she keeps her love away

This weekend was fun. My family was in town and we saw three shows ~ two planned, one from the TKTS booth.

First up? Billy Elliot on Friday night.

Let me say first off that I loved this show in London. Even jetlagged, I was captivated by it. It had energy, it had passion...it had that x-factor. I was thrilled it was coming to Broadway, and couldn't wait to see it. As it happens, I wasn't able to until my family was in town. My parents (and I think sister) were familiar with the movie and very excited about it. Daddy had gotten the cast recording, and liked that.

Sadly, there was just a lack of energy that we all felt on Friday night. The kids came close to having some, but even they seemed to be struggling to maintain an energy level that wasn't there. Yes, there was a technical glitch in the first part of the show (sadly technical glitches are STILL not uncommon with this one from what I understand) and they had to stop for a few minutes, but even before that it didn't feel like there was a lot of any energy. David was the Billy we saw, and his dancing WAS spectacular ~ his voice, not so much sadly. But there was just some magical spark that seemed to be missing on Friday ~ at least as my family perceived it.

Granted, our concentration was not helped by the group of middle school (I'm assuming...possibly high school) students scatterred throughout the mezzanine. They chatted, they put feet ~ with or without flip flops on them! ~ on the back of the chairs, they sat in the wrong seats and argued with the usher. Some of them even laughed audibly after the first line in "Electricity" which really broke the mood for that song. So overall it just was NOT a good experience Friday night.

Saturday ~ In The Heights matinee via TKTS*.

This was my...5th time seeing the show, and my 1st since Lin-Manuel Miranda left his role of Usnavi. It was my dad's 2nd time and the 1st for my mom and sister. We had great seats ~ row Q in the orchestra. The Rodgers is a great theatre for the orchestra as the back part is stepped like a stadium! :) Love it!

The show is in fantastic shape. Javier Munoz, the new Usnavi, still incorporates some aspects of Lin's take on the character, but he's making it his own too. The rest of the cast was excellent as well. Definitely more energetic than the cast appeared in Billy Elliot the night before. Robin deJesus absolutely steals the show ~ he is amazing. There are some new ensemble members, and they fit in really well. Everyone loved it ~ well, in my family anyway.

Saturday night ~ next to normal

Ok, it is no secret that I adore this show. I was thrilled to death with the reviews ~ especially Ben Brantley's review in the Times! I read that one to Daddy as we were in the taxi to Manhattan. Still, I was really nervous to see how my family would react to it ~ especially as much as I've talked about it. There were at least 2 celebs in attendance ~ Kevin Bacon was in front of us for Act 1. Sadly he was apparently kind of harassed in the men's room during intermission and skipped Act 2. Hal Prince (director of such things as the original run of Sweeney Todd, Evita and Phantom of the Opera) was in the row behind us. just random tidbits.

I kept trying to get a read on my dad through Act 1 and wasn't able to. All fears were put to rest when intermission started. His reaction: "And what we saw last night is considered to be on the same level as this? There is no comparison. This is FAR superior." And he's not a huge musical aficionado as far as that goes. But he knows when he feels energy and electricity, and when he's feeling some passion or emotion towards a piece. Mom and Sis loved next to normal as well! (Incidentally, I snuck a glance back at Mr. Prince during curtain call, and he was visibly moved. So that can only be a spectacular thing!)

So it ended on a wonderful note, which was awesome!!!

* For those who don't know about TKTS (you say each letter, not as one word ~ I have heard a lot of people call it "tikutuss" or something like that), it's run by Theatre Development Fund. It is a booth ~ actually three booths in Times Square, the Seaport, and in downtown Brooklyn ~ where producers can release unsold seats to shows at 20%, 30%, 40% or 50% off for day-of performances. It's not always the best seats, though you can get, but sometimes you get really lucky ~ especially closer to the time of performance. Definitely worth checking out. They take cash, traveler's cheques, and plastic now. :)

Wow. Just. Wow.

So I'm kind of obsessed with this little show called next to normal (music by Tom Kitt, lyrics by Brian Yorkey, direction by Michael Greif). I've been following it for over a year since it was Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in New York. It took a development detour through Arena Stage in DC, where it just won a Helen Hayes Award for Best Non-Resident Musical. And it opens tomorrow night on Broadway!!!!!

It's the story of what appears to be your average suburban family. Only...you quickly learn they're not so average. Mom has what may or may not be bipolar disorder, and whatever she has it's affecting everyone in various ways. To say a lot more would be to give away too much.

Alice Ripley (best known for Side Show) plays Diana, the wife and mother. She is heart wrenching in this performance every single time she gives it. There is no halfway with her, it's all or nothing. I'm not a fan of the word in this context, but saying she's fierce really does apply here. She just won a Helen Hayes Award for Lead Actress in a Non-Resident Production for this role in DC. Prayers are definitely going up to the Tony gods!

J Robert Spencer (of Jersey Boys fame) plays Dan, the husband and father. At Second Stage, the role was played by Brian d'Arcy James, who is now appearing in Shrek the Musical. I know I've read a lot of people who prefer Brian to Bobby...and yes, I adored Brian's performance at Second Stage. But from the moment I saw Bobby in the role at Arena, I was hooked. There's just something Bobby brings to the performance...a human quality that for me was just slightly lacking in Brian's. Maybe it's the way the character's story has been re-arced so to speak, but I cannot imagine anyone but Bobby in this role now. He and Alice have great chemistry, and it's fun to see little things they do here and there in various performances. They really make Dan and Diana a believable couple.

Aaron Tveit plays Gabe, Dan and Diana's son. He's everything a parent could want in a child ~ good looking, compassionate, smart, etc., etc. The every child hero, you know? And at least in Mom's eyes, he can do no wrong. Aaron is AMAZING in this role ~ bounding all over the stage with an agility that I haven't seen anyone else have. His voice isn't bad either. It's fantastic. He also just won a Helen Hayes Award for Featured Performer in a Non-Resident Production for this role.

Jennifer Damiano moves from the ensemble for Spring Awakening into her own in the role of Natalie, Dan and Diana's daughter. She's brilliant and talented, but overshadowed by her older brother, especially in her mother's eyes. She's just trying to hang on. Jennifer takes what could be an average angsty teen role and makes Natalie completely lovable even as she's trying not to fall apart.

Adam Chanler-Berat plays Henry, her boyfriend. He is charming and adorable and fantastic in the part. Louis Hobson plays both of Diana's doctors and shines in these roles that could easily be throw-away in another treatment.

next to normal is not a show with easy answers about anything. It's not completely anti-medication, but it's not exactly pro-medication. It's not completely pro-psychotherapy, but it's not exactly anti-psychotherapy. Things aren't necessarily all tied up in a nice neat little bow. But it's compelling, heart warming as well as heart wrenching, and emotionally honest with arguably the best original score to be heard on Broadway in YEARS. You don't see that a lot in these days of movie-to-musical cookie cutter shows.

Take a chance on this little musical. I don't think you'll regret it!

I give it 4 out of 4 stars.