"I forgot how much Marin Mazzie looks like my mom." "Awkward!"
Christie and I saw Next to Normal tonight! Can't believe I haven't seen the show in nearly eight months. This year is going by really fast. We actually both won lotto even though there was a pretty sizable crowd. I was a little happy to say I didn't need my tickets because I knew the whole crowd would cheer. I heard they were selling lotto loser tickets but a lot of people didn't buy them, which made me sad. But right when the show started I looked behind me and saw that the entire mezzanine was full, so that's good news.
I really wanted to go back to the show because I wanted to hear what the score would sound like with classically trained singers. I really love when legit singers sing rock music, as you know, and a chance to hear Marin Mazzie (whom I don't think I've ever seen live in a musical) and Jason Danieley singing my favorite current Broadway score? Could not pass that up.
Marin Mazzie was incredible. She was so different from Alice, it's like she never even saw her and just created the role from the ground up. While Alice was completely manic physically and vocally, Mazzie was much more restrained with all of the emotions confined to her face. There's more of a sense of bubbling intensity to her portrayal. Her looks too are more refined and put-together. I hated the costumes on Alice because I didn't get why Diana would be dressed like a business lady, but Marin's Diana kind of makes me think, "Hey, business ladies are probably bipolar too." Think about it.
When I first heard that Marin was going to play Diana, I was a little bit concerned about how she'd handle the score because her voice is so Broadway and Diana's part specifically is really rock. I also remember that Alice Ripley had a much stronger voice (with a range quite similar to Mazzie's) before she totally blew it out singing rock music, so I was nervous. I think the break in their voices is probably at a similar place, but where Alice would belt really high and loud, Marin usually opts for light head voice. It's dramatically not as compelling but a hell of a lot healthier. Still, her lower range is outrageous. It's so rich and full. "I Miss the Mountains" was earth-shattering. I forgot how she does that crazy thing with her huge mouth where it shakes when she sings. It made her look even more insane, like she might just devour the entire theatre. I swear I was about to give that song a standing ovation. That is fucking SINGING.
Speaking of fucking singing, every time Jason Danieley opened his mouth I had to bite my lip to keep from weeping openly. I could feel my face get hot and shivers all down my arms. I almost threw up. I think Jason Danieley's voice gave me Stendhal syndrome. I kept thinking, "Does the band have to be so LOUD?" and "Can Dan sing a few more songs? Like maybe Dan can sing 'I'm Alive?'" Every time there was a Dan/Gabe harmony part, I felt a little sad that he had to sing the lower part because I really wanted to hear him sing crazy high. I know he can do it, but he wouldn't just riff to show it off because he's too real for that Broadway bullshit. Not that his lower register isn't just as rich and full as his wife's. It's so strong and masculine. He needs to get more parts. I want to see him play George in Sunday. (This occurred to me during "So Anyway" because--more than ever before--I wanted Dan to get up off that chair and tell her not to goooooooo.) His acting was also pretty great (and even his speaking sounds like singing). I've seen three other actors play this part and this was the first time I saw him wet the sponge before he rang out the blood. It always sort of annoyed me. And I found his portrayal even more emotional because I just read this interview with him where he said that he doesn't even have to act because he just looks at his wife falling apart and saying she's going to leave him and he starts crying. HOW INTENSE IS THAT SHIT? Tell me you don't love him. Liar.
I don't think Mazzie and Danieley's real marriage changed the show much. They obviously had chemistry but if you didn't know it going in, you wouldn't think they were especially close or real. It's just a neat thing to know that the couple onstage has been together for nearly as long at the parts they are playing, but their characters are not happy together so it's not so nauseating to watch. I also felt really invested in their relationship since I like the actors so much.
I was really afraid I would hate Kyle Dean. It seems that everyone who has seen and loved Aaron Tveit as Gabe hates Kyle Dean and I really wanted to like him after his precious Broadway.com videos. I am so happy that I didn't hate him. I think if he had originated this role, no one would have a problem with him. I don't think people would love him like they love Tveit but that's because Tveit is a star and Kyle Dean is a glorified understudy. He can sing, he can move, he's attractive, but he doesn't have that X factor. It was interesting to see how much of that role is in the writing and the direction. He did everything the way Aaron did, but it didn't feel as natural, as smooth or as seductive.
