San Francisco in love with Next to Normal

[shomeika]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 12:15am

The reviews in San Francisco are glowing and extremely positive. The show seems to resonate with SFO....
http://www.sfexaminer.com/entertainment/theater/2011/01/tony-winning-next-normal-actually-extraordinary

http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-01-28/entertainment/27054348_1_asa-somers-brian-yorkey-music-by-tom-kitt

http://www.mercurynews.com/theater-dance/ci_17217601?nclick_check=1

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/01/31/theater-review-next-to-normal/

http://www.starkinsider.com/2011/01/review-next-to-normal-goes-for-the-heart.html

[LittleCheno]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 12:27am

Saw the show in NYC before it closed...and going to see it in SF this week. Looking forward to it!

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 2:15am

Based on ticket sales, SF is NOT in love with Next to Normal. But the show is good, thanks to the great ensemble and no thanks to the horrible Alice Ripley who sucks every time she 'sings'. Someone replace this gal, STAT!

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 2:46am

Yep. It's not selling well. They've just announced a rush, though.

I saw the show on its first preview. It's excellent, and so is Ripley.

(Just had to get another SF voice in here.)

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 3:07am

How is her singing voice holding up?

Her voice on the amazon clips from the new album sounds absolutely wrecked.

[ljay889]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 3:16am

I think she's insanely talented, but it's really sad to hear what's happened to her voice.

[HummingAlong]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 10:03am

She seems to choose to use her voice differently in different situations, still. I've heard her sing more pop-ish music recently and sound great (and VERY different than the show) - I think on stage she is extremely wrapped in Diana and is only thinking about telling her story, not about vocal technique and production quality. So I don't know that I would say something's "happened" to her voice aside from maybe being vocally exhausted. I don't think there's permanent damage or a career-altering change; I think she can still sing well when she chooses to, she's just focusing on different things on stage...maybe?

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 3:05pm

Something is definitely wrong with her voice. While Alice has always had a unique sounding voice, when I saw her a few days ago she sounded dreadful. It was as if she asked someone to punch her in the throat each time she was about to sing. One of the worst professional vocal performances I think I've ever witnessed. With so many talented singers out there one would think that they would hire someone capable of singing instead of sounding like an animal in pain.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 3:13pm

Her voice on the clips from the new album sounds wrecked. She needs a break.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004I1WIZW/

Updated On: 2/5/11 at 03:13 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 3:51pm

Holy crap, Mildred. I hope this doesn't inspire Alice to call me a fag, but jeez, those Amazon clips sound like what some earnest untrained high school girl might upload to YouTube from her bedroom.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 4:05pm

So true Namo. Guess I'm a fag too, cause I completely agree.

I was hoping we'd get a full studio "Peppermint Twist"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAy392PU5Tc

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 4:12pm

She sounds pretty good here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FGdtW3G1SA&feature=related

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 4:30pm

I saw her on press night in Denver and I just referred to her vocals as having issues in my review. I can only compare what I heard live once to what I heard on the recording and I wasn't a big fan of her live vocal performance. What really save her performance was her acting. JMO

[shrekster224]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 6:47pm

According to the picture posted to this article, Jason Watson was on as the doctors. Have the other understudies been on at all, besides Pearl Sun? Like Perry Sherman and Caitlin Kinnuen?

http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-01-28/entertainment/27054348_1_asa-somers-brian-yorkey-music-by-tom-kitt/
Updated On: 2/5/11 at 06:47 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 2/5/11 at 7:23pm

The review, however, refers to Kushnier, and the photo is most definietly Jeremy Kushnier.

Probably just a typo.

[shob]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 3:09am

I have seen it twice here at the Curran and have enjoyed EVERY second of it. I now have an insane crush on Emma Hunton. She can sing. (My mother who does not enjoy musical theatre loved her voice, and her performance.) I saw their first preview performance here and Alice wasn't in the best of shape, and I saw her again on Thursday night and she was definitely worse. But she acts the hell out of the role, so I deal. I think she knows what's up; she doesn't stage door 'because of her voice'. Taking precautions, I guess. (she will sign a pile of Playbills and have some guy pass 'em out for her, though)

And isn't it hard to "sell" this show? The logo or show art isn't very "exciting", for lack of a better word. These tour houses are insanely huge. The Broadway company only had to worry about 800(?) seats.

