'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09
'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09
'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#1
Posted: 5/24/09 at 10:42pm
A friend of mine had tickets to see today's matinee for a while and last night asked me if I wanted to come, so I slept on it and this morning decided why not and was able to snag a Row B, Center Mezzanine seat to the matinee.
I did not like the seat at all. I couldn't see about the first to feet of the stage and at some points the bottom half of performers' bodies. It isn't that I felt detached but after seeing from the orchestra I really just had an unpleasant experience from the mezzanine. To be honest: if I hadn't seen the show from the orchestra once I really don't think I would have enjoyed it enough to go back.
The show itself was great, I still find it to be a heart wrenching show that is just so new, rare, special, and phenomenal. While there are still a few songs I just want to skip forward through overall I really do love the show.
Alice Ripley- I still can not get over the performance she gives, she didn't come out after the matinee and her personal assistance said she needed to rest and I don't blame her, I get run down just going to the emotions of watching the show so to perform a ole like that I can't even imagine what it does to her.
J. Robert Spencer's voice is slowing growing on me, I did find myself more into his songs this time around. His acting is phenomenal and his character started to get through to me this time.
Jennifer Damiano- I doubt it will happen but I really hopes she wins the TONY- she is giving such a riveting performance and at such a young age too. Beautiful voice, magnificence acting, the whole thing. She really has a future in this business.
Aaron Tveit- I know he happens to be on the stage a lot but I feel as if he is almost wasted some of the time. He is such a great performer with such a great voice, I really wish he had another song or two. As much as I love him in this show I can't blame him for moving on so quickly being that it's a bigger role.
Adam Chanler-Berat is great! I really love his performance and fine my self always focusing on him while he is on stage. Question: anyone know how old he is? He looks so young.
Louis Hobson played his part very well of but the role is just so small for me, I really don't feel like I saw enough of him to fairly judge his performance.
Overall, the show was really good but if I didn't see the show once and love it I don't know if I would really be saying that; I really did not like my seat, it took a lot away from the show for me. I have to see: those going to see it sit in the orchestra!
3 out of 5
Last time it was 5 out of 5, I never thought a seat would make such a difference.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#2
Posted: 5/24/09 at 10:46pmThat is weird that your seat sucked... I thought this would be a great show to see from the Mezz because of the big set and elaborate lights... Maybe it was the theater because in most theaters that is the best seat in the house.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#2
Posted: 5/24/09 at 10:48pmThis is a show that absolutely plays better being close to the stage. Watching these performers up close is an entirely different experience.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#3
Posted: 5/24/09 at 10:50pmyou couldn't see the whole stage? from front mezz? weird. I've said mid-mezz and rear-mezz and not had any problems.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#4
Posted: 5/24/09 at 10:54pmI'm not surprised about the view issues for front-mezz. Mid to Rear Mezz is fabulous though.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#5
Posted: 5/24/09 at 10:55pm
Drunk Chita, I thought the same.
adam greer, I agree.
Zoneace, I couldn't, I asked someone I knew in the mid mezz if they could see the whole stage and they said they could. It makes me regret turning down the row E seat telecharge also offered me!
I know that now, Kad.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#7
Posted: 5/24/09 at 11:01pm
Adam's 22... that's weird your seat was bad- I'm in rear mezz row H Friday- does anyone know how that seat is?
Updated On: 5/24/09 at 11:01 PM
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#8
Posted: 5/24/09 at 11:02pmAdam is about 22, I believe? He went to my college and was set to graduate this year, so that puts him at about 22.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/1/06
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#9
Posted: 5/24/09 at 11:08pm
Row H is fine.
The rail on the mezz appears to be wider than a lot of them, which I think contributes to it being harder to see the front of the stage from lower in the mezz.
LIVE THAT LESSON!!!!!!
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#10
Posted: 5/24/09 at 11:11pmI was once in Row A of the mezzanine, and had to lean forward most of the show to see over the railing.
