I’ve been a huge fan of the score of NEXT TO NORMAL for a very long time now. I have been looking forward to seeing for quite a long time, and I must say I was extremely pleased.
Yes, this is the future of the American musical. Saying that really says all I need to say about how much I enjoyed the score, the direction, the lighting, the set, the book and the orchestrations. Uniformly inventive and uniformly spectacular.
I’ll comment on the performances.
Alice Ripley was fantastic. Her acting was so intense and so committed. Really a haunting performance. Vocally, she is absolutely wonderful. Her unique vocal style only makes this performance more enchanting. I must comment, however, on this role in general or what I thought of it. To me, Ripley isn’t really playing a character. Yes, she’s Diana. But who is Diana? I feel Ripley is doing something much more on that stage that presents her with a much bigger challenge. She’s playing a disease- a sickness in human form. It’s arresting.
Michael Berry was on for Brian D’Arcy James, and he was very good if not a little vocally underwhelming. He was a nice anchor for the show and gets to sing some of the show’s most lovely tunes.
Jennifer Damiano is just fabulous as Natalie. It takes a little while to get used to where she has gone with the character, but once the audience really “gets it”, they are in for a real treat with her. Her “Superboy” stopped the show. Really a beautiful performance. I’d say she is the heart of this show.
Kyle Dean Massey was great, but that just isn’t a very interesting role. He’s kind of a villain, kind of a hero, kind of a mystery, kind of a sex symbol. His “I’m Alive” was full of energy and vocally spot-on. His “There’s a World” was haunting. Too bad he hardly shows up for the second act. It now makes more sense to me as to why Aaron Tveit was left out of the Tony race.
I feel like the best male supporting role in this show is Henry, and Adam Chanler-Berat is terrific. So charming. Louis Hobson was nice, but didn’t really give me anything too memorable to take with me.
We’re lucky to have this piece written in our time. It really is one of musical theatre’s newest treasures.
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