My thoughts on NEXT TO NORMAL (Long, possible spoilers)- Page 5

[salutz1031]

Posted: 1/31/08 at 8:49pm

thnx lea! i didnt think i missed that....and oops!! i did NOT like the actress playing Natalie..anyone else feel the same way?

[Liverpool]

Posted: 2/2/08 at 6:51pm

So went back last night with my BF. He loved it. A lot and he's not the type to love really serious things (the only other shows we've seen together are "Love...Perfect..Change" and "Reefer Madness". Noticed some more changes, definitely more major changes than from between my first and second viewing. Im gonna make this short as my flight starts boarding in like 15 minutes.

The orchestrations have chnaged. Everything has been toned down a little bit. I first noticd it during Costco which felt less frenetic but still had the urgency of a breakdown. This is a good thing as its much easier to uderstand the lyrics throughout the show. Also, i don't remember the acoustic guitar previously but that could have just been me being oblivious. Most of the show (musically) sounds unplugged which gives it an interesting feel.

I was worried about the cutting of Open Your Eyes, but it did work fine with out, i had forgotten that Madden is also a scarey rock star during Feeling Electric (more scary now since they changed his staging a little bit in that song) Couple of added lines here and there that really help (natalie telling Henry that he gives up too easily the first time tehy meet in the practice room. It really informs his actions later in the show when he refuses to give up which i really liked). They added a small scene and verse to (i think)"Who's Crazy/My psycho..." The scene is a flash back to when dan and diana were just dating, something i really thought was missing that helps give us a little more background about their characters (taht Diana was not quite right before she lost her son and that dan was willing to do almost anything to please her). THe first act flew by, Still clocked in at about 1:15, but didnt feel it. The second act is getting really tight.

Anyone who complains about the length of the show has problems as its not that long. Its less than 2:20 which isn't excessively long at all.

Alice is right on the whole show. I really have no complaints about her.

BDJ is still brilliance (the reprise of I am the One in the second act is amazing)

Aaron is still the esence of always being present. Also, because i know some of them (ATCers read here. TO ALL THE PEOPLE COMPLAINING/BITCHING ABOUT THE FACT THAT AARON APPEARS HALF NAKED AND WEARS TIGHT TSHIRTS AND JEANS get over it. It makes sense if you put ANY THOUGHT into it at all. He is a dellusion in Diana's mind, and in her mind he is a normal 17/18 year old boy. And gasp, nomral 17/18 year old boys SHOWER. its showing the everyday activities. And the way he dresses is only "gay" if you want it to be. Just because the boys in chelsea wear solid colored t-shirts and blue jeans doesn't mean that NO ONE ELSE DOES. I grew up in the suburbs and i'd gather im a lot closer in age to Gabe than most of the people kvetching about it and people, a fair number of hot suburban white boys dress that way.

Jennifer is good.

Adam is really doing his best with an annoying character

Asa while he doesnt LOOK like a rock star is just fine in that role.

well anyway, my plane is boarding, so i will see you all later.

[jake6970]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 11:12am

Apparently Jenn's understudy was on yesterday. Anyone know how she was?

[CouldaWouldaShoulda]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 11:54am

I was there last night and while I have nothing to compare her to, I was really impressed with her.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 11:55am

Who is her understudy?

[CouldaWouldaShoulda]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 12:02pm

Morgan Weed.

[LeaGirl]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 12:18pm

I saw it last night with Morgan as Natalie and I found her a better fit for the role than Jenn - she wasn't quite as strong vocally but her acting was absolutely insane (in a good way) - I believed a lot more things about her character when she was delivering the lines. Also she doesn't do that thing that Jenn does with her arms (Jenn emphasizes every line by like... waving her arms) and that was nice.

I think she's older than Jenn but she doesn't look any older. I really, really enjoyed her a lot. She found a lot of laughs and emotional moments that I hadn't seen brought out with that character before.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 2/3/08 at 12:28pm

I saw the matinee on Saturday, 2/2, for the first time. I had a brief freakout moment when a little white slip of paper flew out of my playbill (long-time Alice Ripley fangirl here). If I wouldn't have gotten the sheet of paper, I would not have known Morgan Weed was an understudy for Natalie. I have nothing to compare her to, but it did leave me wondering how on earth the regular cast member could be any better. Acting, voice, everything.

Ok, let's get to the real reason why I saw this show. I love original, challenging shows and there are not many around. I have nothing other than to say shows like this, few and far between on Broadway, are why I go to see theatre mostly in regional houses . To have Alice Ripley who acted the crap out of an incredibly challenging part and sang her brains out, in the role was freaking amazing.

She once again proved why I am a fan. Don't get me wrong, I like the new guard of musical theatre actresses, but no one comes close to displaying raw emotion and singing like Alice. She was the character and I cried. I never do that.

