next to normal

Director’s Note

Next to Normal is an ambitious musical abouta woman who struggles with bipolar disorder and the effects of the illness on her seemingly “typical” American family.  This family’s courage to face the challenges of daily life is one that most of us can relate to. As musicals generally have a reputation for being charming, comedic and full of lively dance numbers that leave audiences with a feel-good ending, many of you are probably wondering how there can be a musical written about mental illness.   Going against form, this musical strives to bring awareness to issues around mental health and start a conversation.  And it is a conversation that needs to be had.  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in the year 2014, 18.1% of all adults in the United States (43.6 million people) suffered from some sort of mental illness.  In addition, just over 20% (1 in 5) of all children in the United States currently have or have had a serious mental disorder at some point during their life.  The American Psychological Association did a survey in 2013 which found that 36.4% of all college students experienced depression and 24.5% of all college students were prescribed psychotropic medications. 

People go to the theatre not only to be entertained, but also to connect with humanity and to find order in the chaos of daily life.  Storytelling helps us process life and reminds us that we all go through many of the same trials, and that we are not alone. During an interview in 2010, playwright Brian Yorkey explained that he and composer Tom Kitt never intended for Next to Normal to be an actual case study.  The story is told as a musical drama and thus the plot is heightened.  Everything that could go wrong for Diana does, and her experience with bipolar disorder is not meant to replicate something that “all people” with mental illness experience but rather to represent the trials faced by millions on a daily basis.  Furthermore, this is not just Diana’s story.  Her family is deeply affected by her afflictions – everyone hurts; everyone finds hope. I invite you to connect with the Goodman family and to open your mind to the idea that there is no “normal.”

 -Stephanie Dean