousey and kind of pathetic, and was almost scared of Diana. Which I guess could work if it was done right...but...His voice isn't quite up to snuff, either. It was quite strange seeing the show without 1/3 of the original cast.

A lady in the back of the orchestra literally broke her seat, didn't see what happened but there was a loud thud/breaking sound...right as "He's Not Here" started. Just about the worst timing ever lol.

Alice has gotten better in a week and a half, if that's even possible.

Anyone else see the show tonight? Thoughts?

Updated On: 6/16/09 at 10:19 PM

[HBBrock]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:20pm

Who else was out tonight?

[heo1128]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:21pm

Just without Aaron, I meant. No other understudies.

[HBBrock]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:22pm

2/3 of the original cast would be 4 people out.

[On_Avenue_Payt]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:23pm

He better be back for the 26th when I go see it.

How was Kyle Dean Massey as Gabe?

[heo1128]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:25pm

Hah whoops...I meant 1/3.

Kyle Dean Massey was pretty good. He still needs time to grow in to the role but he has a really nice voice. He does look older than 18, though. His chemistry with Alice was really great.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:26pm

Just posted same on the "love" thread... Berry just didnt so it for me... at all. Like Massey more than I thought I would.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:27pm

Yikes.

Why is this show unable to find competent understudies? Phillips, and now Berry, are both duds.

Hopefully Meghann Fahy is better next week.

[heo1128]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:28pm

^I have high hopes for Meghann, I really liked her in the "At this performance" vids on youtube...hopefully I'll be able to see her!


I also saw Jessica Phillips last week and she was MUCH better in her role, or at least I thought, so if that' tells you anything...lol Updated On: 6/16/09 at 10:28 PM

[Sondheim_Geek]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:29pm

I really think that Michael needs to be replaced. I saw his Dan a little over a month ago (Bobby's scheduled absence) and was DISAPPOINTED and saw his Doctors at Arena and was UNDERWHELMED.

As I've said before, this is no longer a regional theater production and can no longer have regional theater-quality understudies. Michael just doesn't cut it for such a layered role.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:31pm

I have high hopes for Meghann, I really liked her in the "At this performance" vids on youtube...hopefully I'll be able to see her!

After watching those "At this performance..." videos, Meghann was the only one I really thought had any potential. Having suffered through Phillips, I can assure you, that's a complete disaster, and it sounds like Berry is not up to par either.
Updated On: 6/16/09 at 10:31 PM

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:31pm

They're all terrible.

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:33pm

I saw Michael before I saw Bobby and the more I see of Bobby the more I realize how mediocre Michael really was.

[On_Avenue_Payt]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:35pm

adamgreer, Do you know what day shes performaning?

[obsessedjb]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:37pm

sorry to jump in but June 25th
Updated On: 6/16/09 at 10:37 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:37pm

They really should have recast the understudies when they moved to Broadway. They could have gotten Broadway caliber people to cover these very meaty roles.

I understand financially why they double up and have one understudy cover Gabe/Henry and another cover Dan/Drs. Fine and Madden, but that's kind of a problem. Each set of characters is a completely different "type" and the actors are bound to be better in one role than the other. Tim Young's Gabe sounds frightful, but I bet his Henry is pretty good, for example.

ETA: Meghann will be Natalie June 25, I am told. Actually, the person who told me has already posted in this thread. Updated On: 6/16/09 at 10:37 PM

[jordangirl]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:39pm

I still wish they'd been able to keep Mary Mossberg as Diana understudy. From reports I heard she was wonderful! I have yet to see any of them, though. (Ok, last Tuesday was a chance to, but I chose not to.)

[heo1128]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 10:41pm

^Good point, adamgreer. Never thought about how different the roles are that person covers.

Another thing about Michael, he just didn't have much presence. Bobby's Dan is a weak person, but he still has a strength about him. Michael is just sort of...there. I kept thinking there's no way Diana would EVER date/marry Michael's Dan.

I should probably add that Michael didn't completely ruin the show for me. Yes he struggled with the part and I would much rather see Bobby, but the rest of the cast was able to carry both Michael and the show. I'm sure the people behind me (who thought Dan was the son, and Kyle Dean was the understudy...) enjoyed the show just as well.
Updated On: 6/16/09 at 10:41 PM

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 11:03pm

I saw Michael Berry back on May 10th and he was dreadful.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 11:07pm

His voice, though decent early on (he seemed to be losing it towards the end), is just totally wrong for the score.

It sounded like the "Les Miz" version of "N2N" !!!

He had absolutely no chemistry with Alice... at all !!!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 11:12pm

Incidentally, Berry was in Les Miserables. Oddly enough, he did not play Javert, as I would have guessed. He was Enjolras, which just seems all kinds of wrong.
Updated On: 6/16/09 at 11:12 PM

[Ole Chum]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 11:36pm

its a shame that adamgreer has become the be-all and end-all on alice ripley's understudy on these boards.

i havent seen her, but i know a few who saw her and absolutely loved her. so its not all that simple.

and based on that youtube, her acting looks awkward but her voice sounds fantastic, if that matters.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 11:47pm

its a shame that adamgreer has become the be-all and end-all on alice ripley's understudy on these boards.

When did I ever profess to be the be all and end all?

but i know a few who saw her and absolutely loved her. so its not all that simple.

No one I was with (all of whom had seen the show before, and had a standard for comparison) liked her at all. The common adjective to describe it was "cartoony."

her acting looks awkward but her voice sounds fantastic, if that matters.

I said in my review she had a nice voice, but not fit for this score. It's too poppy. I kept waiting for her to start riffing in I Miss the Mountains. Honestly, in the role of Diana, acting is far more important than singing (though that's important as well).

I'm sorry if I offended you, Jessica.

[alightinthedark23]

Posted: 6/16/09 at 11:54pm

I saw 'Next to Normal' tonight and it definitely made me appreciate Bobby Spencer so much more than i originally did. First of all, I thought Michael Berry looked too old for the part. I was in the Mezz but it looked like he had gray hair. He came in late on a song and totally butchered the end of 'A Light in the Dark'. Also, the chemistry between Michael and Alice was far off. Michael was starting and ending notes before Alice Ripley was. It felt in the tense moments that he was almost trying TOO hard. Aside from Michael, I thought the show was amazing. This is my first time seeing it without Aaron and i am very impressed with Kyle's performance. He sang and acted the part very well. They chose a perfect temporary replacement for Gabe. He was not comfortable with some of the staging in Act I, but that type of thing comes with comfort in a role. Overall, I thought the show was good tonight.

Updated On: 6/16/09 at 11:54 PM

[heo1128]

Posted: 6/17/09 at 12:08am

^Yes, he DEFINITELY needs to change that grey hair. Is the part you're talking about where Alice and Michael didn't synch up in "How Could I Ever Forget"? I noticed that too...and then he continued to miss cues with Adam in "A Promise". That whole 10 minutes was kind of a hot mess lol. He also missed his first line in "Just Another Day".