Saw NEXT TO NORMAL First Preview in DC Nov. 21- Page 4

[snl89]

Posted: 11/26/08 at 4:28pm

Bumping :)

The more I listen to the Arena version of the show, the more I'm warming to the changes. I can't wait to see it all live!

[jordangirl]

Posted: 11/26/08 at 5:26pm

Agree snl!! December 13 cannot get here soon enough for me!!!!!

[nexttoelectric]

Posted: 11/26/08 at 5:27pm

Im so stoked for the 22nd.




Anyone got a running time yet?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 11/26/08 at 5:30pm

Anyone gonna share this audio love!

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 11/26/08 at 5:57pm

running time is 2:15 with the intermission.

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 11/29/08 at 10:48am

saw the show again last night. some changes from when i saw it at the first preview.

they still have not changed the playbill to indicate that "Wish I Were Here" is actually the start of Act 2 and not the finale of Act 1.

They changed some lines and some blocking since the first preview, nothing major though.

Oh and Anthony Rapp was there last night.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 11/29/08 at 5:52pm

It definitely is much tighter than the first preview now. The new blocking at the end of act 1 makes a world of difference and I am actually beginning to like Wish I Were Here.

[EnWashingtonHeights]

Posted: 11/29/08 at 10:15pm

Saw it and loved it!
Is the audio on the website the cast recording or a demo? Updated On: 11/29/08 at 10:15 PM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/29/08 at 10:16pm

KCF, glad to hear things have tightened up since first preview. Looking forward to reading more!

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 11/30/08 at 12:56am

I saw the show again tonight. Many little line changes. I especially like the ones to Light in the Dark, which makes the song more character-specific and less generic. A very tight show and the cast is still giving its all.

I still think the show and what it is about is being poorly advertised though. Many people were confused and annoyed by the subject matter. Highlighting the comedic aspects may be to their detriment.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 11/30/08 at 1:20am

"Highlighting the comedic aspects may be to their detriment."

Especially when they have eliminated much of the humor. A lot of people felt the same way about A CATERED AFFAIR. It was marketed to look like a "musical comedy," but it wasn't a comedy at all.

I'm not sure when I'm going back, but it'll be soon.

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 11/30/08 at 11:44am

yeah i have to agree, when the lights came up at intermission on friday most people around us were confused/annoyed at the subject matter. by the end of the show i heard plenty of negative feedback when we were walking out. that made me sad.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 9:29am

Finally saw it yesterday (a whole week earlier than planned, lol) and all I can say is "WOW!" It really is (sorry...) "Better Than Before". Speechless.

Other than the people next to me during Act 1 who were laughing and being obnoxious (to the point I was even asked by a cast member at the stage door how I had kept in control enough not to throttle them ~ that's how obnoxious they were...from the 6th row the cast could see and hear them), all the comments I heard were really positive.

I wish it was next week already! :)

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 11:10am

The show has really gotten much tighter as it goes along. It is quite impressive how much work they have done (for the better) to get it to this state.

[Bwayfan4]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 11:53am

Seriously...anyone want to share the audio? Please? I'm dying to hear a few of my favorites...

[All_For_Laura]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 12:15pm

I really like many of the changes, although I am not so fond of the cuts of "Perfect for You". I really like that song in its entirety. I am so excited for the 20th! I finally get to see the Arena Version live. I am excited to see how it has changed since off-broadway.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 1:56pm

They better not touch "Perfect for You" - the boyfriend's voice on that song is pure perfection.

I sort of miss "growing up unstable," but whatever.

Jordangirl, who mentioned that at the stage door? Not that it matters, but just curious.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 2:05pm

I didn't really notice cuts on "Perfect For You" ~ a few lyric changes, but no cuts.

I think it works a lot better than "Growing Up Unstable". That song never really worked for me ~ maybe because half the time it was halfway through the song before the majority of the audience realized that intermission was over. "Wish I Was Here" sort of has the same problem...but the audience at Arena seemed to get it better.

Jennifer. She didn't use those exact words, but she was definitely aware of what was going on.

Updated On: 12/7/08 at 02:05 PM

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 5:08pm

Wish I Was Here makes more sense to the audience now that the blocking of the end of act 1 has changed since early previews. The sound has also cleared up so you can hear the lyrics. But getting subscription audiences back in their seats and ready to get back into the show after intermission is always a challenge.

The changes to Perfect for You are VERY minimal.

[jordangirl]

Posted: 12/7/08 at 5:42pm

I think that the WAY they start into it also makes it confusing. Even people sitting down in their seats really don't seem to realize at the first notes of the introduction that they were start of Act II and not just the band being random warming up. Once the lights started going down, people got the hint. There has to be a better way other than just an announcement of "Act 2 is starting now, please be quiet."

(That was the same issue with "Growing Up Unstable" at Second Stage. The WAY they start it, it just seems like a band warm up following intermission.)

Still, that was really minor.

And I definitely agree that "Perfect For You" has only minimal changes. A minor lyric here or there and that's it.