NEXT TO NORMAL Headed to Broadway's Longacre Theater, Previews Start March 27 — Page 7

The understudy at 2ST was pretty good at covering Henry. I saw him go on (at what im fairly certain was his first time covering the role) and while it started out a little iffy, he got comfortable and really shined in the second act.

Corey Boardman?

I saw him as Henry my first time seeing the show. He was serviceable.

Anyone think they'll "bling" out the show a little more now that they have Broadway money?

And I hope by recording the cast recording, that they haven't set the show in stone. I still think it needs some work.

First, I hate having the "nurses" and "doctors" on during her operation. It just looks messy. And wasn't one of them not a cast member? If I remember correctly, I counted, and one wasn't a cast member.

Second, I still don't think the transition form Act 1 to Act 2 works well. Act 1 ends on a downer note and in no ways makes the audience want to stick around to see what happens. What they should do, is have the dad singing "Light In the Dark" - or whatever it's called - and have the doctor come out and admit Diana into her surgery with the act ending with a reprise of "Just Another Day" or something to that effect. The way it ends now it's just so "okay..." and then the way Act II starts is just so messy and jumbled. But I guess there's no hope for them changing it now. I think with a few minor tweaks, like that, the show could go from being good to being excellent.

http://www.nexttonormal.com

There's nothing up yet besides an email sign-up for their mailing list, though.

Clearing rentboy meant the ECT


and with the cutting of Feeling Electric they changed the way the ECT scene occurs and have gotten rid of some of the excess (including the person on stage that was a stagehand)

Not when I saw it in DC. I'm pretty sure there was a stagehand still, which just seemed stupid.

I just hope they clean up those two things and work on the set. When Gabe was in the "attic," I don't think it really worked because at Arena Stage, the lights were in his way because of the theater's height. But of course, I'm sure that will be changed.

I like this show and I want to see it do well, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its faults that can be cleaned up.

I'm not saying they aren't "necessary" in the realistic sense, but this is theater. When we're use to seeing, what, six people on stage all night, and then to throw in some more into the mix, it just gets confusing and takes the audience out of the story.

It doesn't matter if they're stagehands or understudies, it's still seems too excessive and messy. And I know one of them is Aaron, but I wish Gabe was in the "attic" during it. I think it would help with the story telling if he was sort of all over the place, then gradually started to disappear while he was singing the back-up for "wish I were here..."

I don't see why. Its not a technically difficult show, there probably won't be changes from the arena production (except for maybe going back to some of the 2ST blocking involving the third level since there will more height at the Longacre than Arena. I assume they'll seek a musician waiver so they wont need to do any work with the orchestrations.

I agree. This is not a show with trap doors or heavily technical things (one set of doors on a pulley system, one set that is moved manually, and furniture that is moved manually) to go wrong. I'm pretty sure we can safely bank on the given first preview date being the first preview date. They have a couple of days with music stuff and a week of tech.

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Actually I don't have to justify anything to you foster. So sorry.

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Updated On: 2/19/09 at 10:08 AM

SOOOOOO happy. I hope this will recieve a Tony Nom.


Love me some Tviet and Ripley!!!

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I have heard such wonderful things about this show. I am happy it is coming to Bway so I can see it.