April 16, 2009

J. Robert Spencer Rocks in Next to Normal!

April 16th, 2009

(Photo credit: Walter McBride at BroadwayWorld.com)

Next to Normal, starring Bobby Spencer, Alice Ripley, Jennifer Damiano, and Aaron Tveit opened on Broadway last night to stellar reviews! The production is an incredibly poignant and heartfelt rock musical about the impact of mental illness on one contemporary family.

Bobby plays the father of the family, Dan Goodman, who attempts to hold his family together by maintaining his own sanity. Bobby was truly tremendous back when we saw him at Arena Stage in December! On Broadway, critics are raving about Bobby’s performance:

The Canadian Press: As she flounders, her family suffers, too. There is her husband (superbly played by J. Robert Spencer), a pent-up helpmate who is dutiful in his devotion and devoid of passion as he bottles up his own feelings.


Theatermania.com
: Spencer, who joined the cast during its Arena leg, presents an appropriately bland persona in the first act, and then slowly reveals the emotional damage that Dan has also suffered over the years — and the reprise of “I Am the One,” sung between Dan and Gabe towards the end of the musical, remains the most devastating moment in the show.

New York Times: The character’s cheerful neutrality, which pervades even Mr. Spencer’s clear tenor, summons the evaporating spirit of a man who is slowly erasing himself.

Visit the official Next to Normal website for the full reviews on this amazing musical!

Congratulations to Bobby and his castmates on the phenomenal NEXT TO NORMAL!

9 Comments »

  1. Congrats Bobby! Looking forward to seeing you and this production mid-May.

    Comment by Charly O'Clarit — April 17, 2009 @ 12:58 am

  2. I’m so thrilled for Bobby. His great work ethic, positive attitude, and mind-set of ‘if you want it, just do it, no matter what it takes’ are really paying off big for him.

    Congratulations, Bobby!

    Comment by Catherine — April 17, 2009 @ 9:13 am

  3. Wow–well deserved great reviews. So thrilled for Bobby, Saw it in DC and looking forward to seeing it again tomorrow night. Hope this is eligible for Tony nominations this year!

    Comment by Howard Tucker — April 17, 2009 @ 10:18 pm

  4. Bobby always lists three p’s on his website as the key to his success: patience, persistence, and prayer. I can think of a few others: preparation, perspiration, passion, personality…and finally, for Bobby…PAYOFF. Congratulations, Bobby.

    Comment by Howard Tucker — April 18, 2009 @ 12:48 pm

  5. Just saw the show last night and LOVED it. Everyone was on their feet for the curtain call. Lots of great talent up on that stage. Go see it!

    Comment by Gary — April 19, 2009 @ 11:53 am

  6. Don’t miss this one! Bobby…congratulations! I look forward to seeing Next to Normal get what it deserves at the Tony Awards. Bobby, thanks for always being so gracious at the stage door!

    Comment by Carolyn — April 20, 2009 @ 10:33 am

  7. We had such a great group on Saturday night: Pam, Priscilla, Gary, Wanda, Carolyn, Lindsay, Donna, Mary, and Jack, and we all loved Next to Normal; for me, it was even better the second time around.

    Bobby and his colleagues were so, so gracious as always. His leading lady, Alice Ripley, spent about an hour at the stage door greeting everyone, and playfully reminded me it’s only been sixteen years since “The Who’s Tommy” and not seventeen!

    We had the added bonus of seeing Angela Lansbury emerge from “Blithe Spirit” next door, and she even waved at my friend Priscilla as her limo pulled away. Hasn’t she come a long way since “National Velvet”?

    Please don’t miss Bobby in N2N. You’ll be floored when you hear his great singing voice (move over, Susan Boyle!)

    Comment by Howard Tucker — April 21, 2009 @ 11:56 am

  8. OMG!! Bobby, you were amazing! What an incredible show. Such emotion! Congratulations Bobby and congrats to the the rest of the cast as well. What a talented, humble and gracious group of people! Wonderful time spent speaking with cast memebers after the show! I know I’ll be back to see the show again! CONGRATULATIONS ONE AND ALL!

    Comment by WANDA — April 22, 2009 @ 8:28 am

  9. My wife and I saw the show last night. An extraordinary show by an exceptional cast, especially our Bobby.

    Comment by D. Cace — April 25, 2009 @ 4:42 pm

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