It sounds like I am being really hard on him right now, but I really didn't have any problems with him (aside from the obnoxiously show-offy new end to "I'm Alive"). Yes, his voice is nasal and that pinched quality comes out most when he sings long Is, but I didn't find him unpleasant. I will admit that I thought of Tveit a lot because his sound is so much more open (as are Mazzie's and Danieley's), but Kyle Dean sounded beautiful when he sang quieter or in falsetto (as Jerri said), even during the end of the chorus of "I'm Alive" he did a cool phrasing thing where he lingered on the Ls and got louder for a second and then immediately soft. I explained that the best I could. It's not on youtube. Trust, it was the only thing he did differently that was sexy, though I for real thought Marin was going to kiss him on the mouth during "There's A World." She kept stroking his face and bringing it to hers.
Actually nearly every time Gabe showed up, I got kind of annoyed but I think it's mostly because I cared so much about Diana and Dan's marriage that I just didn't want that asshole fucking things up any more.
Cruel side note: it made me laugh a little that he was ever-so-slightly out of breath during "I'm Alive." It reminded me of how the choreographer was like "Can you start on the ground floor and be at the third level by the next line?" And Tveit was just like "Let's try it!" I imagine every actor who plays this role going "DAMN YOU TVEIT!!" when they have to learn that part. It's really fucking hard to sing and move, even if you're not scaling three flights of stairs in five seconds! Also had to tell Christie the story of how Tveit almost fell once and it made him more daring because he's just that much of a hoss. Oh, and they really need to put a Spring Awakening-like age cap on this role. I really don't want to see a 35-year-old pretending to be 17. Let's just have all fresh-faced nobodies straight out of high school. Who cast this? I would like to sit in on those auditions. Telsey. Of course.
We saw an understudy as Natalie, MacKenzie Mauzy. She is blonde (worked well with the new leads) but otherwise a lot like Jennifer Damiano (another case of understudy syndrome?). I think I liked her more though. She was very tightly wound but not as into hand-acting. Her voice gets really tight and INTENSE in the high belting parts. I'm sure it's an acquired taste, but I think it worked really well.
Adam Chanler-Berat and Louis Hobson are still solid in their thankless roles. Actually they were both particularly funny tonight, getting laughs I've never heard before. The audience in general was really receptive, though. They even clapped at Kyle Dean's entrance. I could hear the girl behind me sobbing her eyes out throughout the show and I wanted to turn around and offer her a hug.
The greatest relief is that the show doesn't suffer with a new cast. It's not like that time Joey McIntyre was in tick, tick...BOOM! (I love Joey Mac, but let's be real). It's still so beautiful and I would still recommend it to everyone I know. And I think Isherwood should rewrite that article about Broadway replacements.
I really wanted to go back to the show because I wanted to hear what the score would sound like with classically trained singers. I really love when legit singers sing rock music, as you know, and a chance to hear Marin Mazzie (whom I don't think I've ever seen live in a musical) and Jason Danieley singing my favorite current Broadway score? Could not pass that up.
Marin Mazzie was incredible. She was so different from Alice, it's like she never even saw her and just created the role from the ground up. While Alice was completely manic physically and vocally, Mazzie was much more restrained with all of the emotions confined to her face. There's more of a sense of bubbling intensity to her portrayal. Her looks too are more refined and put-together. I hated the costumes on Alice because I didn't get why Diana would be dressed like a business lady, but Marin's Diana kind of makes me think, "Hey, business ladies are probably bipolar too." Think about it.
When I first heard that Marin was going to play Diana, I was a little bit concerned about how she'd handle the score because her voice is so Broadway and Diana's part specifically is really rock. I also remember that Alice Ripley had a much stronger voice (with a range quite similar to Mazzie's) before she totally blew it out singing rock music, so I was nervous. I think the break in their voices is probably at a similar place, but where Alice would belt really high and loud, Marin usually opts for light head voice. It's dramatically not as compelling but a hell of a lot healthier. Still, her lower range is outrageous. It's so rich and full. "I Miss the Mountains" was earth-shattering. I forgot how she does that crazy thing with her huge mouth where it shakes when she sings. It made her look even more insane, like she might just devour the entire theatre. I swear I was about to give that song a standing ovation. That is fucking SINGING.
