''Next to Normal'' (stylized in all lowercase) is a 2008 American

rock musical A rock musical is a musical theatre work with rock music. The genre of rock musical may overlap somewhat with album musicals, concept albums and song cycles, as they sometimes tell a story through the rock music, and some album musicals and con ...

with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening

bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that last from days to weeks each. If the elevat ...

and the effects that managing her illness has on her family. The musical addresses

grief Grief is the response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or some living thing that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, grief also has physical, cogniti ...

, depression,

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and ...

drug abuse Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...

, ethics in modern psychiatry, and the underbelly of suburban life. Before its

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

debut, ''Next to Normal'' received several workshop performances and won the

Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newsp ...

for Outstanding New Score and received

Drama Desk Awards The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

nominations for Outstanding Actress ( Alice Ripley) and Outstanding Score. After its

run, the show played from November 2008 to January 2009 at the

Arena Stage Arena Stage is a not-for-profit regional theater based in Southwest, Washington, D.C. Established in 1950, it was the first racially integrated theater in Washington, D.C. and its founders helped start the U.S. regional theater movement. It is ...

while the theater was in its temporary venue in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

. The musical opened on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in April 2009. It was nominated for eleven

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

that year and won three: Best Original Score, Best Orchestration, and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for Alice Ripley. It also won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, becoming the eighth musical in history to receive the honor. In awarding the prize to Kitt and Yorkey, the Pulitzer Board called the show "a powerful rock musical that grapples with mental illness in a suburban family and expands the scope of subject matter for musicals." The first US tour launched in November 2010, with Alice Ripley reprising her Broadway role; the tour concluded in July 2011. The Broadway production closed on January 16, 2011 after 20 previews and 734 regular performances. There have been numerous international productions.

Synopsis

Act I

Diana Goodman, a suburban mother with bipolar disorder, stays up late awaiting the return of her son Gabe, who has broken curfew. Also awake is Diana's daughter Natalie, an overachieving high school student who is stressfully studying for an upcoming test. Diana encourages her daughter to take a break and rest. Soon after, Gabe returns home, and Diana's husband, Dan, awakes to help the family prepare for the day (“Just Another Day”). Diana prepares a meal for her family, but Dan and Natalie stop her when they realize the sandwiches she is making cover every kitchen surface. As Dan helps the disoriented Diana, Natalie and Gabe leave for school. Natalie releases some pent-up anger and frustration as she practices for an upcoming piano recital in the school's music room (“Everything Else”), where she meets Henry, a classmate who has been admiring Natalie from afar. Meanwhile, Diana repeatedly visits her psychiatrist's office, where she is prescribed a variety of medications that all prove to cause debilitating physical side effects; Dan waits through her appointments in the car while he questions his own sanity (“Who’s Crazy?/ My Psychopharmacologist and I”). When Diana is given a medication that numbs and rids her of all feelings, the doctor pronounces her stable and sends her on her way. After witnessing a romantic moment between Natalie and Henry (“Perfect For You”), Diana mourns the loss of her old life, longing for the days she lived in both pain and joy, as opposed to the numbness her new medication has caused (“I Miss the Mountains”). At Gabe's suggestion, she flushes her medications. Meanwhile, Dan arranges a family dinner, inviting Henry to join them (“It’s Gonna Be Good”). When Diana brings to the table a cake for Gabe's birthday, Dan gently reminds her that Gabe, in fact, died nearly sixteen years ago, and her visions of him throughout the show have only been hallucinations ("He's Not Here"). After an upset Natalie runs to her bedroom, Dan clears off the dinner table while Diana reveals she has stopped her medication. As he tries to empathize with her, she becomes angry, saying he could not possibly understand the pain she is going through (“You Don’t Know”). Dan begs her to let him help however he can, reminding her of his faithfulness and patience thus far, but is interrupted by a vision of Gabe, whom only Diana can see. Diana immediately clings to her son, rejecting Dan's offer of comfort (“I Am the One”). Upstairs, Natalie vents to Henry over her mother's attachment to the dead Gabe. Diana overhears their conversation and offers the only comfort she is capable of giving, telling Natalie, “I love you as much as I can.” (“Superboy and the Invisible Girl”) Diana visits a new doctor, who performs talk therapy and hypnosis on her. During their session, she sees Gabe, who asserts his dominance over her and the control he has in her life ("I'm Alive"). Diana reveals intimate details about the effects of her illness, saying that she was unable to hold Natalie in the hospital when she was born. Meanwhile, Natalie botches an important piano recital upon discovering her parents are not in the audience (“Make Up Your Mind/ Catch Me I’m Falling”). Diana's doctor encourages her to go home, spend time with Natalie, and clean out a box of Gabe's old things in an attempt to let him go. Diana agrees but is confronted with a hallucination of Gabe while sorting through a box in their basement (“I Dreamed a Dance”). Gabe convinces her to commit suicide, saying it is the only way they can be together (“There’s a World”). Diana is hospitalized after her suicide attempt fails, and Dr. Madden tells Dan that

electroconvulsive therapy Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatric treatment where a generalized seizure (without muscular convulsions) is electrically induced to manage refractory mental disorders.Rudorfer, MV, Henry, ME, Sackeim, HA (2003)"Electroconvulsive th ...

is one of the only options they have left. Dan returns home to clean up the scene of his wife's attempt at suicide, narrowly avoiding a breakdown of his own as he reminisces about the years spent with Diana (“I’ve Been”). Natalie finds him and is angry to discover that he has agreed to the doctor's recommendation of shock therapy. Upon returning to the hospital, he finds that Diana has become aggressive with the staff for wanting her to sign the confirmation papers, likening the idea of shock therapy to its depiction in the film ''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'' (“Didn’t I See This Movie?”). However, after clearing the room, he manages to convince her of the necessity of this treatment, saying it is the only way they can get back to normal (“A Light in the Dark”). Diana reluctantly agrees and signs the papers.

