Curt Hansen News

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,

On Monday, December 6, cast members from the first national tour of NEXT TO NORMAL--now performing a limited engagement at the Center Theatre Group's Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles through January 2, 2011--performed a brief set at 'Musical Mondays,' the Broadway-centric live performance showcase hosted by Scott Nevins and Ryan O'Connor at the Eleven Nightclub in West Hollywood.

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).

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.

The national tour of 'Next to Normal' opens at the Ahmanson Theatre on Sunday, November 28, 2010. Previews of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical begin November 23; performances will continue through January 2, 2011.

Many of everyone's Broadway and off-Broadway favorites, including Michael Urie, Wesley Taylor, Jennifer Damiano, Karen Olivo, Mitchell Jarvis and more have teamed up on the webisode project Billy Green. BroadwayWorld last brought you the seventh episode in the series and today brings you the latest installment, 'The Performance.'

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, will reprise her acclaimed performance in the musical's 36-week multi-city North American tour, launching in November. It will play in San Diego January 18 - 23, 2011 at the Balboa Theatre, as a Broadway/San Diego ~ A Nederlander Presentation.

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, will reprise her acclaimed performance in the musical's 36-week multi-city North American tour, launching November 23 with a six-week engagement at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Following the premiere, the tour has confirmed engagements in Denver, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Des Moines, Providence, Hartford, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Chicago, St. Paul, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Washington, DC, and Toronto.

FRECKLEFACE STRAWBERRY THE MUSICAL opened at the New World Stages on October 1 in New York City. The beloved New York Times best selling children's book Freckleface Strawberry by the celebrated actress Julianne Moore's adapted into a 90-minute musical chock full of music, dance and fun.

On Monday, April 26, Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie), Emma Hunton (Spring Awakening) and Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family), Kelli O'Hara, Steven Pasquale, De'Adre Aziza and Greg Naughton headlined the NewMusicalTheatre.com Launch Concert at NYC's (Le) Poisson Rouge. BroadwayWorld was there to capture the evening.

Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie), Emma Hunton (Spring Awakening) and Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family) and will join previously-announced headliners Kelli O'Hara, Steven Pasquale, De'Adre Aziza and Greg Naughton for the NewMusicalTheatre.com Launch Concert on Monday, April 26, 2010 at 10pm at NYC's (Le) Poisson Rouge.

Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening, Bye Bye Birdie), Emma Hunton (Spring Awakening) and Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family) and will join previously-announced headliners Kelli O'Hara, Steven Pasquale, De'Adre Aziza and Greg Naughton for the NewMusicalTheatre.com Launch Concert on Monday, April 26, 2010 at 10pm at NYC's (Le) Poisson Rouge.

The Donmar Warehouse presents PARADE, with a book by Alfred Uhry and music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. PARADE is co-conceived by Harold Prince and directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford.

London's Donmar Warehouse production of PARADE, presented by the Center Theatre Group at the Los Angeles Music Center, had its U.S. premiere Sunday, October 4, 2009 at the Mark Taper Forum.

'Parade,' which features T.R. Knight playing the historical figure Leo Frank and Lara Pulver reprising her role as his wife, Lucille Frank, started rehearsals this week. The Center Theatre Group's presentation of the Donmar Warehouse production began previews September 24, 2009, and opened at the Mark Taper Forum on October 4. Performances continue through November 15.

Center Theatre Group is presenting the Donmar Warehouse production of 'Parade,' opening Sunday, October 4, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. at the Mark Taper Forum.