Next To Normal

The singing and acting were wonderful, from the entire cast. Although the subject matter was a difficult one, it was well presented. A very moving play.

I understood when I bought the tickets that I would be attending a musical dealing with a very serious issue but I thought that it would be more riveting. The show started at a very slow pace with some light humor. It took a while for the show to really draw my attention in any way. After a while the musical delved into the very concerning subject of a family member with very serious mental health issues. At times I was pulled into the emotion and feeling of the play only to be actually bored at other times. When lead actress and Tony Award winner Alice Ripley sang, as Diane, her words were very difficult to understand. I don't know if there was a problem with the sound system or it was her voice, I was not the only person who commented on this. The singing of Asa Somers as Dan, Curt Hansen as Gabe, Emma Honton as Natalie, Preston Sadleir as Henry and Jeremy Kushnier as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine was solid but there were no standouts. Actually the highlight of the singing was when Asa Somers and Curt Hansen sang together, their harmony was superb. On another subject the set was incredible, three floors used thoroughout the musical. The musicians were placed on the upper two floors on both sides, it added a lot to the performance. Next to Normal dealt with a very tough subject but regrettably I was not drawn into the performance.

I accompanied my mom, who suffers from bipolar disorder, and a friend from her support group that also suffers from mental illness, to Next to Normal. For different reasons, all 3 of us reacted by saying "it was like seeing my own life before me on stage". The validation from that experience was immeasurable. This is not only a must see for anyone touched by mental illness, but particularly by those as yet untouched so that they can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by consumers and families, and, hopefully in turn, become agents for change the fight against stigma.

Great cast and very compelling show. Music was excellent.

Meaningful story line and unbelievable acting and singing!

The show was good except for two major issues that really affected how my husband and I felt about the show. The first issue is that, while we thought Alice Ripley was a great actress, we could not stand her singing voice! All of the other actors were great but Ripley's singing voice had way too much bravado. The other problem for me was that the show just hit way too close to home. I understand that the show was supposed to bring awareness about mental illness but none of the advertisements mentioned how unbelievably emotional it is if you have suffered with mental illness or have a family member who has suffered with it. I spent a large part of the first act crying and had a hard time sitting down for the second act. If you have experience with mental illness and don't want to break down I would not suggest this show.

The only thing I knew aboutnext o Normal was that is was a musical about a dysfunctional family. There was a subplot or actually the heat of the story that I was taken aback by. It made the show extremely intense and made me feel very deeply emotional. The singing was up to par with Broadway and the characters were very likeable and real. The woman who played the understandidly crazy mother did a phenomal job with her acting while singing or even just emoting a line or two. The story line was excellent as were the actors. The songs could have been a bit catchier. I didn't walk out singig or humming any of them or buy the CD.

Hearing that this show won Tony awards and was from Broadway I had high expectations. I was excited about the idea of contemporary music, and I was hoping it would wow me as much as Lion King, In the Heights, and Wicked (I loved all three of those and could watch them over and over). This one fell short for me. The main problem for me was the singing voice of the mother character was really weird. I can't really describe it, although as I was leaving the theater I overheard someone else saying it sounded like she had marbles in her mouth. Anyway it was hard to tell what she was singing and I didn't enjoy the sound. My fiance and I on the way home were struggling to think of some way that this might have been abnormal because we couldn't believe anyone would cast her thinking it sounded good, but they didn't announce an understudy or anything. Apart from that there music was pretty good. Only one song blew me away as amazing, and a couple more were good, and the rest were ok. There were some weird harmonies that I wasn't too fond of. I wish I could have heard the music over again with a better singer though. Music aside, the acting was good and the story is good.

The story of a modern family faced with major crisis, it is far from a feel-good musical and generates a storm of emotions. Next to Normal is the first musical to win both a Tony and a Pulitzer since Rent in 1996. A must see if you like musicals.

Such a shame her voice is so gone. I hope it's temporary. At what point do they put an understudy in?

I saw this show in New York back in December and I had mixed feelings about it. After seeing it in San Diego with Alice Ripley it was a million times better. It could have been the fact that I saw the show in New York on a Monday evening with about half an audience. You could tell the energy was low and about half way through "I miss the mountains" the audience began applauding, thinking (or rather hoping) the song was over. On top of having the star of the show Alice Ripley reviving her lead performance, I felt that the entire cast had so much more energy than the Broadway cast did. One thing that really hard for me with both performances i saw, was that I didn't feel Diana was the lead character in the show. It may have just been my reaction to those specific performances but both times I felt it was hard to connect with Diana, almost like she had to come through just a little bit more in order for me to completely follow her storyline. On the contrary, the first time I saw the production I walked out feeling that I had just watched Dan's story and with the touring cast I felt like it was Natalie's story. It's possible that because there are so few characters in the show the person who's story the audience follows really depends on what actor is fully present during that particular performance. Overall I enjoyed it much more seeing the show the second time. I thought Alice Ripley was wonderful and I felt like it was such a treat to get to see her perform in the role of Dianna. The show says so much and every time I see it or listen to the music I find another level to it.