Act II

Diana receives a series of ECT treatments over two weeks. Meanwhile, Natalie experiments with drugs and frequently goes clubbing, being rescued most nights by Henry, who sees her home safely. On one occasion, she seems to share a hallucination with her mother, highlighting some of the parallels between their emotional states (“Wish I Were Here”). Upon Diana's return home from the hospital, it is revealed that she has lost her memories of the last nineteen years due to the shock therapy – including the memory of her deceased son (“Song of Forgetting“). During this song Natalie expresses concerns over the efficacy of this "cure" claiming her mind is "so pure she doesn't know anything" while Dan remains hopeful about the eventual return of Diana's memory. Henry, who has been finding Natalie passed out at clubs and driving her home, asks Natalie to the upcoming school dance, an invitation which she immediately declines (“Hey #1”). Meanwhile, Dan questions Dr. Madden over Diana's memory loss, learning it is a relatively common side effect of ECT (“Seconds and Years”). Because Gabe's death was the start of a lifetime of depression, Dan hesitates to remind her of it. At home, he and Natalie help Diana sort through a box of pictures and memories of her old life, leaving out any mention of Gabe's existence (“Better Than Before”). However, Diana is briefly confronted afterward by Gabe, who hints that she has forgotten a vital part of her life (“Aftershocks”). Meanwhile, Henry again invites Natalie to the dance but is turned down again (“Hey #2). Diana visits Dr. Madden, who accidentally reveals the existence of her son, unaware that Dan has not yet done so (“You Don’t Know (reprise)”). After learning this, Diana returns home and searches through Gabe's old belongings, finding the music box that helped him sleep as an infant. When Dan finds her revisiting the night their son died, he reluctantly reminds her that their son had died of an illness all of the doctors missed (“How Could I Ever Forget?”). Diana confusedly admits she recalls hallucinating Gabe as a teenager, and Dan frantically says they will get her to the doctor and do more ECT (“It’s Gonna Be Good (reprise)”), which leads to a heated argument between the two that Natalie witnesses the peak of. After Natalie runs upstairs to her bedroom, where Henry is waiting to talk with her, Diana questions Dan about why he stays, despite all of the things she puts him through and all the pain they have experienced together. He reminds her of their wedding vows and promises to see their relationship through, no matter how much she pushes him away. Upstairs, Henry makes a similar pledge to Natalie (“Why Stay?/A Promise”). However, Diana again sees Gabe and is immediately entranced by him, drawn away from Dan (“I’m Alive – Reprise”). Though Dan begs her to stay, Diana leaves and visits Dr. Madden, frustrated that years of treatment haven't seemed to improve her condition, and wonders if her grief over losing her son should truly be medicated (“The Break”). Dr. Madden pleads with her to stay with him, recommending more shock treatment and other medications, but she leaves the appointment (“Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling (reprise)”). Upon returning outside, she connects with Natalie for the first time, noting the similarities between the two of them and truly making an effort to connect with her for possibly the first time. They embrace and agree that somehow they will get a life somewhere next to normal, and Diana drives Natalie to the dance to meet Henry (“Maybe”). At the dance, Natalie voices her concerns to Henry that she will someday end up with the same issues as her mother, though Henry promises to stand by her no matter what, and the two kiss (“Hey #3/ Perfect For You (reprise)”). Diana returns home and tells Dan she is leaving him, saying that though she still loves him, they both must finally come to terms with their grief on their own (“So Anyway”). Devastated, Dan looks back on his years of faithfulness to her and sees Gabe for the first time (“I Am the One (reprise)”). The two share an embrace, and Dan says Gabe's name for the first and only time in the show. Gabe disappears, and Natalie returns home to find that her mother is gone. She continues her relationship with Henry, and Diana has moved in with her parents temporarily, still depressed but more hopeful than she's ever been. Dan visits Dr. Madden, who gives him the name of another psychiatrist he can talk to. Gabe is seen by the audience one final time, this time relaying a message of hope as opposed to the threatening, ominous persona he has previously taken, and the family adjusts to their new way of life (“Light”).

Characters

''Note: These descriptions come from the Characters section in the script.'' * Diana: "A suburban mother. Sharp. Delusional bipolar depressive. Thirties or forties." * Gabe: "Diana's son who died as a baby. He comes back to her in visions as a teenager." * Dan: "Diana's husband. Handsome. Genuine. Constant. Tired. Thirties or forties." * Natalie: "Diana's daughter. Sixteen and trying to be perfect. It's not going well." * Henry: "Musician. Romantic. Stoner. Slacker. Philosopher king. Seventeen." * Doctor Madden (Doctor Fine): "On the young side of ageless. Assured. A rock star."

