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Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..- Page 4

Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..

Elphaba3 Profile Photo
Elphaba3
#75re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/2/09 at 5:49pm

I think Jessica's voice is really beautiful, but it's almost too beautiful for Diana. The way Alice wavers around the notes fits the character perfectly. Jessica's acting seems pretty good too. I'm glad she's making the role her own. I honestly will be devastated if Alice is out when I see the show next month, but at it's comforting to know that I'll probably see a good performance regardless.

Ole Chum
#76re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/2/09 at 7:49pm

alice was brilliant in the role but phillips sounds wonderful in that clip.

WishingOnlyWounds2
#77re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/2/09 at 8:17pm

That video of 'I Miss The Mountains' is amazing! I really like her!!


2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5 May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot

MiracleElixir Profile Photo
MiracleElixir
#78re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/2/09 at 8:23pm

I haven't seen Phillips in the show, so I won't dismiss her outright, but based on that clip at least, her voice is way too "pretty" for Diana.

adamgreer Profile Photo
adamgreer
#79re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/2/09 at 8:44pm

That's the big issue, MiracleElixir. Phillips' voice is very nice, very pretty, but just doesn't work for Diana, who needs to have a hard-edge to her.

(I'm speaking strictly about her voice here, and will refrain from rehashing my thoughts on her actual "performance.")

iflip4musicals Profile Photo
iflip4musicals
#80re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/2/09 at 8:58pm

The only thing I've heard/seen of Phillips is the two videos just posted, but wow. I think she'd be a fantastic Diana, completely different from Alice. I really think her Diana would be fantastic, and perhaps the hard edge isn't necessary, just more what we're used to. That being said, I would love to see her tackle Diana sometime! Hopefully when I come back on a break, she'll be on!


"I've never encountered such religiously, you know, loyal fans as Broadway musical theater fans. It's amazing." --Allison Janney

somethingwicked Profile Photo
somethingwicked
#81re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/2/09 at 8:59pm

Why does Diana's singing "have" to have a hard edge to it? Because Alice Ripley's does?

Remember that Tom Kitt, Brian Yorkey, and Michael Grief have all heard Jessica Phillips sing the score.

Considering they chose to cast her with full knowledge of what she sounds like, any claims that her voice is "wrong" for the show don't have much merit.


Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Updated On: 8/2/09 at 08:59 PM

supersam1026 Profile Photo
supersam1026
#82re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/2/09 at 9:42pm

I was there thia afternoon and Alice was back. First time seeing the show and loved every minute of it!!

Sondheim_Geek Profile Photo
Sondheim_Geek
#83re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 12:53am

Sherie Rene Scott and Amy Spanger didn't have a hard edge.

matineeidol2013 Profile Photo
matineeidol2013
#84re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 3:57am

I saw Jessica Phillips last night. When I read on her facebook status that she was in for both shows, I ran to the Booth to try and switch my tickets for todays afternoon show, but they had no cheap seats left. So I just went.

I LOVED Jessica's Diana. I've havent seen Alice do the role, but I can't imagine someone performing much better than Miss Phillips did. Based on the Alice's vocal performance on the cast recording, Jessica seems like a stronger vocalist. She has more control with her belt, her pitch was dead on, and her high notes floated. The entire theatre was full, jumped to their feet for curtain call, and went CRAZY when Jessica took her bow. How she must feel, being the understudy to a tony winner, yet getting such a response from the audience. She was gracious as could be at the stage door as well. She stopped to talk for at least a minute with everybody that was waiting.

And for those of you saying she looks too young, Jessica graduated from Emerson in 1994, which means she's probably 37 or 38 years old now. She looks great for her age, thats for sure.


I'll take the wind and soar.

dramamama611 Profile Photo
dramamama611
#85re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 4:44am

^ so that comment must mean you are 16? 38 isn't gray and wrinkled.


If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

matineeidol2013 Profile Photo
matineeidol2013
#86re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 10:04am

Did I ever say 38 was gray and wrinkled? All I'm saying is Diana says she was 22 when she had Gabe, and Gabe was 17 going on 18 in the show. That would make Diana 39ish years old. If Jessica is 38, shes just about the right age to be playing Diana. I dont even understand where you pulled I thought she was "gray and wrinkled" from that comment...

