Next To Normal Review 11/10/09

[steven22]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 9:47am

I saw Next To Normal for the 4th time last night. The cast was Alice Ripley (Diana), J. Robert Spencer (Dan), Jennifer Damiano (Natalie), Aaron Tveit (Gabe, Adam Chanler Berat (Henry), Michael Berry (u/s Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine)

Let me start off by saying that I love this show and can't get enough of it. The cast is generally amazing and it never gets old.

At the beginning of the show I felt something was off. I couldn't figure it out but then I realized that the music was off. Think of the performance on the tony's (N2N's performance)...the first act the music was not in sync with the singing.

Alice was amazing from the start (of course), J. Robert Spencer I think gets better and better each time I see the show!, Aaron is just unbelievable with every scene/song he is in, he steals the show (in my opinion), Jen. Jen. Jen. Something was off with her. Maybe she was sick, tired, needed vocal rest, I'm not sure. Adam was great with what he has in the boyfriend role. Michael Berry. I thought he was great in the rock star scene but his singing voice just doesnt fit the doctor roles in my opinion.

if anyone has any other questions! ask!

thanks

[AC126748]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 9:57am

I was there last night, as well, and agree with your assessment of Jennifer Damiano. She sounded a touch raspy--perhaps she's sick or in need of vocal rest. This show does not have an easy score to sing, and you can hear the wear in some of the cast's voices. However, she still turned in an excellent performance (this was my first time seeing the show since early previews at Second Stage).

Ripley's voice has definitely gotten a bit raspier over the course of this show, but her performance is better than ever. Her Tony was richly deserved.

And re: Michael Berry, since he's the understudy for both Dan and the Doctors, I'd assume that the producers were looking for someone who could work credibly in all of the roles. He was fine, but I'd imagine that his Dan is better than his Drs. Madden/Fine.

Updated On: 11/11/09 at 09:57 AM

[steven22]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 10:00am

and by the way I want to add that Joe Cassidy is back in the cast. I believe he did a reading of the show or something

on broadway he u/s the doctors

and also Jen was not very nice at the stage door.

and aaron didnt come out

[RemarkableTimes]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 10:13am

That's interesting to hear because I'd heard that Michael Berry's Drs were better than his Dan. I haven't seen him go on in the doctor roles yet, though.

[AC126748]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 10:14am

I believe that Joe Cassidy played Dan in the NYMF production, when it was still known as Feeling Electric.

[froggy2]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 11:09am

I've seen Michael Berry as the Docs once, and as Dan twice. Really wasn't a fan of him as the Docs, and was kind of iffy on him the first time I saw him as Dan (my friends loved him, though).

However I LOVED him the next time I saw him as Dan, which was after he'd been going on pretty regularly (I think it was when Bobby Spencer was out sick for awhile) so maybe he just needs a bit more time to feel comfortable in the roles before doing his thing. Plus, isn't Louis Hobson pretty much never out?

[steven22]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 11:15am

i wonder why he isnt u/s dan on broadway...

[kellymarie465]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 5:36pm

I was at the 11/10 show! By the way, great review steven22

I was sad that Aaron didn't come out for stage door, he usually does! And I was totally surprised when Jennifer came out, she rarely does stage door ... I think she knew a group in the audience cause when they had the little BCEFA speech, she waved to people in the back and then I saw her talking with people outside after stage door! Everyone was so sweet at stage door, I really enjoyed it! When I asked Michael to sign the cd on Louis's picture, he was like "do you want to wait for Louis to sign here" and i said "no it's ok, you totally deserve that spot" and he seems so happy and he smiled! Michael did a really great job as the Docs, I enjoyed him!

And by the way ... what is Jennifer? a soprano? or what ...
what is the vocal range of Natalie?

[steven22]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 10:34pm

Jenn was not very friendly at the stage door..at all..kind of a diva

i said to her "any chance you would ever do spring awakening again, maybe on tour" and she was like "no dont think so" and then I said "you would have been an amazing Wendla" and she said "yea I would have been right.. too bad I wasn't"

[pushdabutton]

Posted: 11/11/09 at 10:59pm

Jenn was the only cast member that did not come out the stage door after the show when I saw it last September.

[Bettyboy72]

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

Jenn and Aaron are coming out less and less because of the psychotic nutbags at the stage door who don't understand personal boundaries. It's a serious problem.

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

Jenn's comment to you was probably because, if I'm correct, she was offered Wendla but then they rescinded the offer because she was too young, so she's probably sensitive about it. I'm certainly not the first to defend Jenn but it was an awkward thing to say to her.

[MeggilyWeggily08]

Posted: 11/23/09 at 7:48pm

Jenn came out the stage door at the show on 11/20 and I agree, she wasn't extremely friendly. But she did thank us for coming and took a photo with us, and when the people next to us asked her if she was tired (it sure seemed like it lol) and she laughed and was like "you have no idea". So I'm sure that the show is very tiring and stressful, and that's why she's not super sunny at the stage door.

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 11/23/09 at 9:08pm

I don't think Jenn is a "diva" at all...they've been dealing with completely insane fans who don't understand boundaries (as Bettyboy said) and I think that would be overwhelming to anyone, much less an 18-year-old. I met her at the stage door before all of the intense insanity started and while she wasn't super talkative or anything she was perfectly nice to everyone who was waiting.

As for her voice, I saw the show back in September when Aaron first came back and she was sounding a little raspy then as well...still turning in a great performance but her voice didn't sound as strong as it normally does.

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 8:13am

Jenn was nice the times I met her. She was nice to everyone that was there. Not very talkative but beyond friendly and nice.

Who can blame her or the other cast members if they are not feeling well and having to deal with the obsessed "fans" night after night.

[hairspraydude1962]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 9:55am

Jenn came out of the stage door on Saturday (11/21), and she just seemed quiet. She wasn't mean or anything. She kindly talked to some people and gladly posed for pictures.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 10:59am

Who can blame her or the other cast members if they are not feeling well and having to deal with the obsessed "fans" night after night.

You mean like, obsessed fans who "follow" actors to "see where they go"?

[DefyGravity777]

Posted: 11/24/09 at 1:46pm

"You mean like, obsessed fans who "follow" actors to "see where they go"?"

No I mean people who see the show over 50 times in a few months. I could go on but I don't think you want that can of worms opened again do you Nick?