Musical numbers

''Note: The song titles are not listed in the program'' 2008 Off-Broadway ; Act I * "Prelude" – Orchestra * "Preprise – Let There Be Light" – Dan, Natalie, Diana * "Just Another Day" – Diana, Natalie, Gabe, Dan * "Everything Else" – Natalie * "More... And More... And More" – Diana, Natalie, Gabe, Henry, Doctor Madden * "The Cavalry" – Dan * "Who's Crazy"/ " My Psychopharmacologist and I" – Dan, Doctor Fine, Diana * "Perfect For You" – Henry, Natalie * "I Miss the Mountains" – Diana * "It's Gonna Be Good" – Dan, Natalie, Henry, Diana * "He's Not Here" – Dan * "You Don't Know" – Diana * "I Am the One" – Dan, Gabe, Diana * "Superboy and the Invisible Girl" – Natalie, Diana, Gabe * "Open Your Eyes" – Doctor Madden * "I'm Alive" – Gabe * "Make Up Your Mind"/ "Catch Me I'm Falling" – Doctor Madden, Diana, Dan, Natalie, Gabe, Henry * "A Good Step" – Orchestra * "I Dreamed a Dance" – Diana, Gabe * "There's a World" – Gabe * "In the Light" – Dan * "E.C.T." – Orchestra * "I've Been" – Dan, Gabe * "Didn't I See This Movie?" – Diana * "A Light in the Dark" – Dan, Diana * "Feeling Electric" – Diana, Gabe, Dan, Doctor Madden, Natalie, Henry ; Act II * "Growing Up Unstable" – Natalie * "Song of Forgetting" – Dan, Diana, Natalie * "Hey #1" – Henry, Natalie * "Seconds and Years" – Doctor Madden, Dan, Diana * "Getting Better" – Doctor Madden, Diana, Natalie * "Better Than Before" – Doctor Madden, Dan, Natalie, Diana * "Aftershocks" – Gabe * "Hey #2" – Henry, Natalie * "You Don't Know" (Reprise) – Diana, Doctor Madden * "Music Box" – Gabe * "How Could I Ever Forget?" – Diana, Dan * "It's Gonna Be Good" (Reprise) – Dan, Diana * "Why Stay?"/ "A Promise" – Diana, Natalie, Dan, Henry * "I'm Alive" (Reprise) – Gabe * "The Break" – Diana * "Make Up Your Mind"/ "Catch Me I'm Falling" (Reprise) – Doctor Madden, Diana, Gabe * "Everything" – Diana, Natalie * "Hey #3”/ "Perfect For You" (Reprise) – Henry, Natalie * "So Anyway" – Diana * "I Am the One" (Reprise) – Dan, Gabe * "Finale (Let There Be Light)" – Diana, Dan, Natalie, Gabe, Henry, Doctor Madden 2009 Broadway ; Act I * "Prelude" – Orchestra * "Just Another Day" – Diana, Natalie, Gabe, Dan * "Everything Else" – Natalie * "Who's Crazy" / "My Psychopharmacologist and I" – Dan, Doctor Fine, Diana * "Perfect for You" – Henry, Natalie * "I Miss the Mountains" – Diana * "It's Gonna Be Good" – Dan, Natalie, Henry, Diana * "He's Not Here" – Dan * "You Don't Know" – Diana * "I Am the One" – Dan, Gabe, Diana * "Superboy and the Invisible Girl" – Natalie, Diana, Gabe * "I'm Alive" – Gabe * "Make Up Your Mind" / "Catch Me I'm Falling" – Doctor Madden, Diana, Dan, Natalie, Gabe, Henry * "I Dreamed a Dance" – Diana, Gabe * "There's a World" – Gabe * "I've Been" – Dan, Gabe * "Didn't I See This Movie?" – Diana * "A Light in the Dark" – Dan, Diana ; Act II * "Wish I Were Here" – Diana, Natalie * "Song of Forgetting" – Dan, Diana, Natalie * "Hey #1" – Henry, Natalie * "Seconds and Years" – Doctor Madden, Dan, Diana * "Better Than Before" – Doctor Madden, Dan, Natalie, Diana * "Aftershocks" – Gabe * "Hey #2" – Henry, Natalie * "You Don't Know" (Reprise) – Diana, Doctor Madden * "How Could I Ever Forget?" – Diana, Dan * "It's Gonna Be Good" (Reprise) – Dan, Diana * "Why Stay?" / "A Promise" – Diana, Natalie, Dan, Henry * "I'm Alive" (Reprise) – Gabe * "The Break" – Diana * "Make Up Your Mind" / "Catch Me I'm Falling" (Reprise) – Doctor Madden, Diana, Gabe * "Maybe (Next to Normal)" – Diana, Natalie * "Hey #3" / "Perfect for You" (Reprise) – Henry, Natalie * "So Anyway" – Diana * "I Am the One" (Reprise) – Dan, Gabe * "Light" – Diana, Dan, Natalie, Gabe, Henry, Doctor Madden

Depiction of mental illness

Bipolar disorder

''Next to Normal'' follows the struggle of one woman, Diana Goodman, with mental illness and the effect of the illness on her whole family. In the second act, these effects are at times diminished and other times exacerbated by the fact that Diana additionally suffers memory loss following electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Kitt and Yorkey began writing the musical in 2002 and continued through 2008, but there have since been changes in the understanding and treatment of bipolar depressive disorder. In the show, Diana's doctor describes her as a "bipolar depressive with delusional episodes",Music by Tom Kitt, & Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey. (2009). ''Next to normal eeling Electric'. New York, NY: Musical Theatre International. however, the most recent edition of the

American Psychiatric Association The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. It has more than 37,000 members are invo ...

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (DSM; latest edition: DSM-5-TR, published in March 2022) is a publication by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for the classification of mental disorders using a common langu ...

(DSM) would now diagnose Diana as bipolar "with psychotic features", referring to the

hallucination A hallucination is a perception in the absence of an external stimulus that has the qualities of a real perception. Hallucinations are vivid, substantial, and are perceived to be located in external objective space. Hallucination is a combinati ...

s she experiences, such as of her dead son Gabe in the form of a teenager. The disorder is also now separated into bipolar types I and II.

Treatment

Bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that last from days to weeks each. If the elevat ...

is a disorder of both

mania Mania, also known as manic syndrome, is a mental and behavioral disorder defined as a state of abnormally elevated arousal, affect, and energy level, or "a state of heightened overall activation with enhanced affective expression together wi ...

(or

hypomania Hypomania (literally "under mania" or "less than mania") is a mental and behavioural disorder, characterised essentially by an apparently non-contextual elevation of mood (euphoria) that contributes to persistently disinhibited behaviour. Th ...

) and depression that is not curable, mostly treated through psychopharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and biological means. First, are the psychopharmacological therapies, commonly known as drug therapies, which involves the use of

antipsychotic Antipsychotics, also known as neuroleptics, are a class of psychotropic medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizophrenia but also in a range of ...

anticonvulsant Anticonvulsants (also known as antiepileptic drugs or recently as antiseizure drugs) are a diverse group of pharmacological agents used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used in the treatment of ...

, and

antidepressant Antidepressants are a class of medication used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain conditions, and to help manage addictions. Common Side effect, side-effects of antidepressants include Xerostomia, dry mouth, weig ...

medications, that aim to stabilize the patient's mood. Such drugs include

Lithium Lithium (from el, λίθος, lithos, lit=stone) is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3. It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard conditions, it is the least dense metal and the least dense soli ...