Featured Actor Joined: 4/12/09
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#11
Posted: 5/24/09 at 11:38pmIs row B really that horrible? I have three seats in that row for next month and I would like to hear some more opinions. Thanks
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#12
Posted: 5/25/09 at 2:11amI saw it from Row Q orchestra....which with any other show would be fine...but with the 3 tiered set, you miss everything on the top tier with the mezzanine overhang. I can't wait to go again and get the much better rush seats.
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#13
Posted: 5/25/09 at 6:10am
I sat in the front row of the Mezz......and except when they were just at the edge of the stage, I don't remember haveing any complaints sitting there.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#14
Posted: 5/25/09 at 6:48amI sat in Mezz row B a month ago when I saw it...there were no vision problems. Are you unusually short?
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#15
Posted: 5/25/09 at 9:13amBoth times I went I had seats in the mezz...closer the first time, about 3 5 rows back. More recently I was probably 4 rows up from the last row and I got it all from my vantage point. I'm so enamored with the show though that I could be outside The Booth and be sobbing so...that probably has something to do with my experience. BTW....how can I resurrect the thread about "what is the best thing to happen to Broadway in the last 10 years?" I searched and nothing is coming up. I want to say that THIS show clearly is the best thing to happen to Broadway in the most recent history. We needed this show!
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#16
Posted: 5/25/09 at 9:15amGatorNY, I could not agree with you more ..YES! this show is amazing
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#17
Posted: 5/25/09 at 9:51am
It has to be the railing and the slope of the mezzanine that would make row B a bad seat. I sat in Row H, all the way over house left, on Friday night (thanks for the advice jordangirl) and thought the view was perfect. I was actually thinking about that before the show, that I could just barely see the heads of the people in the first row, so how much could the people who were closer actually see?
My only problem with the show was that it seemed way too over-miked.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#18
Posted: 5/25/09 at 12:18pm
bjh2114, I'm 5'8".
I really think I dis-liked the seat so much because of how good my seat was last time, not so much the seat itself.
Understudy Joined: 2/16/09
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#19
Posted: 5/25/09 at 5:03pmI am surprised you had this reaction! I had seen next to normal in 2st and at Arena from the orchestra level, and then my first time seeing it at the Booth was from Center mezz row B! I loved it from those seats! Granted, I AM one who loves to be close up and "in on the action" but I felt that the set and lighting came through SO much more from the mezzanine. Overall I felt the show was extremely moving and very powerful from those seats. I guess everyone has their own opinion.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#20
Posted: 5/27/09 at 11:14am
Does anyone know when Aaron officially leaves for Catch Me If You Can?
I am disappointed that I might not see the full original Broadway cast but I am crossing my fingers.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#21
Posted: 5/27/09 at 11:22amSaturday evening June 6 will be his final performance. He returns in September.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#22
Posted: 5/27/09 at 2:02pm
Thanks adamgreer!
Not the news I wished for but nonetheless news.
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#23
Posted: 5/27/09 at 2:27pm
I'm 5'7", seen the show from front mezz, mid mezz, rear mezz and rear orchestra. The only one that I emphatically didn't like the view from was the rear orch seat (Row P) because the third tier of the set was obscured, and I felt I was too far away for much of the emotions/facial expressions to register.
Front mezz, personally, I think is great, though Row A is annoying to have to lean forward for -- Row B is fine though, I'm frankly surprised you had issues, since I'm shorter than you and thought it was a great view.
Featured Actor Joined: 9/21/05
re: 'next to normal' revisited- 5.24.09#24
Posted: 5/27/09 at 2:43pmThere is absolutely no problem with the MEZZ in this show. I can't believe that someone is complaining about Row B Center. But oh, yeah. I just remembered that people on here will complain about anything. Some would actually argue that the MEZZ for NEXT TO NORMAL offers superior seating to ORCH due to the multi-level set.
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