NEXT TO NORMAL Headed to Broadway's Longacre Theater, Previews Start March 27- Page 10

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 11:40am

no.

[EveHarrington]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 11:46am

Wait, you think it's legitimate to use pull quotes from the NYC run even though the show has changed so drastically that if you "haven't seen it at Arena Stage you haven't seen it"?

Oookay. Smacks of cheap tricks, just like the rest of this mounting.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 11:50am

""Next To Normal" is way too artistic for it to ever become a financial and/or popular hit"

so by your definition then any show that makes money is not artistic lol

[snarkywannabedreamer]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 11:52am

it's always funny to me how some people on these boards can not separate their love for something with the prospect of the mass population loving it too. Most of America doesn't give a rat's ass about the kind words of a few critics when they only have a chance to buy one ticket and they are looking for the biggest bang for their Broadway buck. it's a sad fact.. but it's true. You and the show's creative team may believe in this show with all your heart, (and I am not dissing the artistic merit of this show AT ALL. It's a fine show.) but be honest with yourself... do you REALLY think joe shmoe from Idaho will want his or her one broadway experience while in NYC to be watching a musical about mental illness? Those are the people you NEED to have a hit... or even a decent run in this economy.

[snarkywannabedreamer]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 11:55am

song and dance, you kinda got that wrong...

a show CAN be artistic AND be a hit (as long as it provides a commercial draw for a mass audience!)

but a show that is solely artistic with no commercial viability can NOT be a hit.

is that clearer?

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 11:59am

But whos to decide what a commercial draw is to an audience member, isn't that a matter of personal opinion?

Im sure shows like Rent which when it opened was dealing with Aids, Homosexuality, drugs etc was not seen as the most commercially viable musical.

Sweeney Tood didn't exactly scream 'Family Outing' and so on and so on.
Im not saying you don't have a point, you most certainly do, but audiences can sometimes surprise you.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 12:01pm

You obviously ignored my comment where I said I'm not expecting it to be as big as Wicked or Jersey Boys. But I do think there is the potential for it to find AN audience. The show is about so much more than mental illness ~ it's about a family dealing with LIFE if you get right down to it.

And I also said that there were quotes from the Second Stage run that DO apply ~ specifically Alice's and Aaron's performances, the music, etc. Use quotes that don't apply? No.

[snarkywannabedreamer]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 12:23pm

I think you both are ignoring the MAIN point I was making was that you MUST take into account THIS ECONOMY! things are VERY different right now. When Rent came out there was money out there for people to see more than one show. Those days are over (for the time being). Live in the now! Read a paper! things are ****ty for all the shows out there... but especially bad for the purely artistic ventures. AGAIN, I am not slighting this show! i am just being realistic and basing my opinions not on what I "like" but what evidence has shown the economic market can bare. And my opinion is that this won't have a long run... or even a decent run. disagree, but I think if you look around Broadway the writing is on the wall.

[Actor 7]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 1:00pm

Here's ONE example of the REALITY of how bad these economic meltdown issues are on and off Broadway. I purchased tickets this past autumn for shows that would be hopefully playing this June. So far, three plays and three musicals that were among my purchases have CLOSED! These were ALL new plays or musicals. I have a deep fear that by the time I get to NYC in June, even the big mega musicals will have closed. I always like to sample a large variety of shows as I believe there is not only room for every type of show but it makes for a healthier theatre to have MANY choices. The reality is hard for some people to grasp because they have never been through all this before. NEXT TO NORMAL, like these other shows that closed early, will most likely have a very short run. I hate this reality but I think you are only living in a dream world if you think things are going to be rosy in the near future.

[nexttoelectric]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:13pm

why are you even arguing with someone named snarkywannabedreamer?

[TimeSquare3]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:15pm

Actor, will you please SHUT THE F*CK UP?! It's bad economics times, stopping acting like it's going to end Broadway all together. If it survived the depression, it will survive this.

[snarkywannabedreamer]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:24pm

Broadway will survive. Next To Normal will not. And "nexttoelectric," if you don't recognize the not-so-subtle hints of irony in my screen name, you may be borderline retarded.

[nexttoelectric]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:36pm

a troll giving themself a troll name is not irony.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:39pm

Grow up. You're going to be whistling a different tune when your precious Alice Ripley loses the Tony and her show tanks.

[snarkywannabedreamer]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:41pm

hahaha... you got me!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:58pm

Snarky....I totally see where you are coming from...and sadly, think you are right -- I do not foresee this lasting terribly long.

Before anyone starts yelling at me: I love N2N, am excited as hell that it's coming back and I WISH it well and a long life, but reality tarnishes the possibility.

I think/hope that critically it does well and I have no doubts that it will last long enough to get the Tony recognition I think it deserves.

Alice Ripley with a Tony would be beautiful. I would love to see Tviet with one as well.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 4:07pm

Tveit will be lucky to be nominated. If he beats Christopher Sieber, Gregory Jbara, Craig Bierko, Marc Kudisch...I'm going to flip a sh*t.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 4:10pm

Won't Bierko be in the Leading Actor category? I would have figured all else to be Supporting.

[TheCharleston]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 4:12pm

NEXT TO NORMAL sucks.

[heo1128]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 4:56pm

^Well that's a little rude, but then again this IS BWW.

[mikkix]

Posted: 3/2/09 at 11:28pm

No show on Sunday after May 25 which is sad for me.

[KingKong]

Posted: 3/3/09 at 8:41pm

The image on telecharge is official, its on BarlowHartmans's site now. (it wasn't a couple days go)

[jordangirl]

Posted: 3/3/09 at 8:50pm

If they'd just move the music staff up a smidge to the blank area at the top... Ah well. Generally I like it.

[feline0favenueQ]

Posted: 3/3/09 at 8:50pm

Yay, I really like that logo.
Updated On: 3/3/09 at 08:50 PM

[mikkix]

Posted: 3/4/09 at 2:22am

Will Aaron temporarily leave?