So this is the quick story of how I met “Next to Normal”.
After my first semester of college classes, I was craving some creativity. All my introductory classes were bland, and Anatomy was far too left brain for me to enjoy myself. I began to wonder if I would ever follow in the footsteps of my theatre major father and experiment with college arts. It was likely the answer would be no. Until one day when registering for my second semester of classes Spring 2018 I saw it: “Research for the Disciplines: Broadway and Beyond!”. What is this class and give it to me —right now.
A required writing class with the theme being broadway seemed like the heavens had opened and given me a gift. I wanted to dive right into my research, but I was at a loss of where to start. A friend offered me some advice: to have the topic of my paper combine my love for broadway with another interest. If you know me, you know the obvious answer for that other love is babies. I could start an entirely different blog about my enthusiasm for pregnancy, moms, and babies (but for now I’ll just leave it here for context).
I wondered how themes of motherhood were reflected in Broadway musicals, and did some research to compile a list of shows for my perspective topic. I was familiar with some of the shows, others not so much. As I began to narrow it down, “Next to Normal” was one of the shows that was new to me. So new that I’m pretty sure before I knew what N2N was I thought the song “Superboy and the Invisible Girl” was a song from the movie “Sharkboy and Lava Girl”.
So one day I sat down and played N2N from the top. I was immediately captivated, and I wanted to understand it more. I was hooked. Absolutely hooked. YouTube video after YouTube video, reading and reading about the show, about the writers and their thought process. I had never heard a story like this before, somehow both imperfect and still perfect.
Here’s how I started my paper:
“Next To Normal is an emotionally devastating but exhilarating show bringing the audience inside the lives of a suburban family dealing with their mother’s manic-depression. The electrifying musical score delivers the story with a punch, not for a moment allowing you to escape from the crippling reality of this family’s pain. Acclaimed for the ways it addresses the disconsolate realities of mental illness, this rock musical portrays Diana, diagnosed with Bipolar 1, boldly and honestly like mental illness has never been pictured before on a Broadway stage”
Replace “Broadway stage” with “Cabaret stage”, and you have our second main stage production. Boy, you do NOT want to miss this one.
“I think its beauty comes from its rawness; it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. It’s the antithesis of show tunes-y chorus line-y capital T Theatre, you’re watching people’s real trials and it’s painful. It’s something anyone who’s witnessed or participated in humanity can appreciate.”
This is the type of show where no review I write could quite portray the experience of being in that audience. I’m not a good enough journalist and it’s too unique of a production. The best thing I can offer to the readers of this blog are the words™ of the cast and others who worked on this show as they expressed what it was like for them.
Diana
"Though Diana struggles with delusional, depressive, and manic episodes, she stays clever and takes joy in amusing herself with her unique humor and imagination. Diana has coped this way for almost two decades now, living alongside her husband, Dan, her daughter, Natalie, and her son Gabe. Diana wishes to show Natalie the guidance and love she deserves, but battles with being unable to do so due to the cloudiness of her headspace. Dan tries his best to be supportive. but fails to understand all Diana goes through, especially in regards to treatment."
- Mary Klein
Dan
“I play Dan in the show, who takes on the persona of suburbia dad. Dan's always wanted a stable and happy family, but complications with his marriage amongst other things have constantly stood in the way of him achieving this goal. As the show progresses, it becomes obvious that his efforts in going about achieving this grow more irrational and erratic, which, in turn, strains his relationships with everyone around him.”
- My friend Jack Oliver
Gabe
“I play the son of Diana and Dan, and I’m Natalie’s brother. Throughout the show, I’m afraid of being forgotten, and I’m afraid of my family not loving me anymore, so I do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
- Josh Rosenzweig
Natalie
“I play Natalie, she’s Dan and Diana’s daughter who feels like she tends to fade into the woodwork compared to her brother. She holds a lot of resentment towards her family and their situation, and would rather stay in denial about the similarities between her and her mother whom she believes has wreaked such havoc on their home.”
- Paige Jarusiewicz
Henry
“I play Henry, Natalie's boyfriend, I act as this rock, a support for Natalie while her family life is derailing. Henry cares deeply for Natalie and tries super hard to become this beacon of hope for her.”
-LuisDiego Millan
Dr. Madden
“Doctor Madden is the speck of light at the end of a dark dreary tunnel in the lives of the Goodman family. Dr. Madden is a psychotherapist that offers a way to help their family out of one of the darkest times in their lives and wants to bring them the happiness that they are all searching for. Dr. Madden represents hope for a life that's possible beyond traumatic events that seem irreversible.”
- Alyssa Fox
With such a small cast, the contribution of each character is weighed far more heavily as they each matter so much to the story. Most of the cast and production staff expressed to me the difficulty that came with working on a show with such intense subject matter. However, whether it be an emotional, musical, or mental challenge, the overall experience seemed to be rewarding. And while I wasn't there to experience this firsthand, through knowing him as a friend I can confidently say that this outcome is a result of the thought and care director Mohsin Sharif put into this show. When I met Mohsin, our mutual love for N2N was a reason within itself to be friends. I asked him why this show spoke to him, likely there was a different reason besides my previously interest babies and motherhood.