, a mood stabilizer,

Ativan Lorazepam, sold under the brand name Ativan among others, is a benzodiazepine medication. It is used to treat anxiety disorders, trouble sleeping, severe agitation, active seizures including status epilepticus, alcohol withdrawal, and chemot ...

and Valium, benzodiazepines, all of which are mentioned in the lyrics, particularly in the song "My Psychopharmacologist and I", in which Diana is prescribed a plethora of different drugs at once, which are mentioned alongside their side-effects, ranging from drowsiness to

sexual dysfunction Sexual dysfunction is difficulty experienced by an individual or partners during any stage of normal sexual activity, including physical pleasure, desire, preference, arousal, or orgasm. The World Health Organization defines sexual dysfunction a ...

. Another form of treatment the play explores is

psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...

, where patients talk to psychologists or other licensed mental health professionals and aim to work through the psychological component of their disease through conversation; Diana's psychiatrist leads her through a

guided meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally cal ...

or hypnotherapeutic approach. The third form addressed is electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in which seizures are induced by sending an electric current through the brain. Following a suicide attempt, Diana is convinced to undergo ECT and then loses her memory (including her memory of Gabe), which she slowly gains back in talks with her family. ECT is often viewed as a last-resort option for depressed patients who are incredibly ill and extremely treatment-resistant or whose symptoms include very serious suicidal or psychotic symptoms, or for pregnant women. This practice holds true in the play, in which ECT is only recommended after Diana's hallucination of Gabe suggests that she kill herself in the song "There's a World".

Productions

Development

The musical began in 1998 as a 10-minute workshop sketch about a woman undergoing electroshock therapy, and its impact on her family, called ''Feeling Electric''. Yorkey brought the idea to Kitt while both were at the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. Kitt wrote a rock score for the short piece, which was highly critical of the medical treatment. Both Yorkey and Kitt turned to other projects, but they "kept returning to ''Feeling Electric''", eventually expanding it to a full-length musical.Getlin, Josh. "The Ballad of Kitt &Yorkey", ''Columbia Magazine'',

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

, Fall 2010, pp. 22–23 This had a reading in 2002 at the Village Theatre in

Issaquah, Washington Issaquah ( ) is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 40,051 at the 2020 census. Located in a valley and bisected by Interstate 90, the city is bordered by the Sammamish Plateau to the north and the " Issaquah Al ...

, then at several venues in New York City, with a cast that included

Norbert Leo Butz Norbert Leo Butz (born January 30, 1967) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his work in Broadway theatre. He is a two-time winner of the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and is one of only nine actors ever to have won th ...

as Dan, Sherie Rene Scott as Diana, Benjamin Schrader as Gabe, Anya Singleton as Natalie and Greg Naughton as Dr. Madden. A subsequent staged reading was held in late 2002 at the Musical Mondays Theater Lab in New York. In 2005 it was workshopped again at Village Theatre starring

Amy Spanger Amy Spanger (born May 21, 1971) is an American actress, singer and dancer. Early life Spanger was born in Newbury, Massachusetts. Career Spanger made her Broadway debut in 1995 in the musical ''Sunset Boulevard'', following a half-year ru ...

as Diana, Jason Collins as Dan,

Mary Faber Mary Benton Faber (born in Greenville, North Carolina) is an American actress. She graduated from the Governor's School for the Arts and Brandeis University. Stage career Faber made her Broadway debut on December 26, 2005, replacing Stephanie ...

as Natalie and

Deven May Deven Shaw May (born April 3, 1971, in Whittier, California) is a Broadway performer, actor and photographer. He is most famous for his portrayal of the half-bat, half-human boy in Laurence O'Keefe's Off-Broadway musical '' Bat Boy'', for which h ...

as Dr. Madden. In September 2005, the musical ran at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, with Spanger as Diana, Joe Cassidy as Dan,

Annaleigh Ashford Annaleigh Amanda Ashford (née Swanson; born June 25, 1985) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is known for her work on television as Betty DiMello on the Showtime period drama ''Masters of Sex'', and on Broadway as Lauren in '' Kin ...

as Natalie, Benjamin Schrader as Gabe and Anthony Rapp as Dr. Madden. This attracted the attention of producer David Stone. Second Stage Theatre then workshopped the piece in both 2006 and 2007, featuring Cassidy and then

Gregg Edelman Gregg Edelman (born September 12, 1958) is an American movie, television and theatre actor. Biography Edelman was born in Chicago, Illinois, attended Niles North High School, where he starred as Li'l Abner opposite future soap star Nancy Lee Gra ...

as Dan, Alice Ripley as Diana,

and then

Phoebe Strole Phoebe Kathryne Strole (born January 22, 1983 in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American actress who is best known for originating the role of Anna in the 2006 Broadway musical '' Spring Awakening''. Early life Strole graduated from Southwest High ...

as Natalie, Rapp as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine and Skylar Astin as Henry. Meanwhile, at the urging of Stone and director Michael Greif, who had joined the team, the creators focused the show on the family's pain rather than on the critique of the medical establishment.

Off-Broadway and Virginia (2008–09)

''Next to Normal'' was first produced

at the Second Stage Theatre from January 16 through March 16, 2008, directed by Greif, with Anthony Rapp as assistant director and musical staging by Sergio Trujillo. The cast featured Ripley as Diana, Brian d'Arcy James as Dan,

Aaron Tveit Aaron Kyle Tveit (; born October 21, 1983) is an American actor. Tveit originated the lead role of Christian the composer in the stage adaptation of ''Moulin Rouge!'' on Broadway, a performance for which he won the 2020 Tony Award for Best Acto ...

as Gabe, Jennifer Damiano as Natalie,

Adam Chanler-Berat Adam Brian Chanler-Berat (born December 31, 1986) is an American stage and film actor and singer. He is best known for his work on Broadway, originating the roles of Henry in '' Next to Normal'' (2008–2011), Boy in '' Peter and the Starcatcher ...

