next to normal tour anyone see it?
next to normal tour anyone see it?
#1next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/24/10 at 12:21pmI know the tour started last night in LA. Anyone go? I would love to hear how the cast was.
#2next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/24/10 at 2:06pm
I saw it last night. I have seen the show in NYC a few times with different casts. Ripley was great of course, and I really liked Emma's Natalie.
They had a tour t shirt and a Next to Normal hoodie.
#2next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/24/10 at 3:39pmWhat about the set? Where were you sitting?
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#3next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/24/10 at 5:45pm
The set was pretty much the same as the Broadway production. The only noticeable difference was that Natalie didn't play her piano in front of the piano player like she does on Bway.
I was sitting in the front of the mezz.
KA2007
Swing Joined: 11/24/10
#4next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/24/10 at 5:58pm
Yes Yes Yes! Great show. I've seen it a few times in NY and I was hoping that I could go in with an open mind in accepting a new cast. It did start off a bit shaky at first but I think that is understandable for opening night...vocally everyone got better as the show went on. Quick assessment (in my opinion)
Alice- Fabulous of course (and after reading that her vocals were in question toward the end of her broadway run, I was nervous, but she sounded and ACTED superbly
Asa- A good Dan, but a bit shaky on opening night (tough shoes to fill) but I think he'll be great as the tour goes on
Emma- Great Natalie and after having seen both Jenn and Meghann, I was really impressed with Emma! Immediately became Natalie for me from the beginning.
Curt- A very good Gabe. He's another one that I think will get better as the show goes on (BTW great final note on "I'm Alive" I was not expecting that! Nice)
Preston- Great Henry. I really liked seeing some of the choices that he made for the character that were different from Adam on Broadway
Jeremy- What a voice! He was GREAT as the doctors.
Of course, these are my opnions only but the show all in all was wonderful and a real treat to see on opening night (even though there was a "table issue" in the second act...which turned out fine). I'm seeing it again on Sunday (the official opening) so I'm sure they will have become more comfortable as a cast by then.
#5next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/25/10 at 1:09am
They will be here in Denver starting January 4th.
Edited to change date.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
Updated On: 11/26/10 at 01:09 AM
#6next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/25/10 at 2:51am
They will be here in Denver starting January 2nd.
Not in Denver on January 2nd. It's the last day of the tour in L.A. and I have tickets for the show that day. It begins in Denver on the 4th.
#7next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/25/10 at 1:17pmAny promotional clips yet? I'd love to see some previews.
fade2black2
Chorus Member Joined: 7/21/09
#9next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/26/10 at 10:03amlooks like its swallowed by the Ahmanson...oof
Orangesaretuesdays
Stand-by Joined: 10/8/10
#11next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/26/10 at 11:15amI'm seeing it at the Kennedy in August. I can't wait!
#12next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/26/10 at 12:58pmMy mistake. Yes, it is the 4th in Denver.
Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder
hairspraydude1962
Leading Actor Joined: 7/20/09
#13next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/26/10 at 5:30pmI don't understand why people are saying the set looks so weird. I think it looks essentially the same; just a little smaller.
#14next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/26/10 at 7:13pmIt does look the same as the Broadway production, but the Ahmanson is much bigger than the Booth.
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#15next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/27/10 at 1:55pmI'm seeing it on Tuesday. Will post my thoughts afterwards.
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
#16next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/27/10 at 5:53pm
I saw it last night. Absolutely incredible. Alice was simply amazing. Her lower register is not very strong anymore but her fierce belting and top notch acting made up for it!
I thought the whole cast was superb! Overall it was just a very moving experience I hope I can catch this again before it leaves L.A.
#17next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/27/10 at 6:47pmI would love to hear Curt's I'm Alive and Emma's Superboy!! Please release promotional clips!
#18next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/27/10 at 9:39pmTomorrow is the official opening. I'm hoping to see it very soon!
#19next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/27/10 at 11:28pmI'm hopefully seeing it in June. I'm determined to stalk Alice in a completely non-stalker way. Yes, STALK her in a NON-STALKER way. Make of that what you will.
RazzleDazzle3
Swing Joined: 5/6/09
#20next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/27/10 at 11:52pm
I saw the matinee today. It's a GREAT production! I think the cast is strong and will fill in the little missing pieces as they get settled in to the run. No one should read in to "missing pieces". What I mean by that, is that there are a few (very few) times were it still feels a little mechanical, probably because they are only on performance number 4.
Alice is better than ever! Time off and a haircut, took 10 years off. She has discovered even more in Diana. She has also settled a bit so it's less about watching Alice be crazy and more about watching this interesting woman (Diana) and her struggles.
Asa is lovely. He has the vocal edginess of Bobby, but the heart of Brian. We see his struggle to keep his family together and wanting the wife back that he once had. His seen with Gabe at the end is the best I've seen it (okay, other than BdJ who was just heartbreaking).
Curt is boyish and fun. With Curt I remember he is a 17/18 boy and not just a sexy figment of Diana's imagination. He is very real, which makes the reveal more surprising to those who are unfamiliar with NTN. He's not as vocally polished as Aaron or Kyle, but if I had never heard them I would have thought it was vocally perfect.
Emma as Natalie is probably the best of the 4 Natalie's I've seen. Vocally, the show is effortless for her. She's not as gorgeous as Jenn, Meghan or MacKenzie which adds an interesting dynamic. There's Gabe, the perfect son and then there's Natalie, who is just trying to be perfect. Emma does tend to make light of some serious moments and I'm not sure why (like when she questions Dan about the ECT).
Preston as Henry is good. Sometimes the "geek" feels put on. But he and Emma have good chemistry, in a "first girlfriend/boyfriend" kind of awkward way.
Jeremy as the Doctors is outstanding. He is very subtle and is really comfortable being the smallest character up there. I think he does a nice job of allowing his personal concern for Diana's recovery grow over the course of the show.
The set looks great in the Ahmanson! They have adjusted some of the blocking for sight lines, but contrary to earlier comments on this thread, it did not feel like the set was swallowed up by the house. I was in the second to the last row of the Orchestra and could see and hear everything extremely well. It still felt as intimate as the Booth (which I was surprised by).
For all of you N2N junkies out there, there are some fun MINOR changes that you will discover. I don't want to spoil them here because it was fun to notice them as the show went on. They are all for the better, I assure you!
#21next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/27/10 at 11:56pmRazzleDazzle3, your review made me very happy. I'm glad to hear that it worked well in a bigger theater and didn't take away from the intimate story. I'm also glad to hear that Alice is in top vocal shape, phew. I'm so ready to see it!
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#23next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/28/10 at 1:44amSo bummed its not coming to Boston -- Providence will have to do! Can't wait to see Emma.
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DAME
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/15/04
#24next to normal tour anyone see it?
Posted: 11/28/10 at 2:15amI may be wrong.. but that doesn't look like the Ahmanson to me.
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