But it wasn't just Alice and Morgan, the entire cast was tight.

The show is on its way to being great. It is almost there. A few weak moments. I hope it gets another life after this production without sacrificing any of its integrity to pander to the masses.

I need a CD now and am plotting about when I can get back to NY in the next couple of weeks to see it again.

Between this and Speech and Debate, which I also saw last night, I am on a theatre high. It made up for the last few times I went to NY and was very disappointed.

Updated On: 2/3/08 at 12:28 PM

[knicknut]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 1:58pm

Hey, everyone, how ar the views from the back/sides of this theater? Is it small enough that every seat in the house is good?

I want to see this soon in case I love it and want to see it again, but reserving now gets a seat in the last row or two going out a couple weeks (at least at the Youth price). Only out closer to a month (near the end of the run) can I get something close.

Also, any luck getting the student rush? I assume it's whatever's left over? But if online sales are any indication, almost nothing else is left over and it's worth paying $29 over $15 to ensure a seat.

[CouldaWouldaShoulda]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 2:13pm

The theatre is not that big at all. I was in the last row for The Scene and I saw everything fine. I would actually reccomend being farther back because the set is so high. I was in the fourth row for N2N and had to continually look up. Also, paying the extra 15 to guarantee a seat is well worth it. I always use their adanvce rush. It always works out well with me.

Updated On: 2/4/08 at 02:13 PM

[knicknut]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 2:28pm

Thanks, Coulda.

However, I'd like to confirm the last two things you say, since it sounds like you say "it's worth the advance sale but I don't do it." You say the $15 extra is worth it, but then say you always do the rush? So you go for the $15 seats, not buying them in advance for $29, and it works out for you? Do you get there more than a half hour before?

Logic would say if only a few seats are available online, likely none will be available for that rush. But are there extra seats they hold for that rush?
Updated On: 2/4/08 at 02:28 PM

[CouldaWouldaShoulda]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:12pm

I'm sorry, I meant to say the youth advance is worth it. I just wrote rush because I associated it with students. I have never done student rush there before. All I know about the rush situation is that when I arrived at the theatre on Saturday the lobby was full of students. I would assume you would have to get their pretty early.

My advice: pay the extra 15 and guarantee a seat.

[knicknut]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 3:36pm

Sounds great, I got the last ticket for tomorrow night! Thanks for the advice!

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/4/08 at 5:39pm

See you there kicknut! :) After a craptastic day on Thursday and learning I've got a meeting tomorrow afternoon about said craptastic day on Friday, I bought a ticket for tomorrow night. I figure I'm definitely gonna need the break and emotional release.

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 4:52pm

Is it extending for another week? If you look at the website, they have another week of performances up, but not ready for sale yet. Hope they do two weeks, so I can see it

[Liverpool]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 4:57pm

hmm it seems like they may be planning to. thats interesting. You should call the number and ask.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 4:59pm

I would LOVE to see it extend! I've decided that there's something slightly disturbing about the fact that when I've had majorly stressful things going on my haven so to speak is to see a show about mental illness. I totally needed it last night though.

Not so sure about the changes to "Feeling Electric" ~ I'm not sure they made the hallucination aspect clear enough with the Diana/Dr. Madden dance part towards the end. The people next to me didn't get that a certain bit of choreography was Diana's hallucination/imagination and not something the doctor was actually doing. Then again, they could have just been slow. but their comments to each other were "I liked him alright until he made her touch him."

[Liverpool]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 5:04pm

wait people dont get that's not real???????????????


why are people so stupid.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 5:09pm

I know ~ I totally got it. But I heard a few people around me commenting about it. None quite as dense as the couple next to me who seemed fairly knowledgeable about things theatre. I just shook my head and settled in for Act 2.

[Liverpool]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 1:57am

bump

[PuppyLove]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 9:42am

I called the box office and the tape says "Next to Normal" runs until March 9. The box office wasn't open so I couldn't ask about the dates after March 9, but I'm going to try again later.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 9:47am

You all seem to forget that the median age of 2nd Stage subscribers is 96. I've never heard more people say "what's going on" than at any 2nd Stage production.

Even at subUrbia, which is 100% straight forward. Hell, even at The Scene - also very straight forward. I understood it during Show People.

[changinandhow]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 10:15am

The show is for sure running til the 16th-- I know someone who called the box office and confirmed. And my tickets are for March 11, so it's definitely not closing on the 9th.
Updated On: 2/7/08 at 10:15 AM

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 6:48pm

I was told the 16th as well...too bad, I'm missing it for just one week

[Cassandra Prott]

Posted: 2/7/08 at 6:52pm

Any idea how student rush has been doing? I plan on going an hour early tomorrow before the 8pm show. Any idea if I'll actually get tickets?

^Sorry if this is the wrong thread. I didn't want to create a new one for this. Thanks!!