BWW Interviews: David Coomber Chats Clearwater Theatre's NEXT TO NORMAL

Clearwater Theatre's production of Next to Normal received rave reviews last year and is back again at Tarragon Theatre for a limited run this week. The Tony and Pulitizer Prize winning show tells the story of a family struggling to cope with issues surrounding mental illness, and packs a hefty emotional wallop. With some fantastic tunes and a heartfelt story, this is an eye opening musical likely to make you laugh and cry.

Joining the cast this time around are Steffi DiDomenicantonio, Marty Burt and David Coomber. BWW sat down and spoke with David about the challenges associated with joining a 'remount' production, and about how he handles the sensitive nature of the material:

First, congratulations on joining Clearwater Theatre's Next to Normal! We heard brilliant things about this production last year - what's it like joining a cast that has done this before? Has it been a challenging experience?

I thought it was going to be more intimidating than it turned out to be. I didn't feel like there were any expectations that I had to meet or a performance I needed to recreate. With most of the cast having already done the show, their comfort level with the material fueled all of us in room to match them. Marty Burt (who plays Dan) and I certainly had to play a bit of catch up, learning the music from scratch, as we were the two newbies to the show. But it's important to remind yourself that anytime you enter a project, whether you're new to the material or not, it's always a different game with new players and everyone is discovering and learning.

Have you both seen the production before? If so, when and where?

Twice. I saw the Broadway replacement cast a couple years ago, and I got to see Alice Ripley do it here in Toronto on tour.

This show deals with some incredibly difficult subject matter - how do you get (and stay) in that headspace for the show but keep your bubbly personalities intact?

I have a softer load to carry than the others. It's by no means easy, Henry has his work cut out for him in his quest for Natalie, but it was very apparent to me in rehearsal why a character as good natured and grounded as Henry would exist in a play in which the other characters go to such crushing extremes. I truly have nothing but respect for the character, and it is a blast to play. Steffi and I also go way back to taking acting classes together after school at the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama when we were about 12, so it was great to have that chemistry going in, especially when you've got 2.5 weeks to put it up.

Do you think people who've had personal experiences with mental illness should be concerned about coming to the show, or embrace it as a way to raise awareness about an important issue?

There are delicate topics dealt with in a very explicit way. People that have a mental illness, or who have family or close friends struggling with it, might see scenes that look familiar or hear conversations that hit close to home, which is never an easy thing to witness. The writing is very courageous and as articulately as they express the dark, it just as eloquently illuminates the show's cathartic message: that we all march to the beat of our own drum. This show begins a discussion that will hopefully deflate the illusions we have of thinking ourselves different from the 'normal' kids in the class, or the co-workers that all go home to their 'normal' families. I think if people are willing to take the plunge and visit some of the darker shades of this musical, there is a great pay off to be found at the end. Also, humour is never too far away, and there are some bulletproof laughs in the show.

Do you have a favourite song? Which song is the hardest for you to perform?

I actually found the 'Hey' songs to be the most challenging. All 3 of them for the same reason: the combination of the difficult high notes paired with their conversational tone is a really tricky balance. Favourite songs? 'There's a World' and 'Light in the Dark' always get me... Thankfully for everyone I'm not onstage for either of them. I'd be a wreck.

If you could play one other character in the show (gender/age not important) who would it be and why?

Diana. But I'm too young.

Finally, what would you say to encourage a younger audience to come out and see the show?

In high school or middle school, it's especially easy to feel like an outcast, or different. I think this show might alleviate some of that pressure we all feel to act normally, or think normally, and show them that no two human beings are the same and our idea of normal doesn't exist.

When and Where?

Next to Normal

Tarragon Theatre

On now until June 16th, 2013

Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office or online at https://tickets.tarragontheatre.com/TheatreManager/1/login&event=0.

For more information, visit their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/clearwatertheatrecompany.

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