I would highly recommend Next to Normal. It is intense and touching, with an infectious soundtrack and a talented cast. There are some really memorable scenes, and it tackles a subject matter that you don't typically see in a Broadway musical. The star, Alice Ripley, was a little tough to listen to vocally. Her voice sounds pretty strained and at parts she is hard to understand. But her acting is good, and the rest of the cast member's vocals make up for it. I LOVED the music and can't wait to get the soundtrack. Note: don't research the show or read up on it before seeing it. You will appreciate it more if everything hasn't already been given away.

One of the best musicals I have ever seen. It is simply brillant!

great production. all of the singers were great!!!!

This play was intensely absorbing, with excellent characterizations, fine acting, and a rousing rock-score that raised and defined the mood of the story. It was beautifully written with a tenderness and understanding of the tragedy of mental illness, and I shall consider it exceedingly memorable in my daily reality.

I had also heard great things about this musical and was excited to see it. The story line and performance was excellent overall. The biggest issue was the main singer Alice Ripley. Her voice was awful. It sounded distorted and was hard to understand. She wasn't able to hit some of the bigger notes without sounding raspy or off pitch. I listened to the recorded version after the show and was able to hear what her voice used to be like. I wish that I had gotten to see the show with an understudy or someone whose voice was less distracting. The rest of the performers were excellent.

It was absolutly fantastic!! The music was amazing and Alice Riply's performance was outstanding!! This show will forever be one of my favorite shows!

The play itself was great. The music was fantastic and the actors who portrayed Dad, Natalie, Gabe, and Henry did an outstanding job. My problem lies with Alice Ripley who played Diana. Her singing was terrible. She was sour and it sounded like she was compensating. It was painful listening to her sing. It wasn't until the intermission that I heard rumors that she strained her voice. If she was "injured', then why wasn't the understudy assigned to take the role?

Mental health is something we tend to look away from but sadly afflicts many everyday people is the USA. This is a story of a family how the dynamics is on so many levels and how the whole family plays a part in this illness. Not to be missed!!!

I came into this show with low expectations but was i dead wrong. A hugely strong cast, every one of them, especially Alice Ripley. No actress could have played the part of a bi-polar afflicted person better than Alice Ripley. Her subtle gestures and that blank stare, wow. Really fantastic. This musical was atypical as far as musicals go. What really hit home is that this could happen (and does) to any family which added such an element of empathy not only for Alice Ripley's character, Diana, but for those of her family who struggled , albeit, more so than Diana herself. Excellent staging, lighting, and music. A definite must-see.

This play was very different than I expected. It was rock and roll and crying and funny and everything that I was hoping for.

I was really looking forward to seeing this show, due to seeing excerpts from the Tony Awards and hearing from people who had seen it in New York. One of the draws of seeing this show was the passionate performance of the star, Alice Ripley. From the very beginning, we could tell that something was wrong with her voice....we didn't know whether it had to do with the audio system, however all the other performers sounded just fine. Only after seeing the show and researching on the internet did we learn that she has been having these problems for months. We paid premium price for these tickets, and I believe that the producers have the responsibility to make changes when necessary. Sadly, it is necessary. The show is terrific, the rest of the cast do a great job. It's a shame that we had to leave the show saying BUT.....

I have been listening to the score and anticipating seeing this show for over 2 years and I was not disappointed. From the minute the show opened we were pulled into the energy and chaos of this family's world. We were sitting in the second row and I don't think we took a breath until intermission. Rarely has a show captured my attention for so long a time. The music, the singing and the dialogue blended together perfectly laying open the raw emotions of the characters. Alice Ripley gives one of the best performances I have ever see. We watched tears roll down her face many times during the play and afterwards wondered how she could put herself through that every night. This is not a feel good musical but an emotional and real musical that you will remember for a long long time.

This show is intense. The cast was awesome. The lead Alice Ripley sounds nothing like the CD so I think she might have been sick or something as I thought she sounded terrible. That was disappointing! She got out sung by the entire cast and it was almost painful to listen to her sing. Her acting was superb and I see why this has earned so many awards. The rest of the cast had the most beautiful voices and were fabulous choices for the roles. Although the musical is far from uplifting, it was outstanding! I highly recommend if you are into the arts and not looking for something to make you laugh and smile (there are some funny moments).

