NEXT TO NORMAL To Be Presented At Trinity Rep
Amanda Dehnert directs the Tony-winning show at Trinity Rep's Dowling Theater in Providence.
Trinity Repertory Company concludes its 2025-26 Season with the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning rock musical Next to Normal, featuring a book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. Directed by former Associate Artistic Director Amanda Dehnert, this production plays May 28 – June 28 in the Dowling Theater.
“We are beyond thrilled to have Amanda Dehnert back to stage this work with her signature combination of theatrical and musical brilliance,” Trinity Rep Artistic Director Curt Columbus said. “Longtime Trinity audiences will remember her remarkable stagings of My Fair Lady, Annie, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and The Fantasticks in the early 2000s. I had the great fortune to see a staging of another of Amanda's musicals last summer at Hudson Valley Shakespeare (Dave Malloy's Octet). At the end of the show, I sat in my seat, so shaken by the beauty of what I had just witnessed that I couldn't move. I want Trinity audiences to have that same, unparalleled, theatrical experience.”
Next to Normal follows Diana, a suburban mom struggling with bipolar disorder. Her daughter, Natalie, is a stressed-out overachiever about to snap, and her exhausted architect husband, Dan, is determined to keep everything “normal.” As Diana's symptoms worsen, the Goodmans must learn to see each other for who they truly are and discover what it means to be family.
“I'm really excited to approach this piece in the way that Amanda approaches musicals because of her deep respect for and understanding of both musical theater and the subject matter,” Trinity Rep Resident Company Rachael Warren, who plays Diana, said. “Amanda has a real possibility to make the definitive version of this piece.”
“It's funny to me that it's as old as it is—it's almost 20 years old now—[Next to Normal] is still very, very true in terms of the way it is talking about mental health, the way it's talking about treatment, and the things that are real and true and hard for families living with someone dealing with a mental illness,” Dehnert said. “The musical talks about all of these real problems and makes it kind of epic. But there's also only six actors, so it's also super intimate. I love the characters, I love the music, I love the story, I love how it's put together and moves like a machine...going from one event to the next, to the next, to the next. And I just think it's fantastic.”
THE CREATIVE TEAM & CAST
Director Amanda Dehnert served as Trinity Rep's Associate Artistic Director from 1994 through 2005, and Acting Artistic Director from 2005 through 2006. Select Trinity Rep credits include The Fantasticks, My Fair Lady, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, St. Joan, Annie, Othello, A Christmas Carol, Noises Off, Henry IV, The Skin of Our Teeth, and A Moon For The Misbegotten. Since 2006, Amanda has worked across the country as a freelance director, with credits including the world premiere of Kate Hamill's Pride & Prejudice at Primary Stages, West Side Story at Carnegie Hall/The Knockdown Center, Richard III at The Public Theater, the world premiere of Baskerville at McCarter Theatre and Arena Stage, and multiple productions at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Hudson Valley Shakespeare, and Lookingglass Theatre, among others.
Dehnert, who also serves as the production's Music Director, will work with Choreographer Sharon Jenkins (A Christmas Carol), Scenic Designer Patrick Lynch (Primary Trust), Costume Designer April M. Hickman (Cold War Choir Practice), Lighting Designer David Roy, and Sound Designer Peter Sasha Hurowitz (The Winter's Tale).
The cast of Next to Normal features Resident Company Member Rachael Warren (Sweeney Todd) as Diana, Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Program in Acting student Erin Saidah Lockett as her daughter Natalie, and guest artists Nathaniel Stampley (Broadway's The Lion King) as her husband Dan and Nigel Richards as her son Gabe. Rounding out the ensemble are guest artists Christopher Moody as Henry, Natalie's classmate and love interest, and Ariel Neydavoud as Diana's psychopharmacologists Dr. Madden and Dr. Fine.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Continuing Trinity Rep's tradition of offering affordable tickets for all, the theater will hold Pay What You Wish performances of Next to Normal on Thurs May 28 and Tues June 2 at 7:30 pm. Pay What You Wish tickets are limited to two per person. These tickets can be purchased advanced online or by phone beginning on Thurs May 21 at 12 pm, or the day of the performance at the theater while supplies last.
Returning this season are Neighborhood Nights, where Rhode Island residents can access a 20% discount on 6 pm Sunday evening performances, based on where they live. Providence County residents are eligible for a Neighborhood Night discount for every Sunday evening performance. The Neighborhood Night performances for Kent, Washington, and Bristol & Newport Counties are on June 7, 14, and 21, respectively. Guests may claim this discount by entering their county name in all capital letters at checkout (i.e., PROVIDENCE).
The Sensory Friendly performance of Next to Normal, designed to meet the needs of guests with sensitivities to light and sound, will be held on Wed. June 17 at 7:30 pm. All performances June 24-28 are open captioned. To learn more, visit TrinityRep.com/Accessibility.
Trinity Rep's 2025-26 Season is sponsored by the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) with supporting sponsorship by the Providence Tourism Council. Southwest Airlines is the official airline of Trinity Rep.
ABOUT Trinity Repertory Company
Founded in 1963, Trinity Repertory Company is one of the nation's leading regional theaters, recognized for artistic excellence, innovation, and its long-standing resident company of artists. The recipient of the 1981 Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theater, Trinity Rep has built a national and international reputation for bold, engaging work.
Rhode Island's official State Theater since 2014, Trinity Rep serves as a cultural anchor for its community. Guided by its mission to “reinvent the public square,” the company creates theater that stimulates, educates, and sparks dialogue, presenting a dynamic mix of classic, contemporary, and new works. Trinity Rep has produced more than 75 world premieres and is widely recognized for its distinctive, collaborative style of performance. Its annual production of A Christmas Carol has brought families together for nearly five decades and made memories for over two million audience members. Its 2025-26 season continues this spring with the Pulitzer Prize-winning plays Primary Trust and Next to Normal.
A national leader in artist training and education, Trinity Rep's robust programs serve learners of all ages and abilities. Its Project Discovery initiative has introduced more than 1.4 million students to live theater since 1966. Based in the historic Lederer Theater Center in downtown Providence, Trinity Rep is expanding its impact through The Public Square Campaign, a $40 million facility renovation, currently underway, that will enhance accessibility and community engagement. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with an annual budget of approximately $9 million, Trinity Rep employs over 300 artists and administrative staff each year.
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