(Anybody know what the "rush" is like? Weekday? Weekend?)

And I MUST add that SHN has INSANE ticket prices. Give me a break!
Updated On: 2/6/11 at 03:09 AM

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 3:35am

I really do like the show and feel very bad for Alice, who I feel is generally a great actress and a nice gal. Everyone I know who's seen it, myself included, says that her voice is seriously lacking. As much as she may hate to do it, she really needs to take some time off and let someone else play the part if she is vocally unable to maintain. It can't be good for her health, and not really fair to the audience who is shelling out a lot of money to see a show that SHOULD have someone sing appropriately, not struggle through every song like Alice does.

[binau]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 4:19am

Am I still overreacting to even suggest that she could be replaced before the run ends in July?

Personally and selfishly, though, I hope she stays. I've seen the show with people who can sing (Phillips&Mazzie), I want to see Alice.

Updated On: 2/6/11 at 04:19 AM

[shob]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 4:30am

Honestly, the only time I cringed because of Alice's voice was during 'So Anyway'. The rest I just shrugged off. I would love for her to stick with the tour. It will be the last time for her to work with Diana and the material.

[Q]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 10:27am

"I think on stage she is extremely wrapped in Diana and is only thinking about telling her story, not about vocal technique and production quality."

That rationalization actually paints her as rather unprofessional.

[Anastasia_Beaverhausen]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 10:36am

I saw the show, and her yesterday. It is clear that her voice is tired and she does struggle some. It's not the same voice from the cd or when I saw her in NYC but she is incredible as Diana. After so much time in that role she still manages to act the **** out of it and you can tell she still cares deeply for the role. One of the most amazing performances I have ever seen on stage....for the second time.

I hope she knows what she's doing with her voice and she doesn't destroy it.

[uncageg]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 10:52am

shob, not sure if it was "So Anyway" or "Maybe" but she is on the right side of the stage and has to hit a higher note. The night I saw it, that note was cringe worthy. I think it was "Maybe". I was in the second row on the right so I heard it right from the stage and through the speakers.

[shob]

Posted: 2/6/11 at 6:10pm

My friend is seeing it for the first time today and was very excited to see Ripley. She was disappointed as hell to find out Pearl Sun was on for today's matinee.

@uncageg-In 'So Anyway', towards the end of the song ('it's time for me to fly; and so, goodbye') is where I felt bad for Alice. And 'Maybe' is my favorite song from the show and like Anastasia_Beaverhausen said, it's not the voice from the cast recording.

But she sings the hell out of 'Didn't I See This Movie' and 'The Break'. I rock out every time.

[Love4Theatre]

Posted: 2/7/11 at 1:06pm

I went to see next to normal in SF last week. The first couple of rows of the orchestra were empty as much of the house was. First time seeing next to normal and I was extremely excited, I did not enjoy the show. Most of this had to do with Alice Ripley's voice. She can definitely act, but her voice made me cringe. I know she can sound great, but the low tone and screechiness of her voice that night was very distracting to the show. I wish I would have seen it with Pearl Sun. I had taken two friends to see the show, and both of them could not stop talking about how bothered they were about her voice.

[TheBatBoy]

Posted: 2/7/11 at 3:49pm

Oh so they have announced a rush. I was waiting for them to do that, although it's sad that the show hasn't caught on as well as it could have in this city. I saw the show in SF on a Friday night and was able to secure front row center seats with no trouble. The rows to the side in the orchestra were empty.

As far as Alice goes, I'm still an avid fan of hers. There is nothing like seeing that woman bare her soul onstage, her acting is out of this world.

As far as her voice goes though you can tell it's been put through its paces. It makes me sad because I've been following her since her early days and her voice was truly something glorious to listen to (both her soprano and belt). What I'm confused about is how she was able to sing Violet in Sideshow (which seemed more strenuous) and she came out pretty well.

In any case, the tour is brief and I'm hoping that her voice recovers from almost 5 years of this show.