as Henry and Asa Somers as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine. The surname of the family was changed from Brown to Goodman. Although the show received mixed reviews, at least one reviewer criticized it for pushing an irresponsible message about the treatment of bipolar disorder and for failing to strike the proper balance between pathos and comedy. The critics found the show internally confused, and the team decided to make major changes in both the book and score, including eliminating the original title song, "Feeling Electric". They concentrated the story entirely on the emotions of Diana and her family as they confront bitter truths. The re-written musical was given a regional theatre production at the

(normally in Washington, D.C. but operating in Virginia during a renovation of its main facility), from November 21, 2008 through January 18, 2009, under the direction of Greif. J. Robert Spencer took over the role of Dan while

Louis Hobson Louis Hobson is a musical theater actor and was the artistic director of Balagan Theatre in Seattle, Washington. His Broadway credits include ''Next to Normal'' and ''Bonnie & Clyde''. Education and personal life Hobson grew up in Puyallup, Washi ...

assumed the roles of Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine; the remaining Off-Broadway leads returned. The production received rave reviews, with critics noticing that "comic songs and glitzy production numbers" had been replaced by songs that complemented the emotional content of the book.

Broadway (2009–11)

''Next to Normal'' began previews on

at the

Booth Theatre The Booth Theatre is a Broadway theater at 222 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1913, the theater was designed by Henry Beaumont Herts in the Italian Renaissance ...

on March 27, 2009, with an opening night of April 15. The entire cast from the Arena Stage production returned, once again under the direction of Greif. The musical was originally booked for the larger

Longacre Theatre The Longacre Theatre is a Broadway theater at 220 West 48th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. Opened in 1913, it was designed by Henry B. Herts and was named for Longacre Square, now known a ...

, but, according to producer David Stone, "When the Booth Theatre became available... we knew it was the right space for ''Next to Normal''". Reviews were very favorable.

Ben Brantley Benjamin D. Brantley (born October 26, 1954) is an American theater critic, journalist, editor, publisher and writer. He served as the chief theater critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1996 to 2017, and as co-chief theater critic from 2017 to ...

of ''The New York Times'' wrote that the Broadway production is "A brave, breathtaking musical. It is something much more than a feel-good musical: it is a feel-everything musical." ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' called it "The best new musical of the season – by a mile." ''Next to Normal'' was on the Ten Best of the Year list for 2009 of "Curtain Up". The show set a new box office record at the Booth Theatre for the week ending January 3, 2010, grossing $550,409 over nine performances. The previous record was held by the 2006 production of Brian Friel's ''Faith Healer'', with a gross of $530,702. One year later, ''Next to Normal'' broke that record again during its final week on Broadway (week ending January 16, 2011) grossing $552,563 over eight performances. The producers recouped their initial investment of $4 million a few days after the production's one-year anniversary on Broadway. At the end of its run, ''Next to Normal'' grossed $31,764,486, the most out of all the shows that have run at the Booth Theatre, earning double the amount of money as its closest competition, ''I'm Not Rappaport''. Cast replacements during the run included

Marin Mazzie Marin Joy Mazzie (October 9, 1960 – September 13, 2018) was an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theatre. Mazzie was a three-time Tony Award nominee, for her performances as Clara in '' Passion'' (1994), Mother in '' ...

as Diana, Brian d'Arcy James and later

Jason Danieley Jason D. Danieley (born July 13, 1971) is an American actor, singer, concert performer and recording artist. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was married to fellow performer Marin Mazzie. Career Ben Brantley, in a review of ''Curtains' ...

as Dan, Kyle Dean Massey as Gabe and Meghann Fahy as Natalie.Healy, Patrick.
"New Casting Announced for ''Next to Normal''
''The New York Times'', June 3, 2010 John Kenrick wrote in November 2010 that the show "is glowing with breathtaking brilliance as it ends its Broadway run." The Broadway production closed on January 16, 2011 after 21 previews and 733 regular performances.

Twitter promotional campaign

In May 2009, about six weeks into the Broadway run, ''Next to Normal'' began publishing an adapted version of the script over

Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...

, the social media network. Over 35 days, the serialized version of the show was published, a single line from a character at a time. The

promotion ended the morning of June 7, 2009, the morning of the 63rd Tony Awards. The initiative earned the musical the 2009 OMMA Award for Best in Show.

First US tour (2010–11)

''Next to Normal'' began its first national tour of North America and Canada at the

Ahmanson Theatre The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that compose the Los Angeles Music Center. History The theatre was built as a result of a donation from Howard F. Ahmanson Sr, the founder of H.F. Ahmanson & Co., an insurance and savings and ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, California on November 23, 2010. The tour played in 16 cities in the U.S., ending in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on July 30, 2011. Alice Ripley reprised her role as Diana and was joined by Asa Somers as Dan, Emma Hunton as Natalie, Curt Hansen as Gabe, Preston Sadleir as Henry and Jeremy Kushnier as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine.

East West Players (2017)

East West Players East West Players is an Asian American theatre organization in Los Angeles, founded in 1965. As the nation's first professional Asian American theatre organization, East West Players continues to produce works and educational programs that give v ...

(EWP) produced a diverse and inclusive version of the musical featuring a cast with nearly all artists of color as a part of their 51st season under the direction of Nancy Keystone. The production was originally slated to run from May 12 to June 11, 2018, but was extended a week through June 28 due to high demand. The show's popularity carried into awards season, earning the production four of the major awards at the 2018

Ovation Awards The Ovation Awards are a Southern California award for excellence in theatre, established in 1989. They are given out by the non-profit arts service organization LA Stage Alliance and are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles. Winne ...

including Best Production of a Musical (Large Theater), Best Featured Actress in a Musical, Best Lead Actress in a Musical, and Direction in a Musical; additionally, the Set/Projection Designer for the show, Hana Kim, was honored with the Sherwood Award which seeks "to nurture innovative and adventurous theatre artists working in Los Angeles." Deedee Magno Hall played the leading role of Diana alongside her real-life husband Cliffton Hall, who played Diana's husband, Dan. Isa Briones won for her portrayal of Natalie. The show was praised for its subject matter and the way in which the musical's exploration of mental health tied in seamlessly with its all-Asian cast. Mental health awareness is particularly stigmatized within areas of the Asian Pacific-Islander community as a result of conflicting cultural and familial emphases. EWP's producing artistic director Snehal Desai made a point to belabor the importance of "shedding light on the stigma of mental illness in our communities," and that he hoped that the production could create "a space for that conversation."

