Ian Stenlake and Michelle Doake to Star in NEXT TO NORMAL in Sydney, Sep 13-Oct 7

Next to Normal is coming to Sydney for a strictly limited season playing at the Capitol Theatre from 13 September to 7 October 2012. Director Tyran Parke today announced the cast who will perform in this groundbreaking musical that follows the life of the Goodman's – who seem like a perfect family.

The musical, with music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, stars Ian Stenlake, Bobby Fox, Dash Kruk, Michelle Doake, Ross Hannaford and Erica Lovell.

The only problem is that sometimes mother Diana, Michelle Doake (The Hatpin) seems, well...a little too happy, and we soon find out why. Her husband Dan, Ian Stenlake (Sea Patrol) worries all the time. Their daughter Natalie Erica Lovell (A Little Night Music) is intent on getting a scholarship to Yale and leaving home, while her friend Henry (Dash Kruk) hopes she might put her 'Red Bull' down for a moment and notice he wants to 'go with her'. And their son Gabe, Ross Hannaford (Wicked), well...that's another story entirely.

With provocative lyrics, an electrifying contemporary score and more than 30 original songs, Next to Normal is a rock musical that follows the life of a suburban mother dealing with a worsening bipolar disorder. It examines how her condition and its treatment, helped by her psychiatrist, Bobby Fox (who recently starred as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys) affect her family and shows how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family's world intact.

Next to Normal opened on Broadway in 2009, winning three Tony Awards and three Broadway.com Audience Awards. In 2010 it received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama – one of only eight musicals to have received this award.

Sydney's NEXT TO NORMAL features direction by Tyran Parke, Kelley Abbey as Associate Director/Musical Staging and Peter Rutherford as Musical Director.

Tom Kitt (Composer) received two Tony awards for Best Score and Best Orchestrations (with Michael Starobin) for Next to Normal. Tom is responsible for the music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations for Green Day's American Idiot on Broadway and was also the string arranger on their most recent album 21st Century Breakdown. Tom is also the composer of High Fidelity (Broadway) and From Up Here (MTC). Brian Yorkey (Librettist/Lyricist) received the Tony Award for Best Sore for Next to Normal. Theatre credits include the musical adaptation of Ange Lee's The Wedding Banquet and the country musical Play It by Heart.

For more, visit www.nexttonormalsydney.com.au.

The show plays at the Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket, Thursday 13 September – Sunday 7 October, 2012. Performances run Tuesday 7pm; Wednesday to Saturday 8pm with matinees Wednesday 1pm, Saturday 2pm and Sunday 3pm.

Ticket prices range from $45 to $110. To book, call 1300 723 038 or visit ticketmaster.com.au.

Next to Normal is presented through special arrangement with Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd on behalf of Music Theatre International.

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