PPAC Presents NEXT TO NORMAL 3/22-27

The Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical next to normal comes to the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) Tuesday, March 22 through Sunday, March 27, 2011 as part of the 2010/2011 Broadway Series. next to normal is sponsored by the TACO/The White Family Foundation. Tickets are on sale at the PPAC Box Office, online at www.ppacri.org and by phone at (401) 421 - ARTS (2787).

Alice Ripley reprises her acclaimed performance as Diana, which was honored with the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. next to normal also features Asa Somers (Dan), Curt Hansen (Gabe), Emma Hunton (Natalie), Michael McElroy (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine), and Preston Sadleir (Henry).

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.

Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three 2009 Tony Awards, next to normal features music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, musical staging by Sergio Trujillo, and direction by Michael Greif. The creative team also includes Mark Wendland (set design), Jeff Mahshie (costume design), Kevin Adams (lighting design), and Brian Ronan (sound design). Musical direction is by Bryan Perri, orchestrations are by Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, and vocal arrangements by AnnMarie Milazzo.

In 2009, next to normal was chosen as "one of the year's ten best" by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Time Out New York, New York Daily News, The Bergen Record, and NY1 - more than any other musical from that season.

next to normal had a surprising and highly unlikely route to Broadway. The musical originally opened at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre on February 13, 2008. The producer, David Stone, who had been guiding the musical since 2005, took the unexpected step of bringing the show to Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage where it was significantly reworked, and then back to New York and to Broadway, where it opened to rave reviews on April 15, 2009. This unusual trajectory from a New York Off-Broadway premiere to an out-of-town regional theatre engagement and then back to New York is unprecedented.

next to normal is produced by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, and Second Stage Theatre.

The performance schedule for next to normal is
Tuesday, March 22 at 8 PM
Wednesday, March 23 at 7:30 PM
Thursday, March 24 at 7:30 PM
Friday, March 25 at 8 PM
Saturday, March 26 at 2 PM and 8 PM
Sunday, March 27 at 1 PM and 6:30 PM

PPAC, along with Butler Hospital and Gateway Healthcare, will host a post-show talkback opportunity on Wednesday, March 23 with the next to normal company. Butler's President and CEO Patricia Recupero, J.D., M.D. and Gateway's Medical Director Stephan Chabot, M.D. will moderate the discussion.

Tickets for next to normal are now on sale and are $68 - $41; please note that all ticket prices include a $3 per ticket restoration charge and are subject to change without notice. The PPAC Box Office is located at 220 Weybosset Street in downtown Providence. Regular Box Office Hours are Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM; Saturday, 10 AM to 2 PM and through curtain time(s) on performance days.

Visit www.nexttonormal.com or www.ppacri.org to learn more about next to normal.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.