TheaterWorks Hartford (2017)

TheaterWorks Hartford (TWH) ran a production of the show under the direction of Rob Ruggiero. The show originally ran from March 24 through April 30 before extending through May 14 of the same year in light of its great success. The show starred

Christiane Noll Christiane Noll (born October 5, 1968) is an American actress and singer known for her work in musicals and on the concert stage. She originated the role of Emma Carew in Frank Wildhorn's '' Jekyll & Hyde'', and had roles in '' Urinetown'', ''Rag ...

as Diana Goodman, alongside David Harris as Dan Goodman. The cast also included Maya Keleher, John Cardoza, J.D. Daw, and Nick Sacks. The production garnered 10 nominations for the 2017 Connecticut Critic Circle Choice Awards, and won the awards for Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Noll), Outstanding Director of a Musical, Outstanding Lighting, and Outstanding Debut (Keleher). Joseph Harrison of BroadwayWorld wrote that the production "goes beyond entertainment, reaching in and touching you to your very core in a brilliant symphony of emotional energy."

The Hartford Courant The ''Hartford Courant'' is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is considered to be the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A morning newspaper serving most of the state north of New Haven ...

praised the show for "being done with such careful thought and expressive detail in such an intimate environment raises this already confrontational musical to a different level of emotional intensity" and praised Noll for being "a fearless performer hocan switch from indomitability to vulnerability in a split second."

Kennedy Center (2020)

Rachel Bay Jones Rachel Bay Jones (born November 8, 1969) is an American actress and singer. She has played the roles of Catherine in the 2013 Broadway revival of ''Pippin'' and Evan Hansen's mother, Heidi Hansen, in ''Dear Evan Hansen''. The latter earned her ...

Brandon Victor Dixon Brandon Victor Dixon (born September 23, 1981) is an American actor, singer and theatrical producer. As a musical theatre actor, he is known for Tony Award-nominated Broadway performances as Harpo in the 2005 musical ''The Color Purple'' and Eub ...

, Roman Banks, Maia Reficco, Khamary Rose, Ben Levi Ross and Michael Park, joined original Broadway director Michael Greif for the Broadway Center Stage production at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. from January 29-February 3, 2020.

London (2023)

In October 2022 it was announced that the show would receive its London premiere at the

Donmar Warehouse The Donmar Warehouse is a 251-seat, not-for-profit theatre in Covent Garden, London, England. It first opened on 18 July 1977. Sam Mendes, Michael Grandage and Josie Rourke have all served as artistic director, a post held since 2019 by Mi ...

, in a new production directed by Michael Longhurst. The production will run from 12th of August until the 7th of October 2023, over 15 years after it first premiered in New York.

International

''Note: The following are independent productions of the musical produced internationally and in most cases, in that native language. They also feature the original music, lyrics and book, but changes in other aspects including direction, set design, costume design and choreography.

Nordic countries

The European premiere and the first non-English language production opened in September 2010 at the Det Norske Teatret in

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

under the direction of Svein Sturla Hungnes. The cast included

Heidi Gjermundsen Broch Heidi Gjermundsen Broch (born 1 March 1975 in Norway) is a Norwegian actress, singer and musical artist. Gjermundsen went to Paul McCartney's famous Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) in 1995-1997. In Norway, she went to the Norwegian ...

as Diana and Charlotte Frogner as Natalie Broch received the 2011 Hedda Award (Norway's highest theatrical accolade) for her portrayal. This production was later re-staged for a Swedish premiere at the Wermland Opera A Finnish production opened in December 2010 in

Helsinki Helsinki ( or ; ; sv, Helsingfors, ) is the capital, primate, and most populous city of Finland. Located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, it is the seat of the region of Uusimaa in southern Finland, and has a population of . The city ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

at Studio Pasila, where it ran for one year. A Swedish-language production opened in September 2012 at Wasa Teater in

Vaasa Vaasa (; sv, Vasa, , Sweden ), in the years 1855–1917 as Nikolainkaupunki ( sv, Nikolajstad; literally meaning "city of Nicholas),

, Finland. The cast included Anna-Maria Hallgarn as Diana. Another Finnish-language production was staged at the Tampere Workers' Theatre from October 2012 through February 2013. A Swedish-language production opened open at

Swedish Theatre The Swedish Theatre ( sv, Svenska Teatern) is a Swedish-language theatre in Helsinki, Finland, and is located at the Erottaja ( sv, Skillnaden) square, at the end of Esplanadi ( sv, Esplanaden). It was the first national stage of Finland. Hi ...

in Helsinki in November 2021 and ran until March 2022. A Danish production ran from February 2012 until April 2012 at Nørrebro Teater in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

. The show premiered again in Sweden in 2022, after being postponed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, at Uppsala Stadsteater with Helen Sjöholm as Diana.

Asia

The Asian premiere was staged at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza,

Makati Makati ( ), officially the City of Makati ( fil, Lungsod ng Makati), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines; it has the highest concentration ...

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

in March 2011 and again in October 2011. The cast included

Markki Stroem Marcello Angelo Stroem (born 21 March 1987), also known as Markki Stroem, is a Filipino-Norwegian finalist on ABS-CBN's Pilipinas Got Talent Season 1. He finished his studies with merit and honors in the Glion Institute of Higher Education in ...

as Henry. Soon after The Phillippines premiere, the show premirerd in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

on November 2011. Since then the show had four local productions, each in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2022.

