Next to Normal celebrates first anniversary

The Broadway musical Next to Normal, music by Tom Kitt with lyics and book by Brian Yorkey, celebrates its 1st anniversary on Broadway. The musical opened at the Booth Theatre on 15 Apr 2009.

Winner of three Tony Awards including 'Best Score' 'Best Orchestrations' and 'Best Actress in a Musical' (Alice Ripley), Next to Normal, opened at the Booth Theatre on 15 Apr 2009, following previews from 27 Mar 2009, and is currently selling tickets through to 2 May 2010.

The musical recently received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize Board described the show as, "a powerful rock musical that grapples with mental illness in a suburban family and expands the scope of subject matter for musicals."

Directed by Michael Greif ('Rent,' 'Grey Gardens'), the musical currently stars Alice Ripley (Diana), J. Robert Spencer (Dan), Kyle Dean Massey (Gabe), Jennifer Damiano, Adam Chanler-Berat and Louis Hobson.

The musical opened to mixed, but mostly good reviews: "It has rhythm and angst and unexpected harmonies. What is doesn't have is a story that I can believe."
(newyorktheatreguide.com); "a work of muscular grace and power" (New York Times); "more than a triumph - it's next to wondrous" (New York Daily News); "close to good may not be enough" (New York Post); "easier to admire than love." (Bloomberg); "powerful, riveting and not to be missed" (The Record); "touches your heart and gets under your skin" (NY1).

Next to Normal is a contemporary musical that explores how one suburban household copes with crisis, and shows how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family's world intact.

Next to Normal features set design by Mark Wendland, costume design by Jeff Mahshie, lighting design by Kevin Adams, and sound design by Brian Ronan.

The musical is being produced on Broadway by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, and Second Stage Theatre.

Next to Normal opened at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre on 13 Feb 2008 and was significantly reworked in a subsequent out-of-town run at Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage, where it opened on 10 Dec 2008.