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I saw the show at Arena Stage twice this weekend. They did this great thing where for 24 hours all tix were $25. Hope that happens again! (Oh, and the guy doing the cell phone speech said people under 30 can get tickets for $10 this week. Wish I coulda stayed to see it one more time. Why is there work?)
I only saw it once at 2ST, so I'm no expert on what it was. And I never saw FE. But this show is awesome.
It's true it's a lot tighter in terms of tone and plot now than what I saw in NY. Now, I appreciate that, for starters, which may put me in the minority in this crowd. They seem to have figured out they were writing a show about the effects of unresolved tragedy on the entire family. So, each of the family members have really strong stories now that ride along together and weave together really intensely now. Madden has receded, yes. (Louis Hobson is a nice addition to the cast, though, when he's onstage.)
It feels darker now than it did at 2ST. But it fits the material. And the relyric of "Light" is more cathartic since it seems really connected to the entire journey. The second act was really intense-- the man in front of me yesterday (60ish?) moved to the front edge of his seat and was literally grabbing the back of the seat in front of him the whole way. Seemed really personal to him.
The performances are amazing. If you are not an Alice Ripley fan you may struggle a bit with this show because she's in full Rip throughout. Bobby Spencer's got big shoes to fill and, since I saw it his first weekend, he's still growing into it. But Sunday's show he was shattering in the final scene.
So, for the FE partisans on this board, I am guessing this is almost unrecognizable as the show you fell in love with. It's true: "It's not here. It's not here. Love, I know, you know." But if you get a chance to see it, it's something to love in its own right. It just might be 'perfect for you'.
(Sorrry about that. Just couldn't resist...)
Anonymous
November 24 2008, 14:11:06 UTC 3 years ago
I did too. I loved Feeling Electric, and I loved Next to Normal at 2nd Stage though I realized it had some problems...
And I feel like what they did was go through and address all of the major issues in the show.
I thought the best changes were the reworking of "Let There Be Light" into "Light" - that song was pretty before but so VAGUE. The lyrics just sat there. Now the lyrics continue to drive the plot, even as the show wraps up, and the restaging and insertion of dialogue is really effective. I especially liked the cake.
And I agree with you, it was darker. "Wish I Were Here" actually made me feel tense watching it. And I can't get that song out of my head. All of the "new" songs serve the show better than the songs they replaced. Though the biggest improvement is probably "Everything Else" replacing "Perfect" in terms of degrees of improvement. That makes a huge difference, and its barely a song it is so short!
I thought Alice was brilliant (per usual) and I was worried about seeing a new Dan, but Bobby was really fantastic. I saw two shows too and he was even more intense the second time. I imagine he'll grow into the role even more. I love him! The rest of the cast has grown a lot since 2nd Stage - and Louis Hobson makes a lovely addition. His voice is incredible.
November 24 2008, 15:38:03 UTC 3 years ago
My favorite changes
I love Wish I Were Here. The song really lands the direct connection between Diana's struggle and its impact on Natalie. And with the staging, it's almost feral-- the two of them pacing on different levels. Similarly when Gabe is stalking Diana from the second level in Act 2. And the moment when Dan and Henry are singing "A Promise" (or whatever the title is) is now so much more powerful.One thing, though. Is Mountains coming earlier in the show now than before? I remember that song having a huge impact on my emotionally and I felt this weekend like it was too early for people to really connect to her dilemma. From a plot standpoint it feels laid in well, but some punch is pulled on it now, I think.
No matter overall-- it's still the right story beat. And a beautiful song.
Oh, and I don't miss Costco or Feeling Electric, personally. They both made me think the show didn't understand itself when I saw the version at 2ST. So, I know I came late to the party since I never saw FE, but maybe the 2ST version was like a cocoon. The show went in a lovely fuzzy caterpillar and it's emerging at Arena Stage as a big beautiful butterfly.
And was it just where I was sitting or is there a lot more weeping in the audience at Arena Stage?
Anonymous
November 24 2008, 15:46:46 UTC 3 years ago
Re: My favorite changes
A lot more weeping. A woman beside me actually had to crack out the kleenex.And I Miss the Mountains hasn't been moved but since we lost "Costco" and the "Let There Be Light" from the front of the show it just turns up sooner, I think. Or it felt that way.
And I really love the way "Wish I Were Here" is staged. It just makes it really clear to the audience what is going on - when she's standing there looking at herself with the breathing tube on etc there is no question as to what is happening, and I felt like that was half the issue during "Feeling Electric" because she'd just hop on off her stretcher.
And the lyrics to that song are just fabulous. I was really struck by them - well done creative team.
November 24 2008, 23:07:36 UTC 3 years ago
Re: My favorite changes
Man, I loved when Gabe was basically stalking Diana. It was so intense.November 24 2008, 16:00:53 UTC 3 years ago
Anonymous
December 31 2008, 21:00:06 UTC 3 years ago
"cough"
Do you really have one? I would absolutely love love love love to hear it. I have a *cough* of an early performance at the 2ST, which still includes Costco and Open Your Eyes before they were cut from the show. Do you have that one? Want to trade?January 2 2009, 04:01:29 UTC 3 years ago
Re: "cough"
Read further into this thread. You should find your answerNovember 24 2008, 16:16:22 UTC 3 years ago
(Out of curiosity, how was Aaron Tveit's performance? He and Alice were really what made the 2ST performance for me, and I loved his Gabriel from the show in New York.)
Anonymous
November 24 2008, 16:28:10 UTC 3 years ago
Vocally he's in top form as well. I really thought that everybody improved a lot. Jennifer Damiano the most of all (biggest improvement) she really impressed me this time around.
