Day 131-1/30/10

Show: Next to Normal
Date: 3/12/10
Cast: Jessica Phillips as Diana
Type: Audio

I have committed to full on love for Jessica's Diana. It's exactly how I feel that works. My problem with Alice is that she plays it crazy, but bipolar depressive isn't crazy. I have manic depressive tendencies so it sort of bothers me the way that Alice plays it. But Jessica played it realistically and sincerely and her voice was pretty much flawless. I really loved it.

Day 90-2/17/10

Show: Next to Normal
Date: 9/27/09
Cast: Alice Ripley (Diana), J. Robert Spencer (Dan) - 1st Act, Michael Berry (u/s Dan) - 2nd Act, Aaron Tveit (Gabe), Jennifer Damiano (Natalie), Adam Chanler-Berat (Henry), Louis Hobson (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine
Type: Audio

Alice wasn’t all that great. Her voice bothered me here. Jenn was iffy, she had noticeable difficult in Everything Else. Bobby struggled in Who’s Crazy he cracked a little bit then stopped to clear his throat. Michael was Dan in Act 2, which I noticed the first word he said. I’m not sure about him. I don’t know if he sounds right for the show. He’s got more of a musical theatrey voice which might not work for Next to Normal.

Day 72-1/30/10

Show: Next to Normal
Date: 6/21/09
Cast: Alice Ripley (Diana), J. Robert Spencer (Dan), Jennifer Damiano (Natalie), Kyle Dean Massey (Gabe), Adam Chantler-Beret (Henry), Louis Hobson (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine)
Type: Audio

To be honest, I didn't know it was Jenn as Natalie until I just looked it up now. She didn't really sound like herself...maybe that's why the next audio I have (June 25th) is Meghann as Natalie. Jenn was fine, just less strong than usual. And Kyle's really growing on me. Can't say I found anything too bad about his performance. Alice has been seeming kind of shaky. She's puts 100% in and I'm not sure if she's getting the full hundred back. I am the one reprise pretty much killed me. So did light. Both were super emotional and wonderful

Day 52-1/10/10

Show: Next to Normal
Date: 12/14/08
Cast: Alice Ripley, J. Robert Spencer, Aaron Tveit, Jennifer Damiano, Adam Chanler-Berat, Louis Hobson
Type: Audio

This was completely normal for a Next to Normal audio. Always emotional and powerful. It grips me possibly more than Spring Awakening does. So moving.

Day 48-1/6/10

Show: Next to Normal
Date: 1/10/09
Cast: J. Robert Spencer, Alice Ripley, Jennifer Damiano, Louis Hobson, Adam Chanler-Berat, Tim Young as Gabe.
Type: Audio

So when I originally flipped to this, I assumed that it was the full OBC including Aaron. Every time Gabe spoke or sang I was bewildered because it didn't sound like Aaron, I thought it sounded more like Kyle if anything but Kyle wasn't in the cast. This irritated me pretty much until the very end when I finally checked the cast list.
But everything else was wonderful. It's been awhile since I listened to a Next to Normal audio and this was really great. I didn't fall asleep on the bus while listening!
Don't know what else to say

Day 43-1/1/10

Show: Next to Normal
Date: 8/15/09
Type: Live
Cast: Alice Ripley. J Robert Spencer, Jenn Damiano, Kyle Dean Massey, Adam Chanler-Berat, Louis Hobson

This was the show that I saw. Live. Second row. Awesomeness and all that. Well, I'm not actually going to write up the review that I had made because it doesn't make much sense and discusses stagedooring more than the show itself.
Here are some highlights of the review (and the night):
-Alice is in character every second and almost always steals your attention.
-Bobby Spencer uses a lot of vibrato but if you ignore it his performance blows you away. So much emotion and really just makes you cry.
-Kyle is not Aaron (which you later find is a good thing) he holds his own and is super good looking. It's interesting to watch him "watch" the other characters. And he's very expressive.
-Jenn looks absolutely gorgeous.
-Adam's adorable and I get the hype about him.
-Louis was quite the rockstar.
-With the exception of Kyle is sounded so much like the CD.
-I've Been made me cry
-I also cried many times in Act 2 (How Could I Ever Forget, I Am The One Reprise)

The rest of my review is just plain stupid.

Day 15-12/4/09

Show: Next to Normal
Date: 8/29/09
Type: Audio
Cast: Alice Ripley (Diana), J. Robert Spencer (Dan), Meghann Fahy (u/s Natalie), Kyle Dean Massey (temporary Gabe), Adam Chanler-Berat (Henry), Louis Hobson (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine)

Okay, so honestly I could not tell the difference between Meghann and Jenn. Maybe Meghann's voice is a little softer, but not really much of a discernible difference. On the other hand, Kyle sounds much much different from Aaron. I definitely like Aaron better.
I'm so sorry that there's not more I can think of saying. I was working a lot while listening to this...