Bought the soundtrack, and honestly, fell in love with it. It's blend of styles give it a semi-unique feel (not going to say unique, since we've already established that Rent and Suessical have done similar blends).But I personally feel like the story in and of itself is a very potent creation that while not necessarily heartwarming, is very truthful of the modern American family - dysfunctional, but still struggling to get by and try to make things work.

<3

I bought the album off itunes.
I love the following songs: I'm Alive, Catch Me I'm Falling, I Miss The Mountains, and Aftershocks.


I LOVE Aftershocks. I swear, I pretty much sang that through a 5 hour shift at work the entire time I was there...obsessed much?

alice ripley was phenomenal. i don't know the music well enough to speak for it yet but it was soo good. everyones performances were so raw..alice ripley being the queen though i loved it...it was so inspirational...but then again everyone says that. alice was soooooooooooooo good though...i want to be able to command the stage and a role the way she did for sure

i thought the entire show was amazing! alice ripley does her deserving tony award winning role and the whole cast is just star selected. and i don't know why some people don't like the score---i mean the show won best score, and the lyrics are ingenious! i'm going to defend the cast and crew of n2n, and say it was a worth-while show---you will leave a changed person from that show....i'm seeing it again in January! The first time i saw it, i had horrible seats (Mezz, N) but in January we are seeing the show Orchestra BB. SOOO excited!

I know Sherie Rene Scott played the role in early workshops, and I could easily see her be a great Diana.

I've read on here that people think some of the lyrics are chessy and not up-to-par. What specific ones are you talking about? The only one that really sticks out to me as being weird and corny is in "Wish You Were Here" when they sing "I'm flying on a magic gun but I'm missing all the fun." What does that even mean?

I love this show! Does anybody know the address for the message board for it? Somebody told me there was one but I haven't been able to find it!

Slowly... I'm starting to find small flaws. Things that I overlooked because of the overwhelmingly intense plot line and fierce (alice ripley) performers.
Like the lyrics of "I am the One" are extremely repetitive. Seriously, count how many times the phrase "who I am" is used.

However, I much prefer the lyrics of this show to SA's lyrics.

And plus whenever my sister goes to take her depression pills every night, I turn to her and say, "Valium is my favorite color!"
I'm seeing it again on the 31st. hooray!

I personally think there's nothing wrong with "I Am the One". Both Dan and Diana want each other to see what the other is going through. Dan sings "That's who I am" because Diana doesn't see that he really loves her and that he doesn't know what to do at times. Who would if they had a wife who thought their son was still alive after he had died as a baby? Diana just doesn't get what Dan is feeling and trying to express because she's bipolar and she's going through her own problems.

I think it really depends on who is playing Dan or how they play it as to how the show turns out. J. Robert Spencer was way... sadder I guess? As Dan. And Brian d'Arcy James is more forceful. He doesn't cry as much.

PS somebody was nice enough to PM me the link to their message board, this is it: http://z3.invisionfree.com/nexttonormal

I really think the show is going to change a ton depending on who is playing the roles bc so much of it is up to interpretation.

I think Next to Normal is filled with bad lyrics.

"Gray and drizzly morn.."
"We saw the painted desert, the Grand Canyon, and Aunt Rhonda."

All the lyrics in the numerous Hey's.