Kolleen Park Kolleen Park (born May 1, 1967) is an American-born South Korean-Lithuanian Sally Ann Triplett Sally Ann Triplett (born 15 April 1962, London, England) is a British singer and actress. She participated in two editions of the Eurovision Song Contest and West End productions. Career Triplett first represented the United Kingdom in the E ...

as Diana, Adrian Pang as Dan, and

Nathan Hartono use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = , burial_place ...

as Gabe. A Chinese production premiered in Beijing, China, on August 3, 2018, and later played in Shanghai in December. A Hong Kong production premiered on December 2, 2022.

Australia

The Australian premiere of the musical by the

Melbourne Theatre Company The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1953 as the Union Theatre Repertory Company at the Union Theatre at the University of Melbourne, it is the oldest professional theatre com ...

was staged in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, Australia. Performances began on April 28, 2012, and ran through June 4 (extended from May 28). The cast included

Kate Kendall Kate Kendall (born 27 July 1973) is an Australian actress and director. She played Angie Piper in the long-running Nine Network Australian drama '' Stingers'' from 1998 to 2004. Kendall has appeared in television series '' The Librarians'' (2 ...

as Diana, Matt Hetherington as Dan and

Bert LaBonte Bert or BERT may refer to: Persons, characters, or animals known as Bert *Bert (name), commonly an abbreviated forename and sometimes a surname *Bert, a character in the poem "Bert the Wombat" by The Wiggles; from their 1992 album Here Comes a Son ...

as Dr. Fine/Dr. Madden. A production in Perth played at the Heath Ledger Theatre from November 5–19, 2015. Produced by

Black Swan State Theatre Company Black Swan State Theatre Company (formerly The Black Swan Theatre Company) is Western Australia's state theatre company. It runs an annual subscription season in Perth at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia, tours its productions reg ...

, the cast included

Rachael Beck Rachael Elizabeth Beck (born 9 February 1971) is an Australian stage and television singer-actress. From 1991 to 1994 Beck had a major role on the popular sitcom, '' Hey Dad..!'', as Samantha Kelly. From 2006 to 2008, Beck appeared on all thre ...

as Diana and Brendan Hanson as Dan. Australia's first Musical Theatre performance since the start of the

is a new production of Next to Normal directed by

Darren Yap Darren Robert Yap is an Australian actor and director. Early life and education Darren Robert Yap was born in Sydney and grew up in the suburb of Cabramatta. He was the third child of a Malaysian-born father and his third-generation Australia- ...

and choreographed by Kelley Abbey. The performance will run in October and November at the

National Institute of Dramatic Art The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) is an Australian educational institution for the performing arts is based in Sydney, New South Wales. Founded in 1958, many of Australia's leading actors and directors trained at NIDA, including Cat ...

in Sydney. The most recent production was scheduled to be performed at

Chapel Off Chapel Chapel Off Chapel is a theatre venue in Prahran, Melbourne. Located near Chapel Street and opened in 1995, the venue consists of the 255-seat Chapel Theatre, the 150-seat Chapel Loft and a visual arts gallery. Chapel Off Chapel is particularly ...

from the 15th of July 2021. The cast included Queenie Van De Zandt as Diana, Tyran Parke as Dan, Melanie Bird as Natalie, Sam Richardson as Gabe, Liam Wigney as Henry and Ross Chisari as both Dr Madden and Dr Fine. The show was presented by the James Terry Collective. Due to the snap

lockdown, they were only able to perform one show at that time, resuming nearly eight months later in March 2022 with Hanlon Innocent alternating with Tomáš Kantor as Henry and Matt Hetherington reprising the role of Dan.

America

A Spanish-language

Peruvian Peruvians ( es, peruanos) are the citizens of Peru. There were Andean and coastal ancient civilizations like Caral, which inhabited what is now Peruvian territory for several millennia before the Spanish conquest of Peru, Spanish conquest in th ...

premiere of the musical played the Teatro Marsano, in

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of ...

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

. The production ran from May to June 2011. The cast included Gisela Ponce de León as Natalie A

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

ian production opened in July 2012 at the Clara Nunes Theatre in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...

, under the title ''Quase Normal''. A Mexican production opened at the Teatro Aldama in

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...

on January 31, 2019, starring

Susana Zabaleta Susana Zabaleta Ramos (; born September 30, 1964) is a Mexican soprano singer and actress. Early life Born in Monclova, Coahuila, Monclova, Coahuila, she moved to Mexico City in 1985. In 1986 she performed in the Sala Ollín Yoliztli and inter ...

as Diana. The Mexican cast also included Federico Di Lorenzo as Dan, María Penella as Natalie, Mariano Palacios as Gabe, Jerry Velázquez as Henry/Gabe and Héctor Berzunza as Dr. Fine/Dr. Madden. The cast was also joined by María Chacón as Natalie, and Rodolfo Zarco as Henry for some performances. Directed by Diego Del Río, the creative team included Jorge Ballina (set design), Victor Zapatero (lighting design), Josefina Echeverría (costume design) and Alejandro García (sound design). This production was nominated for six awards in several categories at the Premios Metropolitanos de Teatro in 2019, which included Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, among others. Diego del Río, Susana Zabaleta, María Penella and Jerry Velázquez each won at their categories. After a short run in Mexico City, the musical had a single tour performance at Auditorio Luis Elizondo, in Monterrey on July 4, 2019. The original cast reunited on June 9, 2020 for an online live concert, where they read and sang through the score in an acoustic version of the musical.

Europe

The

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

premiere took place on January 16, 2012 at DeLaMar Theater in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

. The cast included Simone Kleinsma as Diana. A German-language production translated and directed by Titus Hoffmann opened at the Stadttheater in

Fürth Fürth (; East Franconian: ; yi, פיורדא, Fiurda) is a city in northern Bavaria, Germany, in the administrative division ('' Regierungsbezirk'') of Middle Franconia. It is now contiguous with the larger city of Nuremberg, the centres of the ...

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

, on October 11, 2013.

