Next to Normal at El Cerrito High School Performing Arts Theater

YMTC+, a new wing of Youth Musical Theater Company (YMTC), has selected the cast for Next to Normal, its first musical with an all-professional line-up of actors. With Susannah Martin as director and David Möschler as musical director, Next to Normal will run May 4–13 at El Cerrito High School Performing Arts Theater.

Featured as family members are Danny Cozart, Husband; Jennifer Boesing (YMTC’s Producing Artistic Director), Wife; Kevin Singer, Son; and Celeste Kamiya, Daughter. Daniel Barrington Rubio playing the doctors and David Crane, the boyfriend, complete the cast. Kamiya and Crane are both alumni of YMTC’s training program for young theater artists.

The production includes a shadow cast of current YMTC students, who auditioned for the opportunity to understudy the roles and sit in on the rehearsal process. Boesing explains, “Something I've been dreaming about for years is a professional production in which local professional actors—some YMTC teaching artists, some YMTC alumni—would perform in a show and have our current students shadow them. The students would be in on the process of a professional show from the ground up, watching, learning, under-studying (in the true sense of that word).”

Next to Normal explores how one suburban family copes with mental illness with compassion, depth, and humor. Well-received on Broadway, the show won three Tony awards in 2009 and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2010. Its book and lyrics were written by Brian Yorkey, and music by Tom Kitt. A full, live band under Möschler will provide the rock-infused accompaniment.

Award-winning Bay Area director Susannah Martin notes, “This piece premiered 10 years ago. It was the first American musical of its kind, dealing so directly with mental illness. There’s still so little our culture understands about mental illness, particularly the idea that taking care of your mental health is taking care of your health. Next to Normal addresses some of these issues.”

Next to Normal opens Friday, May 4, 2018. Eight performances are scheduled over two weeks at El Cerrito High School Performing Arts Theater, 540 Ashbury Avenue, El Cerrito. The run consists of three 2:00 p.m. matinees (5/6, 5/12, 5/13) and five 7:30 p.m. performances (5/4, 5/5, 5/10, 5/11, 5/12). Tickets are available online at http://www.ymtcbayarea.org or at the door one hour before curtain. Ticket prices are $15–$35, with discounts for students, seniors, military, teachers, and groups. A Pay-What-You-Can-Preview is scheduled for Thursday, 5/3, at 7:30 p.m., cash/credit at the door with open seating.