Quick Thoughts On N2N and 9To5 4/11

Today I had the pleasure to catch a matinee of Next To Normal and the night performance of Dolly's Broadway baby 9 To 5. I saw Next To Normal at 2ST last winter and it was amazing and I was worried I would never see it again. Seeing it back and on Broadway yesterday was truly amazing. The show is at a good point and Alice has the Tony in her hand already. The performances were incredible and I thought all the changes they made from the off-broadway production were well fitted. Would I like to see it get the Tony for best musical this year? Yes. Will it? No. Where is it going? To the amazing performance I saw later that day.

9 To 5, a musical that I was excited to see since the day I found out it was being put together. I got into the city and got my rush for Next To Normal and heard 9 To 5 had begun offering rush an hour and a half before the performance. I got there at about 5 because after Next To Normal we decided to grab food. We went into the box office to find a line of 20 people ahead of my friend and I. Thinking we wouldn't get tickets, we ended up with orchestra row D all the way to the right. You miss a few things up stage left, but nothing important. I am so glad because the performance was sold out. For the show on it's 6th preview, it was in great shape. This thing IS the next Hairspray. All 3 leading ladies delivered amazing performances. Megan is the standout in this show playing Double D Doralee. She had Dolly's character down and was just so fun to watch. Stephanie has a great character as well and ***SPOILER*** when she pulled out the gun and shot it I jumped out of my seat haha.***END SPOILER*** And all together she was fantastic. Her Get Out Stay Out really brought the house down. And last, but not least, Allison Janney who I would have no expected the performance she gave last night. She was incredible, where all though her singing isn't her strong point, she acted the s*it out of this role. I especially loved "One Of The Boys." All I can say is all 3 of these ladies are going to get Tony Noms. This show was just so much fun and I was smiling like an idiot and tapping my foot the entire time. Quick notes: and possible spoilers..When Stephanie says "No good deed goes unpunished.." in Shine Like The Sun, the audience went nuts. I think that was so funny ha.

Get your tickets for this show NOW before they are impossible to get.

Updated On: 4/12/09 at 11:42 AM

N2N and 9 to 5 in the same day? Jealous! These are my two most anticipated shows right now. I need to see them asap. Thanks for your reviews!

People have been guffawing at that line since the first L.A. preview. I understand how it's funny, but Wicked didn't patent that line and I'm pretty sure it's an unintentional Wicked reference.

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I know, I have heard that line before Wicked, it's just funny that Stephanie says it and said it in Wicked as well, It is semi amusing to me. And apparently to the audience too.

No actually, going nuts is the right word for what happened during that line... I was there last night and was really surprised by the screams that line drew. There was an especially rowdy (not bothersome though) group of teenagers behind us who screamed especially loud, but it wasn't just them...

After the show I turned to the people I was with and wondered exactly how long there will be enough Wicked types packing the house for it to get that response repeatedly.

I actually would be curious to know if that always happens.

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Apparently, Stephanie chuckled during a rehearsel, as they were originally going to give the line to Megan to sing, and once she explained to Dolly that it was a line she sung in Wicked, Dolly gave her the line. Everyone laughs, because almost everyone knows.

"I believe [title of show] has a bigger chance of winning the Tony than 9 to 5. But Next To Normal will win it for SURE!"

Ugh, no. It's pretty much between Billy Elliot and 9 to 5.

Yeah, I honestly feel like even if Billy Elliot or N2N wins best musical, 9 To 5 will still do well with ticket sales and be popular. Same goes with Billy Elliot.