NEXT TO NORMAL: Writers Theatre, Chicago , - Spring '19

[markypoo]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 7:31pm

To be directed by David Cromer.
I've never seen this show; don't know anything about it, but currently listening to the OBC CD and it's definitely drawing me into it.
Any opinions or recollections from previous audience members?
No casting or further info. has been announced yet - but I'm looking forward to this months ahead.
Should be worthwhile.
Enlighten me, please.

[helvizz]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 7:51pm

It's a dark, intimate piece of theater that talks about a dinfunctional family coping with mental ilness. Not at all your feel good musical, but, to quote the Times, a 'feel-everything' musical. Watching Next to normal is like rinsing your soul: it hurts, but in the end you know it was definitely worth it and you feel good you did it. I absolutely love it and you could always hear people bawling at every single Broadway performance. Not everybody's cup of tea due to the nature of the show, though.

 

It's one of the few musicals that have won the Pullitzer. It lost the Tony to Billy Elliot, which I absolutely adore too. The situation always reminds me of the 1984 season: Sunday in the Park with George, which won the Pullitzer, x La Cage Aux Folles, which won the Tony, and both shows being equally great but vastly different.

Updated On: 12/10/18 at 07:51 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 8:06pm

I love it, amongst my favorites - even though it gets some flak (in similar ways that DEH does).   It's emotional, funny, sad, heartbreaking and often suprising. I'd LOVE to see what Cromer does with it.

 

(FWIW....I think it's worlds better than Billy Elliot.)

[shomeika]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 8:18pm

N2N is one of my favorite shows.  It's definitely not light fare, but its engrossing and deals with a family's *truth* without excuses.  

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 8:26pm

The casting was announced a few months ago. I can't remember most of it off the top of my head, but Alex Levy (whom I went to college with) is playing Henry.

[steven22]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 9:00pm

It’s a wonderful, heavy, beautiful show.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 12/10/18 at 10:40pm

Alex Kulak2 said: "The casting was announced a few months ago. I can't remember most of it off the top of my head, but Alex Levy (whom I went to college with) is playing Henry."

It’s (I think exclusively) Chicago-based actors that most people on this board will not have heard of. What’s interesting though is that the cast is extremely ethnically diverse, with the Goodman family representing a real cross-section of America. Should be interesting.