Brian Yorkey News

Uptown Players is pleased to announce that it will be presenting the startling new musical, Next To Normal, June 10 - July 2, 2011, at the historic Kalita Humphreys Theater. Uptown Players is among the first regional theaters in the United States to produce NEXT TO NORMAL, following its long Broadway run which ends on January 16, 2011, after 21 previews and 733 regular performances.

The startling new musical NEXT TO NORMAL, winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, will start the Denver Center Attractions 2011 season on an dramatic high note, playing the Ellie Caulkins Opera House January 4-16.

Next to Normal, with music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, will be making its west coast premiere at the Ahmanson theatre in Los Angeles.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 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical features original Broadway star Alice Ripley, who won the Tony for her performance.

Today we are taking a look and a listen to the biggest and brightest Broadway beacons of the year that was, all amidst the dismal landscape of the Street as we now know it, though I won't name names or titles (hyphenated or otherwise). Between the ultimate diva triptych of Barbra, Liza and Cher each releasing not only new albums in 2010, but also DVDs of their work - and, in Cher's case, a smash-hit big-screen original movie musical, BURLESQUE, to the stars-on-the-rise of two leading men of far off shores - Stuart Matthew Price and David Campbell. In a year with far too few new cast albums, these solo albums certainly shine with lots of luster. On Broadway it might have been the year of epic disaster, but on record we may be able to find the Broadway we knew and loved once in any number of these highly-recommended releases. Oh, yeah - and Sondheim, too!

San Diego actress Alice Ripley, who received the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Next to Normal, reprises her acclaimed performance in the musical's 36-week North American tour. It will play January 18 - 23, 2011 at the Balboa Theatre, as a Broadway/San Diego ~ A Nederlander Presentation.

San Diego actress Alice Ripley, who received the 2009 Tony Award® for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning Next to Normal, reprises her acclaimed performance in the musical's 36-week North American tour. It will play January 18 - 23,

It was quite a year for BroadwayWorld.com's unmatched Photo Team, here's a look at some of the most popular photo coverages of 2010!

The 5th Avenue has announced the seven productions that make up its 2010-2011 Season, which includes a mix of premieres of new works, the hottest shows direct from Broadway and Golden Age classics featuring Seattle's favorite performers and artists.

Over the course of our ninety minute conversation earlier this week, Tony-winning Broadway star Alice Ripley was kind enough to open up about her role in the phenomenon of the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical NEXT TO NORMAL, which is now kicking off a US Tour beginning in Los Angeles, as well as offer thoughts on many of her significant stage roles that she has taken on over the course of her impressive and varied career. Pete Townshend and THE WHO'S TOMMY to Andrew Lloyd Webber and SUNSET BOULEVARD and TELL ME ON A SUNDAY, to Sondheim with COMPANY (as the greatest Amy of all time), and even a turn in ROCKY HORROR; Alice Ripley has seemingly done it all, and her passion, dedication and insight into her craft are amply evident in both her studied performances on stage as well as in discussing the art of acting in musical theatre in conversation and what she has taken as her inspirations to play Diana Goodman, ranging from Albee to O'Neill to actors like Cynthia Nixon, Toni Collette and more. In this portion of her most comprehensive interview to date, BroadwayWorld is proud to present Part I of InDepth InterView: Alice Ripley.

Alice Ripley, Asa Somers, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey talk about Next to Normal - playing NOW at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, through January 2nd only!

For a decade, Bound for Broadway has been letting audiences know about some of the best new shows currently in development. This 10th Anniversary Celebration at Kaufman Center's Merkin Concert Hall will feature four new musicals and then revisit some of the great shows featured over the past 10 years, including the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner NEXT TO NORMAL, AVENUE Q, MUSICAL OF MUSICALS and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE.

LeftField Productions presents the annual All-Star Broadway Holiday Concert on Sunday, December 5th, 7:30PM, at The Irvington Town Hall Theater in Irvington, New York.

Hollywood heavyweight Rob Reiner is eager to turn the Pulitzer and Tony-winning musical, Next to Normal into a movie musical. Says Reiner to The Malibu Times: 'I'd love to do Next to Normal...It's about ordinary people, but set to music. It's funny and dark and uplifting. You know, about real stuff.'

Next to Normal, with music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, is making its west coast premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.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 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical features original Broadway star Alice Ripley, who won the Tony for her performance. Next to Normal also features Asa Somers (Dan), Curt Hansen(Gabe), Emma Hunton (Natalie), Jeremy Kushnier (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine) and Preston Sadleir (Henry).

To keep up with the ultra-fast pace of the modern age is difficult for most 'normal' people. Dealing with emotional pain or loss on top of average daily strife can be overwhelming. It may easily destroy a life and those connected to it as well. In the Pulitzer Prize winning Next to Normal, the problem is presented via a wife and mother, who has been diagnosed as bi-polar. Her behavior patterns show extreme mental instability verging on insanity, and the effects on her husband and teen daughter are astronomical. Eventually a heartfelt loss from the past unravels that is at the core of the woman's suffering. Structured in a most unique way, Next to Normal is akin to a rock opera, but it is not completely sung; there is intermittent dialogue. The most emotional moments, though, come through song, so the music and book flow together, and with the three tiered open set and loosely structured staging, it all comes together as an unparalleled musical drama.

Next to Normal, with music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, is making its west coast premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. 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 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical features original Broadway star Alice Ripley, who won the Tony for her performance. Next to Normal also features Asa Somers (Dan), Curt Hansen (Gabe), Emma Hunton (Natalie), Jeremy Kushnier (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine) and Preston Sadleir (Henry).

LeftField Productions presents the annual All-Star Broadway Holiday Concert on Sunday, December 5th, 7:30PM, at The Irvington Town Hall Theater in Irvington, New York.

Next to Normal, with music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, is making its west coast premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.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 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical features original Broadway star Alice Ripley, who won the Tony for her performance. Next to Normal also features Asa Somers (Dan), Curt Hansen(Gabe), Emma Hunton (Natalie), Jeremy Kushnier (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine) and Preston Sadleir (Henry).

The startling new musical NEXT TO NORMAL, winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, will start the Denver Center Attractions 2011 season on an dramatic high note, playing the Ellie Caulkins Opera House January 4-16.

Next to Normal, with music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, will be making its west coast premiere at the Ahmanson theatre in Los Angeles.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 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical features original Broadway star Alice Ripley, who won the Tony for her performance.