The first time I listened to “Next to Normal”, I sat in my car and listened all the way through “I Am The One”. As Diana and Dan railed their differing perspectives into one another, I started to sob. Great!, Emotions!, Thanks! But when I took a step back for a second I realized that the soundtrack alone had affected me so much, because almost every feature of this play was a reflection of my own life in some way. I have been almost every character here in different circumstances, and when I first watched a full production, I was seeing many of my own life experiences bleeding onto the stage. I probably should have realized then that it might be a little dangerous to dive into that, but instead I said I NEED TO DIRECT THIS and here we are! Even though it can be difficult to throw myself into this show, I do not regret choosing it for a second. - Mohsin Sharif
Me too Mohsin, me too. Naturally it’s the hope of the director and the actors to share these feelings and elicit a similar reaction or response from the audiences that come to see the show. To walk away from seeing this production having seen themselves in the story, relating to the feelings of grief or the understanding of battling a mental illness.
WHat Are you hoping the audience can take away from seeing this show?
I'm pretty sure audiences won't watch this show and feel like they're flitting through an open field of sunflowers & daisies. While it would be nice for a show I direct to make people feel good, I don't anticipate this experience can be boiled down to something so simple. If audiences were to take away one thing, I would want it to be whatever they find most meaningful for them. This show is so painfully realistic that I hope everyone can see at least one small piece to latch onto. Whatever that may be, I hope they can find it, understand it, and maybe even accept it. - Mohsin Sharif
This story is an emotional rollercoaster. It’s not your typical musical theatre show, to say the least. I think people will be able to relate to the story in many different ways. We see the internal struggles of this family that many of us have probably encountered at some point or another - whether that be struggles with mental health, drug use, loss. We can all connect to what these characters are feeling at any given moment, and it’s important to acknowledge that. - Josh Rosenzweig
I think the audience will be moved to tears. You simply can't help it with this show, and the cast so perfectly portrays all of the nuance and beauty the show has to offer. That isn't to deny the catharsis that I hope will be present in their hearts and minds, but I think both the catharsis and the heavy emotions can live in them when they walk out after the show. - Assistant Director, Thomas M. Pflanz
Tell me more about your experience working on this production
My experience has certainly been cathartic, to say the least. To have experienced my own trauma, and see the things some of these characters go through be so similar to my own past experiences is one of the more visceral things I've encountered in life. - My friend Jack Oliver
I have loved this music for years. Years! But music directing Next to Normal brought me even closer to the material than I could imagine. I have recently been struggling with a lot of the same heavy subjects that are covered in this show, and working on the music with the cast has been wildly therapeutic for me. There aren’t enough words to express how thankful I am for this experience! - Co-Music Director Kira Harris
This show has been an incredibly rewarding experience. The story that is told in this show is heartbreaking and moving in a way that cannot be explained in words. The company I am surrounded by inspires me every single day with their hard work and dedication to this production, the story, these characters and what the show has to teach audiences. I cannot wait to bring this beautiful production to the lives of many more people. - Alyssa Fox
This cast and production staff have been incredible to work with. Especially when dealing with sensitive material, you hope you work with intelligent people whom you can trust. This group and environment we have created is full of support and growth. Everyone in this cast is so smart. They make it easy to fully commit to telling this story. Each individual pro-staff member has contributed more than anyone could have asked for, making this process seamless. They truly inspire me, as professionals and as the people they are outside of their titles. I look forward to each time we get to be in this space together. - Mary Klein
As you might have been able to tell based on these quotes from the cast and staff, this show is quite heavy. The content is at times difficult and the performances are so strong that you are completely taken out of your seat and feel as though you are in the Goodman household yourself. The last quote I included from Mary brings me right to the last thoughts I wanted to include in this post:
I don’t feel as though I would be as comfortable watching such an intimate story in any other setting besides Cabaret. The space allows for complete immersion in the emotions that drive the story, and I think this type of experience is what makes Cabaret so special. I can comfortably say that no other theatre company on campus is equipped to take on such hard content and present it so professionally. The black box space, combined with the talent of the cast, the hard tedious work of the pro staff, and the brain and heart of Mohsin Sharif have together brought something truly amazing to this production. I highly recommend allowing yourself to enter this world, meet these characters, hear this story. It’s beautiful, it’s relevant, and it will blow you away.
Next to Normal continues its run tonight at Cabaret Theatre
Show Dates: Friday December 6th 8pm, Satruday December 7th 8pm, Sunday December 8th 7pm
Tickets are available for purchase at:
https://sabo.tix.com/Schedule.aspx?OrgNum=4785&fbclid=IwAR0SV_05YgJGqUyNCPFE_iite1T8slhSrb1FhYc4vw2nl-jtm6aSeDUux1w
For more information visit our Facebook event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1391076057728255/
Photos courtesy of John Hennessy