Next To Normal Review 11/10/09

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

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

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

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

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"

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.

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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.

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.

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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"?