Why I think the teenagers are flocking to Next To Normal...And why I think they're wrong — Page 4

I agree with everyone else who said that this thread was pointless...it IS!

It's funny (to me) that the original poster feels there has to be a reason why the younger generation relates to certain shows. Who cares why! As long as they keep buying tickets!

Are there people (young or not-so-young) who get a little crazy into shows? Sure. Are they annoying? To some...yes. But again...as long as they're buying tickets, I don't see a problem.

To that end...aren't MOST thread pointless?

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I don't think winston was necessarily saying that you have to have a mental illness or relate to the specifics of the show in order to appreciate it. I think he was just saying that there is a tendency of people to flock to certain shows and get very passionately and emotionally invested in them for very shallow reasons. It's literally the same exact people who claimed to have their lives changed first by Rent, then Spring Awakening, now Hair and Next to Normal, simply because it's the new "fad" show, and there are people willing to give them a little attention at the stagedoor. And that it's sad, for a show with a message as intricate and important as Next to Normal, that it's seemingly being lost on some people.

I'm sure this isn't true for all or even a majority of fans of the show, but there is definitely a decidedly vocal majority that seems to be worth mentioning.

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And I don't think it's so out of line to say that no, you don't have to be affected by mental illness to appreciate the show. OBVIOUSLY that isn't true. But it sounds fair enough to me that someone who has battled some of the illnesses and issues that are specific to Next to Normal might be more affected by this particular show than most theatregoers. It's great that there are so many different shows about so many different specific things that people can identify which one connects with them the most, and for Next to Normal to be out there and to cover something that hasn't really been touched on this in depth in theatre before is great.

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Read some of Winston's other posts and then realize where this nonsensical thread came from.

why does this idiotic thread still exist? it is truly asinine

Intelligent discussion without sensible opposition is just a circle jerk.

Winston is wrong, everyone else is right. Thread is still pointless.

i agree with everyone who's pointed out to me that this argument is pointless but winston, just pointing out that most of my friends who *aren't* into theatre have never heard of Next To Normal...far from obsessed.

Some of you think the thread is pointless, but there are many more of us who thought it was worth responding to, thank you.

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Some of you think the thread is pointless, but there are many more of us who thought it was worth responding to, thank you.


You also think ROA is worth seeing.

I have a couple of things to say to this, and the many responses it has received. First of all, I agree to an extent. I too saw many a teen glorify the living conditions and aspire to be like Roger and Mimi, when in reality the situation being portrayed is very sad and dreadful. I'm an actor and singer and personally I hope that I'm never in a situation where I cannot even afford an electric bill and contract a deadly disease. The teens you are referring to did miss the big picture in that case, because the message about AIDS was very important. And though it's wonderful music and great to imagine living out your dreams of being an artist despite everything you have to put up with to do so, that hardly covers a fraction of what RENT was about and these teenybopper fans did sort ignore the important aspect of this show.
And yes, I do imagine that this MAY happen for Next To Normal as well, BUT you cannot generalize this way. I was a teenager who understood the big picture in regard to RENT and I'm an adult who understands and can connect with Next To Normal BECAUSE I was a teenager on medication and I Miss The Mountains means very much to me. And I was pretty young when I went through that, so who's to say some of these teenagers aren't in the same boat I was? Some of the teens may very well be obsessed with the musical because of what you say, but a lot may be able to relate to Natalie or even Dan in the sense that no one hears them out or understands what they are going through and their families are falling apart. We musn't forget that without the younger generation becomming passionate about musical theatre, we will lose it all together. So if these teenagers don't quite get why they connect with it now, maybe eventually they will, and they will be the ones to help keep musical theatre alive for generations to come.

I figured, jansal. Still thought it was worth the comment, for those who still wanted to pontificate.

Anyway. Yeah, of course teenagers flock to things for the wrong reason, or elevate the wrong aspect of something. They're just being teenagers, I don't see the point in getting so angry and superior about it. They're teenagers.

That's nice that you think that, but alas, you're opinion is really not important.

And please, DO NOT try and imply that all teenagers are the same. I like Next to Normal, but not because I think I relate to it because of my "teenage angst" (I never quite understood that concept anyway).