Ripley discussed the emotional demands of playing Diana, a bipolar suburban mother struggling to deal with grief, as well as her upcoming rock album, "Daily Practice Vol. 1." She also compared Next to Normal to Side Show, her other Tony-nominated performance.
The national tour of Next to Normal will play San Francisco Jan. 25-Feb. 20 at the Curran Theatre. "Daily Practice Vol. 1" will be released Feb. 15 on Sh-K-Boom Records.
To watch the interview with Ripley, look below: