NEXT TO NORMAL Tour, Starring Alice Ripley, Ends 7/30

The Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical NEXT TO NORMAL will end its national tour on July 30 at the Four Seasons Centre in Toronto.

With a thrilling contemporary score, Next to Normal is an emotional powerhouse of a musical about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other.

The National Tour features Tony Award winner Alice Ripley who originated the role of Diana Goodman Off-Broadway in 2008 before winning the Tony Award for her Broadway performance. She has been with the tour since it began on November 23, 2010 in Los Angeles.

Tony-winning director Michael Greif (RENT, GREY GARDENS), who staged the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions, also returned for the tour. The tour cast also features Asa Somers (GREY GARDENS, TABOO) as Dan, Emma Hunton (SPRING AWAKENING) as Natalie, Curt Hansen (HAIRSPRAY) as Gabe, Preston Sadleir (ME, MYSELF AND I) as Henry and Jeremy Kushnier (FOOTLOOSE, RENT) as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine.

Next to Normal arrived on Broadway in March 2009 following an Off-Broadway run at Second Stage and a regional engagement at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. The production closed on Broadway Jan. 16, 2011, after 21 previews and 733 performances.

Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three 2009 Tony Awards, Next to Normal features music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, musical staging by Sergio Trujillo, and direction by Michael Greif. The creative team also includes Mark Wendland (set design), Jeff Mahshie (costume design), Kevin Adams (lighting design), and Brian Ronan (sound design). Musical direction is by Bryan Perri, orchestrations are by Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, vocal arrangements by AnnMarie Milazzo, and is produced by David Stone,James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, and Second Stage Theatre.

Photo Credit: Greg Rice