Alice Ripley

Part of the frustration of being bipolar is people don't understand what it feels like. ”

What made me so brave? Maybe it was being the middle kid of 11, and we all had to share one bathroom. New underwear? I never discovered that until I got into college. ”

My favorite thing as a performing artist is to get a pile of raw material from a writer who says, 'Will you help me make this real?' There's nothing like starting from scratch. ”

As a teen, 'Thunder Road' was always in my head. ”

My mother is always the most vulnerable person in any room, and so I definitely have that part of her inside me. ”

There is genuine healing in a beautifully crafted musical theatre song, like Stephen Sondheim's 'Losing My Mind,' or a pop music gem like Joni Mitchell's 'Help Me.' ”

Don't get me wrong: I love having my own song and being the center of attention, but I also love being part of the group and making the show work in a more anonymous way. ”

I love every minute of my work. ”

I love having a basement. ”

I love New York City. I really do. I 'heart' New York. ”