BWW Reviews: Southern Rep Presents NEXT TO NORMAL

This past weekend Southern Rep wrapped their run of NEXT TO NORMAL, a rock musical with music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey. The production was directed by Blake Coheley and featured Leslie Castay as Diana Goodman.

Not your average bubbly feel-good musical, NEXT TO NORMAL is the compelling story of a slightly dysfunctional family whose mother battles with bipolar disorder along with severe depression. I don't want to give the whole story away, but there's something fishy about the relationship between mother Diana and son Gabe that puts strain not only on Diana's marriage but also on her relationship with her teenage daughter.

During the cast's "talk back" after the performance it was mentioned that it sounds sort of funny to say, "Hey there's this awesome musical about mental disorders, you should go see it!" But actually, this is exactly what should be said. Mental disorder isn't something that is openly spoken about very often, and it hits home for more people than you would think. Even if none of your family members struggle through dealing with a mental disorder of some sort, this show speaks deeply to the ways in which families seek to survive. Love, loss, hurt, healing, sibling rivalry, mother/daughter/father/son relationships, school stress, teenage crushes, peer pressure, and temptation are themes that any type of family can relate to.

Also discussed during the cast's "talk back" was the music that carries this show. This rock score is not only appealing to audiences, it also mimic's the story's mood at any given moment. In particular, the music builds with incredible intensity towards the end of the first act where Diana is undergoing shock therapy for her disorder. Once the second act begins and her son is no longer in the foreground of the story, the music calms because the family's situation is slightly more stable. Then again, once Gabe re-appears, the music returns to it's rock and roll feel. Music is also an important theme in the story. Diana and Dan's daughter Natalie is a musician and often escapes to her piano with her boyfriend Henry when her family life gets rough.

This particular cast of NEXT TO NORMAL was wonderful. With only six cast-members total, they carried the show with ease and the chemistry between them was undeniable. The cast was lead by Broadway veteran Leslie Castay as Diana. Castay's Broadway credits include 42ND STREET, THREEPENNY OPERA, GUYS & DOLLS, and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. The rest of the cast consisted of Richard Hutton as Dan, Madison Lee Kerth (impressively only a freshman at NOCCA) as Natalie, Clint Johnson as Gabe, Matthew Thompson as Henry, and Michael Krikorian as Dr. Madden.

While Southern Rep's production was vastly different from the show's Broadway production, the heart and soul of the show was present. I even felt that the set design paid homage to the set seen in the Booth Theater, but with a smaller and more intimate feel. Bravo, Southern Rep, for a fantastic rendition of one of my favorite shows!

For information on Southern Rep's upcoming season, visit http://www.southernrep.com/.

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