My wife and I have been involved with mental illness for many years, and show was simply wonderful. The story line was accurate, and not just glamorized for the stage. The show theme captivated the audience with its' real portrayal of families dealing with this horrible illness for which there is no cure. We can't wait to see it again.

Next to Normal is a musical that isn't affraid to explore the difficulties of life and the force of love that holds us together through these times. From the impossibly difficult situations to the playful (sometimes crude) humor, Next to Normal provides a story to which we can relate.

I would love to see this again, knowing that the teenage son was not really alive. Everything would seem different the second time around.

Overall, just a fantastic, realistic portrayal of the dysfunction in a normal and not-so-perfect family. The acting was excellent, the music was great. Overall, very, very well done!!

The music was excellent. The story line was a little heavy and was confused a couple of times. I think everyone had an excellent voice except I didn't care for the mother's scratchy voice. It got worse as the play went on. I have seen many broadway shows and it is not your typical broadway voice. Balcony seats were awful. No leg room and you could not see parts of the set.

This show is absolutely amazing. It touches the heart of issues in society today and handles then in a mature, yet sometimes funny, manner. It brought to light struggles that some families go through and it showed us that there is no such thing as normal. I really felt like the message was that everyone is different, there is no normal, and though some people strive to be normal, being something next to normal is perfectly okay.

I feel so lucky to see "Next to Normal" not only because Alice Ripley is part of the touring company but because the play itself is extraordinary and it certainly generated much conversation during intermission, "someone knows someone" who had mental illness of some sort. Mental illness is part of our fabric and because so often it is hidden, mental illness becomes shameful. "Next to Normal" brings mental illness front and center.

An amazing show. This was the fifth time I've seen this show and the cast just keeps getting better and better.

This was a disappointment in a few regards. Although Alice Ripley's acting was very good, both my 20-something daughter & I could not believe this actress won the lead part (much less a Tony award for the same part!), considering her barely average singing ability. She reminded us of the karaoke singer you cant wait to end. Her reviews were deceivingly positive so made for all-the-more an unpleasant surprise. All of the other actors' voices were fantastic, as off-broadway should be. The story was current and gripping. The set and lighting was expert. The musicians did not miss a beat. Patrons were mostly dressed in jeans and sandals. We felt very overdressed, but rightly so, in our dresses and heels. We had a blast after the matinee in the San Diego gaslamp district. Funny, too, that the bored drink bar attendant could not even help us determine which way to find our seat section.

My friend and I knew that it was going to be a thought provoking event, I wasn't prepared for how much the content would affect me. I thought it was really well done with great moments of humor amidst the darkness. My only suggestion would be to bring the music level down a few notches, there were times the orchestra was so loud we could not hear the lyrics. Overall I am really glad I saw this!

RIDICULOUSLY SPECTACULAR AND WONDERFUL. I've already reccomended several of my friends to see it if given the chance. The vocals were fantastic and the emotions were so intense and pure. Everything I wanted/hoped for, and more. :)

I loved how the stage was set up. The 3 tiers with actors coming and going from each level. The music was great. The lead had a very unusual voice. Not exactly my favorite, but it did portray a "manic-ness". I loved the daughter's and son's voices. In the second half, you really felt the whole families' pain. Overall, I felt the musical did a great job with a very painful subject.

absolutely amazing show. the songs and the characters are so easy to relate to!

Asa Somers and Emma Hunton were AMAZING!!!! totally made it worth it. I also saw it on Broadway with the entire original cast and these two totally kept the amazing standards.

Alice Ripley's voice was the only thing wrong with Next to Normal. Some people speculated that she'd been playing the part for too long and her voice was shot. While I sympathize with that, I paid good money and expected a good performance. Her voice was weak and rough and she was painfully sharp or flat too often to excuse. In a musical, we (the audience) rely on strong, clear voices so we can hear the 'dialogue.' We missed too many words because of Alice Ripley's performance. Other than this (which is a pretty big deal), the play was fantastic and the music was wonderful. I would like to see it again, with a different Diana... I gave this an overall rating of 4 stars, despite Alice Ripley's weaknesses. It would definitely have been 5 stars otherwise...

Alice Ripley is giving one of those fearless performances that is astonishing in its theatrical intensity and vocal commitment. Ripley doesn t just occupy the stage she owns it. The show is much improved from the one I saw on broadway, they got rid of some bits that were not working well (like the meltdown at Costco), and it was a big improvement.