Day after day,
Wishing all our cares away.
Trying to fight the things we feel,
But some hurts never heal.
Some ghost are never gone,
But we go on,
We still go on
And you find some way to survive
And you find out you don't have to be happy at all,
To be happier alive.
Day after day,
Give me clouds, and rain and gray.
Give me pain, if that's what's real.
It's the price we pay to feel.
The price of love is loss,
But still we pay.
We love anyway.
I have been following this show since its "Feeling Electric" days and have been dying to see it ever since. I am still kicking my self for not seeing it when Amy Spanger was involved. I would love to see her in a more serious role rather than another funny eighties chick. I have been putting off seeing the show simply because of my own childhood, growing up with
a mother that resembles Diana. I listen to the cast recording constantly and i decided it was finally time for me to suck it up and see it.
We ended up getting standing room (luckily there was no height restriction like WSS), I wasn't crazy about the idea of standing during this show but I was excited none the less.
7 30 finally came around and we were inside the Booth Theatre. I have never been there and I must say it is a lot different than other theatre. It is tiny and warm and fit perfectly with the show. I also love the downstairs lounge, adorable! we took out 117 and 119 standing room spots. We had clear clear yet the top of the stage was cut off from the balcony but what can you expect when you pay only 26 dollars. The show began and I was already nervous I wouldn't be able to take it but fell in love with it from the start.
Alice Ripley was incredible, I mean don't even think i have to say that since it is known shes
incredible and now a well deserved Tony Award Winner.
She made me love Diana even with her flaws and was not expecting that at all. I thought I was going to go in knowing her character having lived with someone like her. Ripley made Diana funny, vulnerable and real. I left thinking that even with her troubles she is still just person and needs people to listen and be there for her. I felt sorry for Diana at times and made me re-time a few thing in my life. Ripley is an incredible singer and just as good of an actress.
Jennifer Damiano was also amazing. It was great having seen her in Spring Awakening and now a featured actress. She played such a real normal young
girl just trying to make it out her house and onto college. I think many kid can relate to her character trying to impress and live up to your parents standards and having there life an problems carry over onto yours. I def related most to Natalie being scared you will one day end up like you mother who doesn't think about that. Jennifer had the teen angst but you also felt for her because most of the problems she was dealing with was not her fault at all. Damianos acting I felt out shinned her singing at some parts but it could have just been a off night or sound problems but for such a young girl she was terrific and so was her co star Adam Chanler Berat. Henry is just such a likable character and was pulling for him throughout the whole show.
J.Robert Spencer and Kyle Dean Massey were also incredible, lets just say the whole cast was. I don't have one single bad thought on any of them. This show is about the struggles of a family. Its not your normal happy ending musical. It is much more than that. The set was shockingly beautiful, I will admit seeing photos I was in love with the art work or the Warhol looking graphic on stage such as the eyes but now seeing it in the show. I love it. It works so well with the feeling of the show and the lighting was the best Ive seen. It felt like concert lighting at times but than transitions between scenes or feelings the color background would drop and silhouette the performers it was beautiful!
few high lights for me was Super boy and the Invisible Girl, a favorite song and just a personal connection with how Natalie was feeling. Make up Your Mind/ Catch Me I'm fall, I Dreamed a Dance, Song of Forgetting, You Don't Know Reprise, light were just a few of my favorites.
Why Stay was possibly my favorite part. When you saw both couples dealing with there problems. I loved how both Diana and Natalie where doing the same choreography due to her being scared she will end up like her mother. simple and very effective!
Overall I loved this show even if at some parts they were to close to comfort for me. I even felt I had said or thought a few of the same things Natalie was saying but in the end it was comforting to know there is a show out there that is addressing some more serious and could help people.
I not use to seeing a show that was so much like my life. I tend to like shows that take me out of my life to escape for just two and half hours but Next to Normal was moving and I'm glad there is a musical out there like this!
I def plan to go back and have a seat next time.
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