Speaking of fucking singing, every time Jason Danieley opened his mouth I had to bite my lip to keep from weeping openly. I could feel my face get hot and shivers all down my arms. I almost threw up. I think Jason Danieley's voice gave me Stendhal syndrome. I kept thinking, "Does the band have to be so LOUD?" and "Can Dan sing a few more songs? Like maybe Dan can sing 'I'm Alive?'" Every time there was a Dan/Gabe harmony part, I felt a little sad that he had to sing the lower part because I really wanted to hear him sing crazy high. I know he can do it, but he wouldn't just riff to show it off because he's too real for that Broadway bullshit. Not that his lower register isn't just as rich and full as his wife's. It's so strong and masculine. He needs to get more parts. I want to see him play George in Sunday. (This occurred to me during "So Anyway" because--more than ever before--I wanted Dan to get up off that chair and tell her not to goooooooo.) His acting was also pretty great (and even his speaking sounds like singing). I've seen three other actors play this part and this was the first time I saw him wet the sponge before he rang out the blood. It always sort of annoyed me. And I found his portrayal even more emotional because I just read this interview with him where he said that he doesn't even have to act because he just looks at his wife falling apart and saying she's going to leave him and he starts crying. HOW INTENSE IS THAT SHIT? Tell me you don't love him. Liar.
I don't think Mazzie and Danieley's real marriage changed the show much. They obviously had chemistry but if you didn't know it going in, you wouldn't think they were especially close or real. It's just a neat thing to know that the couple onstage has been together for nearly as long at the parts they are playing, but their characters are not happy together so it's not so nauseating to watch. I also felt really invested in their relationship since I like the actors so much.
I was really afraid I would hate Kyle Dean. It seems that everyone who has seen and loved Aaron Tveit as Gabe hates Kyle Dean and I really wanted to like him after his precious Broadway.com videos. I am so happy that I didn't hate him. I think if he had originated this role, no one would have a problem with him. I don't think people would love him like they love Tveit but that's because Tveit is a star and Kyle Dean is a glorified understudy. He can sing, he can move, he's attractive, but he doesn't have that X factor. It was interesting to see how much of that role is in the writing and the direction. He did everything the way Aaron did, but it didn't feel as natural, as smooth or as seductive.
It sounds like I am being really hard on him right now, but I really didn't have any problems with him (aside from the obnoxiously show-offy new end to "I'm Alive"). Yes, his voice is nasal and that pinched quality comes out most when he sings long Is, but I didn't find him unpleasant. I will admit that I thought of Tveit a lot because his sound is so much more open (as are Mazzie's and Danieley's), but Kyle Dean sounded beautiful when he sang quieter or in falsetto (as Jerri said), even during the end of the chorus of "I'm Alive" he did a cool phrasing thing where he lingered on the Ls and got louder for a second and then immediately soft. I explained that the best I could. It's not on youtube. Trust, it was the only thing he did differently that was sexy, though I for real thought Marin was going to kiss him on the mouth during "There's A World." She kept stroking his face and bringing it to hers.
Actually nearly every time Gabe showed up, I got kind of annoyed but I think it's mostly because I cared so much about Diana and Dan's marriage that I just didn't want that asshole fucking things up any more.
Cruel side note: it made me laugh a little that he was ever-so-slightly out of breath during "I'm Alive." It reminded me of how the choreographer was like "Can you start on the ground floor and be at the third level by the next line?" And Tveit was just like "Let's try it!" I imagine every actor who plays this role going "DAMN YOU TVEIT!!" when they have to learn that part. It's really fucking hard to sing and move, even if you're not scaling three flights of stairs in five seconds! Also had to tell Christie the story of how Tveit almost fell once and it made him more daring because he's just that much of a hoss. Oh, and they really need to put a Spring Awakening-like age cap on this role. I really don't want to see a 35-year-old pretending to be 17. Let's just have all fresh-faced nobodies straight out of high school. Who cast this? I would like to sit in on those auditions. Telsey. Of course.
We saw an understudy as Natalie, MacKenzie Mauzy. She is blonde (worked well with the new leads) but otherwise a lot like Jennifer Damiano (another case of understudy syndrome?). I think I liked her more though. She was very tightly wound but not as into hand-acting. Her voice gets really tight and INTENSE in the high belting parts. I'm sure it's an acquired taste, but I think it worked really well.
Adam Chanler-Berat and Louis Hobson are still solid in their thankless roles. Actually they were both particularly funny tonight, getting laughs I've never heard before. The audience in general was really receptive, though. They even clapped at Kyle Dean's entrance. I could hear the girl behind me sobbing her eyes out throughout the show and I wanted to turn around and offer her a hug.
The greatest relief is that the show doesn't suffer with a new cast. It's not like that time Joey McIntyre was in tick, tick...BOOM! (I love Joey Mac, but let's be real). It's still so beautiful and I would still recommend it to everyone I know. And I think Isherwood should rewrite that article about Broadway replacements.