My thoughts on NEXT TO NORMAL (Long, possible spoilers) — Page 2

I already said that Ripley would steal the Tony from LuPone, Russell, O'Hara, etc.

But as of right now, the show isn't in Broadway shape. After they finish tinkering, maybe. I'll have to go back to see the finished product!

It's the most enjoyable and fulfilling musical experience I've had since The Producers. But that doesn't mean it's perfect.

It actually IS the best NEW musical of the season. Especially compared to Young Snoreinstein, The Overproduced Mermaid, and Xanabore.

As I said in an earlier post, my biggest problem is that there are some elements in Grief's staging which do a disservice to the material.

Updated On: 1/27/08 at 09:56 AM

Oh, and I seem to remember that the Superboy and Invisible Girl song is in the 2nd Act. I was looking at the song list someone posted, and it seems to be listed in the first act, as of an early preview.

Can't say for sure, though.

Superboy was in the 1st act when I saw it a week ago.

It was in the first act on Thursday. It was in the second act for the '05 NYMF production. Given where it falls in the plot and the way the acts are split up now, I'd be surprised if they moved it back.

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I think it's also largely a matter of length. The NYMF production was three. hours. long. A lot of the way N2N is structured feels like they just slid the intermission in order to accommodate the shortened length. It works for the plot, of course, but it works length-wise, too.

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Really glad to hear you liked it! I'm heading back on Wednesday to see changes and such.

Personally? 2 hours 10 minutes without intermission would have been even better. The 15 minute break, even though "necessary" to process the whole thing, seemed to kill the momentum.

Just got in from seeing it again and going to the talk back. A couple of things...

"Costco" ~ I actually asked about this one since it does feel kind of...weird (at least to me). Like is doesn't really fit in with the rest of things. The intent as they have it in is to show Diana as a "normal" or "typical" housewife/mother and how far separated from reality she is. They asked for a show of hands as to who liked it vs. who didn't and it was pretty evenly split. They did say there are some ideas to show the depth of her illness if they were to rewrite that part but didn't elaborate.

They're definitely tweaking "Feeling Electric" ~ said that there will be changes to that starting on Tuesday.

I'm definitely planning to go back and see it again. I can't really explain it, but it really hits home for me. It takes a lot for a show to earn a standing ovation from me and both times this one has.

(Incidentally, Anthony Rapp was at the show tonight as were a couple of other people I know I should know but couldn't place.)

Oh, and yeah, "Superboy..." is in Act I. At least for now.

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Updated On: 1/27/08 at 10:29 PM

Anthony is Asisstant Directing, he's been at all of the previews i think.


Also. So Many Ways To Die (a song originally in FE but not in N2N) was a better way of showing her illness, but it really slowed the story progression (especially with both songs being in the show).

demos anywhere out there?

I personally like Costco. I mean, no it's not hitting you in the face immediately that she's having an episode but I don't feel like it needs to be. It starts to become clear immediately after the song that something is off and then it gets explained while she's at the doctor's. I think it works fine.

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