Next to Normal
Next to Normal is a musical by Brian Yorkey ( libretto ) and Tom Kitt ( music). It tells the story of a mother who suffers from bipolar disorder and the impact that this has on their family. In addition, the musical with themes such as grief over a loss, suicide, drug addiction, ethics in modern psychiatry and living in a suburb deals.
The musical won the 2009 Tony Award in the " Best Original Score " ( Tom Kitt [Music] and Brian Yorkey [ libretto ] ), " Best Orchestration " (Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt ), and "Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical " (Alice Ripley ). The show was nominated for 11 Tony Awards, including " Best Musical ." There were several workshop performances of Next to Normal before the off-Broadway debut in 2008. The show won the " Outer Critics ' Circle Award" for outstanding performance, also Alice Ripley received a nomination for the " Drama Desk Awards " for Best Actress. After off-Broadway success was the piece from November 2008 to January 2009 at the Arena Stage in Crystal City (Virginia) played before it premiered in April 2009 on Broadway.
Development
Workshops and read samples
The musical, which was originally called Feeling Electric, was presented at a reading in 2002 in Cutting Room in New York City for the first time, with Norbert Leo Butz as Dan and Sherie Rene Scott as Diana, thereafter there was a staged reading in October 2002 in Musical Mondays Theatre Lab in New York.
In 2005, the piece for the first time in a workshop performance at the Village Theatre ( Issaquah ) was shown with Amy Spanger as Diana, Mary Faber as Natalie and Deven May as Dr. Madden. In September 2005, the Barrow Group Arts Center production at the New York Musical Theatre Festival took part, with Amy Spanger as Diana, Joe Cassidy as Dan, Annaleigh Ashford as Natalie and Anthony Rapp as Dr. Madden. The Second Stage Theatre produced the play in 2006 and in 2007 with Joe Cassidy and Greg Edelman as Dan, Alice Ripley as Diana, Mary Faber and Phoebe Strole as Natalie, Anthony Rapp as Dr. Madden / Dr. Fine and Skylar Astin as Henry.
Off-Broadway and Broadway productions pre-
Next to Normal was played at the off- Broadway under its present name in the Second Stage Theatre ( 16 January to 16 March 2008; directed by Michael Greif, with Anthony Rapp as an assistant director and under the musical direction of Sergio Trujillo ). Even in what was then cast were seen Alice Ripley as Diana and Brian d' Arcy James as Dan. The last name of the family was changed from Brown in Godmann. The show received mixed reviews, critics pointed out that an irresponsible message about the treatment of bipolar disorders is shown and not the right balance between pathos and humor is found.
Following the revision of the play a pre -Broadway production ran at the Arena Stage Theatre in Crystal City, VA. Directed by Michael Greif again. Alice Ripley and most members of the off- Broadway casts participated in this production part, but Brain d' Arcy James stayed in New York to play the title role in the musical " Shrek" and was replaced by J. Robert Spencer. Asa Somers, Dr. Madden and Dr. Fine played, was replaced by Louis Hobson. Some of the numbers were changed and replaced by other songs that were to reflect the emotional content of the book. The production received rave reviews.
Broadway production in 2009
On March 27 there was a preview of " Next to Normal " on Broadway at the Booth Theatre. Premiered the musical on April 15, 2009. It did the cast of Arena Stage production, directed by Michael Greif. By the end of January 2011, the musical about 733 times played.
German language premiere in 2013, Austrian premiere in 2014
On October 11, 2013, the German -language premiere was almost normal - next to normal place under the direction and in the German translation of Titus Hoffmann at the Stadttheater Fürth. For the well-known cast included Pia Douwes as Diana, Thomas Borchert as Dan, Dirk Johnston as a gift, Sabrina Weckerlin as Natalie, Dominik Hees as Henry and Ramin Dustdar as Dr. Fine / Dr. Maggots.
The first Austrian production has founded on 18 January 2014 Playhouse the State Theatre Linz as the sixth production of the end of 2012 musical ensembles Linz premiere. Directed by Matthias David, play it Kristin Hölck (Diana ), Reinwald Kranner ( Dan ), Oliver Liebl (donation), Lisa Antoni / Ariana Shirazi - Fard (Natalie ), Christian Manuel Oliveira ( Henry) and Rob Pelzer ( Dr. Madden ).