Alice Ripley's acting continues to be a revelation. She's impeccable in the role.
November 24 2008, 16:41:13 UTC 3 years ago
Getting adjusted to the new
I fully understand it taking time to adjust to what it is now as a separate thing from where it started. I like theater so much more than movies for this very reason, actually. It's always different.Aaron's really great, but I liked him before as well. But the staging, as is written here, is very, very strong. It's terrifying actually. He's like a character in a horror movie. When he comes back in Act 2 you hear the audience suck in their breath.
I just hope everyone on this board gets to see this version, cuz it's going to be hard to know what we're seeing if you don't.
Is there a *cough* floating around? I would LOVE to hear it!!
November 24 2008, 20:25:18 UTC 3 years ago
There were a lot of things that 2ST tightened up and in some cases it made really good improvements on FE. To be honest, I listen to the 2ST production more than I do FE because I love the way the music sounds in it and some of the changes really were for the better (some, not all, I still can't listen to 2ST Light in the Dark).
So 2ST was great, and it sounds like AS may even be better. But my problem is that that's where it ends for me. I walked out of 2ST thinking that it was a blast and that I'd see it again if I was already in the area it was playing. But that was it. It sat at 'great'. My thoughts after FE? 'Brilliant'. It had many, many issues for sure. But at the end I was overwhelmed by this feeling that it was a really special piece and that it was truly brilliant despite the kinks that needed to be worked out. It became my second favourite musical and left me with nothing to say but 'wow'. I simply didn't have that reaction after 2ST. The roots of the show and the parts of it that elevated it to that level of brilliance for me were all scrapped before 2ST. It became another really great, almost amazing show, but it wasn't 'something special' anymore. All of the poignancy, depth, irony, and impact was lost or replaced or changed. The show no longer made me think, it no longer made me stop dead at the end and just take time to take in everything that happened, it no longer made me say 'Right now. Right this second. I'm doing that all again.'
So for me, that's where any feelings of frustration over changes are coming from. Because it is a little bit frustrating to see something that you cared so much about and that you connected with so deeply go from something so special and brilliant that had so much potential, to just another really great show. Were some changes for the better? Yes. Are some parts tighter and more effective now? Yes. Would I trade all of that to have Dan try and kill himself again? In a heartbeat.
November 24 2008, 23:19:36 UTC 3 years ago
THE ONLY PROBLEM I had was that...now that Costco is gone, I feel like that breakdown happens too soon. When I saw it before, it was still in previews so it was still there and it just seemed like...you got to see it slowly happen instead of just ALL OF A SUDDEN. Oh, and for a second, I didn't believe Jenn's beginning to the drug problem but then it picked up. Just seemed like a small fluke.
And more than before, it really struck me how...ANIMATED Gabe was while the rest of the family was having trouble even moving throughout their day. I loved it. I really think they improved a lot and I wish I could see it 8000 more times, lol.
November 24 2008, 23:20:59 UTC 3 years ago
November 25 2008, 02:47:40 UTC 3 years ago
November 29 2008, 05:08:01 UTC 3 years ago
November 29 2008, 13:16:21 UTC 3 years ago
Me too
Yeah, I have seen those comments as well but so far no one's sharing the love...I am going again this weekend. Can't wait to see how it's doing.
Anonymous
November 30 2008, 22:10:02 UTC 3 years ago
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=3TUCCOHH
December 1 2008, 09:13:36 UTC 3 years ago
Anonymous
December 1 2008, 18:02:20 UTC 3 years ago
December 2 2008, 12:51:24 UTC 3 years ago
Fantastic
Don't know how you did it, but this is great! From what I saw this weekend the show isn't changing in major ways now. There were a lot of line and lyric changes and some things I heard in the arrangements that I hadn't heard before, but the journey is pretty much the same. There's still a week to go before reviewers are let in so maybe there's more on the way, but it feels pretty tight. Dan and Diana seem to be connecting more now, and Spencer's performance is deepening nicely. Can I just say how solid and under-appreciated Adam is as Henry? It's not the flashy role but it's critical to maintaining an opening for hope throughout the play and he's been holding that responsibility so effortlessly every time I've seen it, including the 2ST run.December 2 2008, 22:25:23 UTC 3 years ago
Re: Fantastic
yeah. Adam really does solid work in that role.December 7 2008, 22:47:46 UTC 3 years ago
Oops I did it again
OK, so this will stop, I promise. But I saw a matinee this weekend. Didn't want to miss out on any major changes if they made them while I wasn't looking. Again some small tweaks-- little cuts mostly. Dan doesn't go cowboy on her at the top now and they don't flash back to the 21st birthday presents, for example. But it's what it's going to be now and it is lethally addictive, obviously. Heard in the lobby at the end: "This is the most powerful play I have ever seen." "I agree. This was sensational. Best we've ever seen here." "What are you talking about? It was so loud! You call that a musical?" LOL. There are no reviews until next week but I hope they 'get' this show. I'm already recognizing people in the audience from all my visits to it, so I think it's going to have its groupies like it had in NY regardless, but it'd be great to see it jammed in the theater next time. Love the $10 tickets, too, I gotta say. Makes it easy to keep coming back. I'll probably try again after Christmas.January 13 2009, 07:01:32 UTC 3 years ago
January 15 2009, 22:30:25 UTC 3 years ago
Cast Recording of Next to Normal
From what I hear there's going to be a cast recording from this cast. They'll be in the studio next month but I don't know when it'll be available. (Sigh)