Next To Normal - Blog Posts

Concept: Next to normal revival, directed by Michael Arden

Even better concept: Deaf West Next to normal revival, directed by Michael Arden

Pia Douwes and Maya Hakvoort in the same roles

Note1: I couldn't find pics of Maya as Velma and Milady, so I have to leave that to everyone's imagination

Note2: while they played the same character in 3 musketiere, the productions were not the same, they were different musicals by different writers/composers, based on the same story. Unfortunately I couldn't find much information about the St. Gallen one with Maya from 2000

Note3: just to make it clear, I didn't make this post to compare them to each other (apparently people like to do that, at least in the comment section of YouTube), I love both of them very much and I think they're both freaking talented and stunning

I know this isn’t the normal thing I post but the PBS Pro Shot of Next to Normal genuinely has me in a chokehold. It’s so beautifully heartbreaking and the entire cast acts their asses off. If you think you can stomach it I recommend it, If not for the amazing story telling then at least to support PBS due to the recent news in US.

Henley Monday -

Whew. I don't know about you guys, but I always feel extra lethargic the Monday after an Awards show. It could be because my emotions are running at full blast and I'm either euphorically happy and crying along with the winners or screaming about injustices to my TV (BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH. WHEREFORE??).

Anyhow, as the cast and selected crew of Les Mis assembled on the stage to accept their award for best Comedy/Musical (LOL at this anachronistic category), I noticed a very special someone missing. Aaron Tveit. Dear sweet Aaron Tveit or Enjolras as you may know him. Why wasn't he there?!? What on Earth could have kept him from being on my TV!?

So to make up for his absence, here is a handsome picture of him looking really masculine in mauve which is just a testament to not only his good looks but the power of the henley. Happy Monday.

actually i am still thinking about dan goodman from next to normal. at some point during the course of the play, you start wondering why he isn't also still grieving his son in some way, since loss like that never really leaves you. when his solution to di's amnesia is to just not tell her about their son and his death, you think, oh, he's probably repressing his own grief and loss, likely because he's had to prioritize supporting his family.

but to get to the end and have him be the one to reveal gabe's name? that gabe's ghost stays with him and flips "i am the one" in such a chilling reprisal, to take the song about support and stability and flip it on the guy who's been trying to be an anchor in his family's life, to make it about gabe being the anchor the same unhealthy way he was for diane--and then to have "light" come back but it's moved onto dan and nat???? and gabe just lightly touching his sister's hand even though he isn't real and they've never met. when you're struggling, your whole support network struggles!!!!!!!

this musical!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thinking about how Dan essentially lost his son and his wife on the same day.

i think dan and diana both “love [natalie] as much as [they] can” and dan does a better job of it and is very intentional with giving natalie time and attention but he’s almost too intentional with it, too obvious that “look at us! i’m giving you attention!” she knows she’s getting scraps, she knows her mom comes first, she’s getting what dan has left to give when her mom doesn’t need anything at the moment—she’s a distant second place to gabe in her mom’s mind and a slightly closer second place to her mom in her dad’s mind

i just realized they released next to normal in the US on mother’s day weekend and that is FOUL