Pia Douwes Pia Douwes (born 5 August 1964) is a Dutch actress in musical theatre in Europe. She is best known for having created the title role in the German-language musical '' Elisabeth''. Biography Douwes was born in Amsterdam, North Holland, The Nethe ...

starred in the role of Diana with

Thomas Borchert Thomas Borchert (born 20 July 1966 in Essen, Germany) is a German actor, singer, and songwriter. He has performed especially in musical theatre. Biography In 1988, Borchert, with his rock band "Cakewalk", won a prize in a music festival sponso ...

as Dan and Sabrina Weckerlin as Natalie. The Italian version, produced by STM and directed by Marco Iacomelli, opened on March 7, 2015 at Teatro Coccia in

Novara Novara (, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It i ...

. A Spanish-language production opened at the Teatro Pérez Galdós in

Las Palmas Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the most populous city in the auto ...

, Canary Islands, on September 14, 2017, starring Nina as Diana, and then it toured through Spain with stops at

Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...

Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...

, and

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the Largest cities of the Europ ...

. In 2016, in Portugal, opened a Portuguese-speaking version, with the title ''Quase Normal''. A Russian-language production (''Недалеко от Нормы''), directed by Anastasia Grinenko, opened in Minsk, Belarus on March 28, 2018, with Svetlana Matsievskaia starring as Diana. In Poland the show opened on April 6, 2019 at Teatr Syrena in Warsaw, with Katarzyna Walczak as Diana. The production was translated and directed by Jacek Mikołajczyk. The musical will have its UK premiere at the

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

from 12 August to 7 October 2023, directed by Michael Longhurst.

Casts

''Note: Below are the principal casts of all official major productions of the musical.'' ;Notable Broadway replacements *Gabriel "Gabe" Goodman: Kyle Dean Massey *Dan Goodman: Brian d'Arcy James,

*Diana Goodman:

*Natalie Goodman: Meghann Fahy

Literary references and allusions

*During Act I, Gabe reads a paperback copy of ''

The Catcher in the Rye ''The Catcher in the Rye'' is an American novel by J. D. Salinger that was partially published in serial form from 1945–46 before being novelized in 1951. Originally intended for adults, it is often read by adolescents for its themes of angs ...

''. Kyle Dean Massey said, "I read about a page a night." Salinger's novel about grieving a loss is read by the character who ''is'' the loss. In ''Catcher'', Holden struggles with the loss of a brother, Allie, who died of leukemia. *When sorting through a box of items from her son's room, Diana picks up a music box from the box to reveal a copy of '' Goodnight Moon'' underneath. *Natalie carries a hardcover copy of ''

Flowers for Algernon ''Flowers for Algernon'' is a short story by American author Daniel Keyes, later expanded by him into a novel and subsequently adapted for film and other media. The short story, written in 1958 and first published in the April 1959 issue of '' ...

'', which she is studying in school. Both the novel and ''Next to Normal'' deal with psychological experimentation. *Diana alludes to '' One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'',

Sylvia Plath Sylvia Plath (; October 27, 1932 – February 11, 1963) was an American poet, novelist, and short story writer. She is credited with advancing the genre of confessional poetry and is best known for two of her published collections, '' Th ...

, and Frances Farmer in the song "Didn't I See This Movie?". This is in regards to her ECT that also takes place in the movie as a form of abuse, provoking questions as to whether Diana is a reliable narrator or whether the ECT is ethical. *Diana also reads from ''

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' is a play by Edward Albee first staged in October 1962. It examines the complexities of the marriage of a middle-aged couple, Martha and George. Late one evening, after a university faculty party, they receive ...

'', a play by Edward Albee which deals with marital stress caused by issues similar to some in ''Next to Normal''. On her YouTube site, Alice Ripley said that she uses Albee's play as a Bible, drawing inspiration for Diana.

Pulitzer Prize controversy

''Next to Normal'' won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama although it was not on the shortlist of three candidates submitted to the twenty-member Pulitzer Prize board by the five-member Drama jury. Jury chairman and critic Charles McNulty publicly criticized the Board for overlooking three plays (''

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo ''Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo'' is a play by Rajiv Joseph. The show is about "a tiger that haunts the streets of present-day Baghdad seeking the meaning of life. As he witnesses the puzzling absurdities of war, the tiger encounters Americans ...

'', ''

The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity ''The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity'' is a dramatic comedy play by Kristoffer Diaz about a professional wrestler, "driven by narratives of the American dream and neoliberal capitalism." Synopsis Act One Macedonio Guerra is a profession ...

'', and ''

In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) ''In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)'' is a 2009 play by Sarah Ruhl, published by Samuel French. It concerns the early history of the vibrator, when doctors allegedly used it as a clinical device to bring women to orgasm as treatment for " ...

''), which were not running on Broadway at the time of the Award, in favor of one that was.

Major awards and nominations

Original Off-Broadway production

Original Virginia production

Original Broadway production

Legacy

In 2021, the songs of the musical were the focus of "Chapter Ninety-Four: Next to Normal", a musical episode of '' Riverdale''. The ''Riverdale'' cast album of the musical was produced via

WaterTower Music WaterTower Music (formerly New Line Records from 2000 to 2010) is an American record label serving as the in-house music label and run by entertainment company Warner Bros., ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The name and logo are based ...

References

External links

Official Website
* *
Next to Normal
' at the Music Theatre International website
Twitter Performance TranscriptLortel Archives listingInterview with Brian Yorkey
o
MyNortwest.com
* ttps://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/theater/19cohe.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=mental%20illness,%20the%20musical&st=cse NY Times Feature: On Broadway, 'Next to Normal' Aims for Truth About Mental Illnessbr>Daily News Broadway review 2009Associated Press Broadway review 2009
* ttp://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/12823 TheatreMania review, February 2008br>Musik und Bühne Verlag German licensing companyArgentina WebsiteItalian Website
* :de:Next to Normal, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next to Normal {{DEFAULTSORT:Next To Normal Off-Broadway musicals Original musicals Bipolar disorder in fiction Mental health in fiction Fiction about suicide Works about depression Sung-through musicals American rock musicals Broadway musicals 2008 musicals Musicals by Brian Yorkey Musicals by Tom Kitt (musician) Pulitzer Prize for Drama-winning works Pulitzer Prize for Drama-winning musicals Plays set in the 21st century Tony Award-winning musicals