And I'm 18 years old.


I'll take the wind and soar.

Sondheim_Geek Profile Photo
Sondheim_Geek
#87re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 2:03pm

I'm so great that the general opinion for Jessica has improved so much since her first performance. I felt like I was the only person praising her, and half the board (most of which hadn't seen her) was speculating as to when she was going to be fired.

Kev Profile Photo
Kev
#88re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 2:31pm

Why does Diana's singing "have" to have a hard edge to it? Because Alice Ripley's does?

Thank you. (Granted, a lot of Ripley's "hard-edge" sound comes from vocal damage, but that's another thread...) Jessica Phillips is fully capable of possessing an edgier sound. It was apparent when she did the tour of TOMMY; her "Smash the Mirror," especially, was raw and gutsy.

However, I find it refreshing to hear a more pure voice wrap itself around Diana's material.

dramamama611 Profile Photo
dramamama611
#89re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 5:24pm

matineeidol you said:

"She looks great for her age, thats for sure." THAT implies you think at 37 or 38 she should look OLD. THAT comment is never a compliment, unless the person has already hit 60 plus.


If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

mywonderwa11 Profile Photo
mywonderwa11
#90re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 7:00pm

I saw the show on Saturday and I thought Jessica was great. Her Diana is totally different from Alice's (with a few exceptions), but I enjoyed her more subtle take on the crazy that is Diana. I enjoyed her performance. And yes, her voice is very pretty, but I don't think it takes away from anything. Who says the actress playing Diana has to have an edge to her voice?


"Somethin's comin', I don't know what it is but it is gonna be great!"

bjh2114 Profile Photo
bjh2114
#91re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 7:17pm

Dramamama, I think everybody else got the fact that matineeidol was saying that if people think Jessica looks too young because she looks like she is in her 20s, then she looks good for her age. To say someone who is 38 looks like they are 25 is still a compliment. No 38 is not old and wrinkled, but 25 and 38 typically appear to be different for most people. He was saying she's age appropriate for the part, and to the naysayers who think she is too young that she just looks good for her age because she looks like she's in her 20s instead of late 30s. A decade does make quite a difference, even if it isn't from 50s to 60s.

Sab6888 Profile Photo
Sab6888
#92re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 7:36pm

I also saw Jessica this past weekend on Saturday afternoon and was absolutely blown away! I agree with all the people who have been praising her that she plays Diana in a more subtly crazy way and it definitely works. She's got a gorgeous voice and it was refreshing to hear her sing the score so differently from Alice. The way she sang the score worked with the way she played Diana, whereas it wouldn't have worked with how Alice plays the role. I thought her acting was top notch too and she was so sweet at the stage door - I got to fall in love with next to normal in a whole new way watching her play diana. Love that most of you all enjoyed her performance too!

matineeidol2013 Profile Photo
matineeidol2013
#93re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 9:47pm

bjh2114:

thank you! i couldnt have said it better myself! (btw, LOVE the avitar)

if i was 37 years old and somebody told me i looked 27, that is still me at 37 looking great for my age. whoever said you have to be over 60 for somebody to say you look good for your age?


I'll take the wind and soar.

Kelly2 Profile Photo
Kelly2
#94re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/3/09 at 10:38pm

Someone should edit this thread title so no one thinks Ripley is out every single night, if it is going to continue to be near the top of the board :)


"Get mad, then get over it." - Colin Powell

sondhead
#95re: Alice Ripley out of N2N tonight..
Posted: 8/4/09 at 1:41am

"I saw the show on Saturday and I thought Jessica was great. Her Diana is totally different from Alice's (with a few exceptions), but I enjoyed her more subtle take on the crazy that is Diana. I enjoyed her performance. And yes, her voice is very pretty, but I don't think it takes away from anything. Who says the actress playing Diana has to have an edge to her voice?"

Gee, MyWonderWa11.. sure is nice that "Jessica" doesn't have a crazy boyfriend who impersonated her via e-mail to the producers of Next to Normal saying she was unable to accept the cover position. So, in other words, it's good she doesn't have YOU as a boyfriend. I hear you've stiffed some folk on some $800 of rent too! You're just rackin' up complains from everywhere!