Review: NEXT TO NORMAL At Trinity Rep

I think Next to Normal changed my life.

It's only been a few days since I saw the show, and it has occupied almost every corner of my mind since. I knew nothing about Next to Normal going in. Coming out of it, I felt as though I had seen more of myself, more of what it means to live with mental illness, grief, trauma, and regret.

Even now, I find myself stunned, struggling to find the words to describe what this show accomplished. I'm finding it difficult to talk about just how extraordinary this production is, though it truly is. It is one of my favorite things I have ever seen Trinity Rep produce.

What makes writing about Next to Normal so challenging is that I keep returning to my own experience of it. So rather than begin with the performances, the music, or the direction, I think the best way to discuss this show is to tell you what it felt like to sit in the audience and watch it unfold.

It felt real. It didn't feel like a musical. I'll admit that I am not always the biggest fan of the genre. I've made my fair share of jokes about jazz hands over the years, and after seeing Next to Normal, I feel a little ashamed of that.

Everything about this production felt "normal." Every song and every piece of music moved the story forward. Rather than interrupting the action, the score pulled me deeper into it, revealing the characters' most vulnerable moments and emotions. Nothing felt forced. Nothing felt artificial.

I'll start with Rachael Warren, who leads the production as Diana. I kept thinking throughout the performance about a joke that I’ve adapted for this review, that "if I had a nickel for every time I'd seen Rachael Warren in a musical that changed my life, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's funny that it's happened twice."

As Diana, Warren gives audiences a performance that is both tragic and heroic. Even in Diana's darkest moments, you can still see flashes of the woman she once was, someone vibrant, joyful, and deeply in love with life, and moreso, someone who might have those things again. Those glimpses make every setback feel that much more devastating.

I was stunned by the honesty of the portrayal. Warren has long been one of the finest singers I've had the privilege of watching perform, but here she brings far more than her remarkable vocal abilities. Warren becomes Diana, and I found desperate to know what would happen next.

Nathaniel Stampley, who plays Diana's husband Dan, delivered one of the performances that, at first glance, could easily be dismissed as the supportive husband, the caretaker whose primary purpose is to hold everyone else together. But Stampley brings so much more to the role than that. He captures not only what it means to be a husband, but what it means to be a caretaker first and a husband second. A person carrying profound loss while trying desperately to keep moving forward.

During intermission, I stepped outside with a friend to catch my breath. While we were outside, we overheard some younger audience members discussing Dan and commenting that they felt the character was underdeveloped. I respectfully disagree.

When you have spent years caring for someone else, when your identity becomes wrapped up in supporting the people around you, pieces of yourself inevitably get pushed aside. That isn't a failure of characterization. It is the characterization.

By the end of the show, I found myself overwhelmed with emotion for this character. Without spoiling anything, there is a moment when Dan finally begins to acknowledge his own need for healing. My immediate reaction was simple: thank you. You deserve this, too. The fact that I had such a visceral response to that moment speaks volumes about Stampley's performance.

Erin Saidah Lockett, who plays Natalie, performed so authentically that at times I felt like I was watching one of my own friends on stage.

Everything about Natalie felt real. From the smallest facial expressions to the way she carried herself, from her wardrobe to her interactions with her mother, every detail felt lived-in and genuine. There was never a moment when I felt like I was watching an actor perform a role. 

I genuinely believe we are watching the early career of someone whose name audiences will know for years and years to come. I left the theater feeling excited that one day I’ll be able to say, “Oh, I saw her way back in the day at Trinity Rep!” 

Looking at the connection between Diana and Natalie, I also want to mention choreographer Sharon Jenkins.

There is one moment where both characters are having what I can only describe as a mental pause. As it happens, Rachael Warren and Erin Saidah Lockett move in time with one another. It was such a small thing, and I honestly don't know how many people around me noticed it, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.

Nigel Richards plays Gabe, and while I figured out a spoiler about this character early on, it didn't make the character any less interesting to watch. What I found myself thinking about was how many different versions of Gabe exist throughout the show. Depending on the moment, he can be funny, charming, loving, and enraptured by the woman his mother is. Then there are moments where something feels different, threatening, menacing. Even when I thought I understood Gabe, I found myself reconsidering him again and again as the story unfolded, a true testament to how Richards portrays this haunting character. 

And finally, we need to talk about Ariel Neydavoud, who plays both Dr. Fine and Dr. Madden. I'm not going to lie, I considered sending information about this show to my own psychiatrist and saying, "Hey, you might want to see this. There might be something in here for you, too."

I loved what Neydavoud did with these characters. Playing two doctors, what I appreciated is that neither character felt one-dimensional. They felt real, even when they were frustrating. They felt like doctors you’ve likely spoken to, the ones who have heard you, and the ones who have not. Also, and I need to be very clear about this: my God, can this man belt. Psychiatrist rockstar indeed. 

Next to Normal is not an easy production to face.

If you have struggled with grief, loss, mental illness, trauma, or if you have ever found yourself in the role of caretaker, caregiver, spouse, child, or patient, there is a good chance that some part of this story will hit very close to home. I would encourage audiences to familiarize themselves with the content warnings before attending and to be honest with themselves about whether they are in the right headspace for a production like this.

That said, I cannot stop thinking about it.

For me, this show is a must-see. From the actors to the costumes, the music, the set, the choreography, and all the little things we never say out loud, everything about Next to Normal rocked my world.

Next to Normal is playing now through June 28.