Next To Normal
Awards and Recognition
- WINNER 4 OCTG Theatre Awards
- OCTG Recommended
- WINNER Pulitzer Prize
Reviewer Quotes
“ Energy crackles from the start… clear-eyed direction and a talented cast ”
OC Register
“ As deep and dramatic and gripping as the best contemporary two-act play ”
StageSceneLA
“ Astounding performances ”
The Show Report
EXTENDED THRU MARCH 6th!
See the groundbreaking smash hit musical that won the Pulitzer Prize and three Tony Awards during its acclaimed run on Broadway. With a thrilling contemporary score, Next to Normal takes you behind the proverbial white picket fence to discover a family coming to terms with their past, bravely fighting to face their future, and striving to take care of themselves and each other. This emotional powerhouse of a musical is authentic, humorous, and unflinching. It will leave you breathless and full of hope.
NOTE: This show contains adult themes and language. It is recommended for mature audiences.
WINNER of 4 OCTG Theatre Awards
Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical (Jocelyn A. Brown), Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical (Ron Hastings), and Outstanding Lighting Design (Matt Schleicher)
Nominated for 13 OCTG Theatre AwardsOutstanding Direction of a Musical (Matthew McCray), Outstanding Music Direction (Stephen Hulsey), Outstanding Ensemble (Jocelyn A. Brown, Tym Brown, Jaylen Baham, Angie Chavez, Ron Hastings, and Jared Machado), Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical (Tym Brown), Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical (Jaylen Baham), Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical (Angie Chavez), Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical (Jared Machado), Outstanding Scenic Design (Joe Holbrook), and Outstanding Sound Design (Ryan Brodkin)
“Under sage, veteran stage director Matthew McCray, the four central performers deliver both the acting and singing goods.”
OC Register“Baham and Chavez make such impressive Chance Theater debuts as the Goodman siblings that I’d be literally singing their praises if I had anything close to the gifted twosome’s thrilling pipes, and they’ve got acting chops to match. … Chance favorite Hastings delivers a finely-tuned, gorgeously sung supporting turn as two incisively differentiated psychiatrists, and [Tym] Brown provides stalwart support as a man doing his best to cope under some very difficult circumstances. Still, this is Jocelyn A. Brown’s Next To Normal all the way… she nails all of Diana’s wants and needs and hopes and fears, and the idiosyncrasies that make her as easy to love as she is frustrating to live with, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard the role sung more sensationally.”
StageSceneLA“Under Stephen Hulsey‘s tremendous music direction and dynamic piano, Sho Fujieda‘s drums, Jacob Gonzalez‘s guitars, and Jimmy Beall‘s bass, this teeny-tiny band brought more versatility to the music than did a large orchestra. Thanks to Ryan Brodkin, whose sound design put actors front and center while still allowing us to bask in those amazing orchestrations.”Stage and Cinema
“Together, with tenderness and poise, Director McCray and company creates a painful portrait of a family heaving under the pressure of mental illness – and the audience aches, sobs and recovers with them. Most memorably, Jocelyn A. Brown’s poignant, nuanced performance is inspiring despite Diana’s terrible sadness, offering shards of light amid the darkness this complex show explores.”
The Show Report“Much of the weight falls on Jocelyn A. Brown’s shoulders, as Diana, the mother of the family at the play’s center and the emotional lynchpin of the show, and she’s a rock. Tym Brown is a tower of strength as Dan, the father, with an impressive vocal range. Jaylen Baham gives a powerhouse performance as the son, earmarking this young man as someone to watch in the future; his solo “I’m Alive” is one of the show’s standouts. Angie Chavez’s emotional honesty ensures the daughter doesn’t get lost in the story”JordanRYoung.com
Executive Producers
Linda & Tod White
Associate Producers Susan Bowman & Freddie Greenfield and
Laurie Smits Staude
Season Producers
Bette & Wylie Aitken
Associate Season Producer The Family of Mary Kay Fyda-Mar
Show artwork designed by KC Wilkerson, kcwdigital.com.
Jeffrey Rakofsky, Emory University School of Medicine
Associate Professor; Director, Medical Student Clinical Education; Staff Psychiatrist, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral SciencesJeffrey Rakofsky, MD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in 2005 and completed his psychiatry residency and psychopharmacology research fellowship within the Emory University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. In 2009, he started the Emory University Bipolar Disorders Clinic, providing expert consultation and psychopharmacologic treatments for patients across the country with treatment-resistant bipolar depression. He has conducted research on new medications for bipolar disorder and has published several articles on various aspects of bipolar illness, including anxiety, addiction, and pharmacologic treatments. Dr. Rakofsky annually provides lectures about bipolar disorder to medical students, residents, and his local community. He is a member of the International Society for Bipolar Disorders and previously served on the board of the Sean Costello Memorial Fund for Bipolar Disorders Research. Dr. Rakofsky is a longtime fan of film, television, and theatre and enjoys using fictional characters and storylines to facilitate his teaching.
Buy Tickets
Venue Bette Aitken theater arts Center
- Full-Service Bar
- Free Parking
- Conveniently Located
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At a Glance
- Approximate Running Time:
- 2 hours, 30 minutes with intermission
- Special Notes:
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- Performance contains strobe lighting effects
- Post-show discussion after each performance
- Join us at Opening Night as a Platinum Member
- "Salon" on Sun, Feb 6 at 2pm... Hosted pre-show discussion with artists.
- Babes in arms and children under four are not permitted.
- The role of Natalie will be played by Jessica James on Sat, Feb 12 at 3 p.m. and Thu, Feb 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Jaylen and Tim stole the show with their incredibly emotionally charged performances. Loved it!
We saw “Next to Normal” at Anaheim’s Chance Theater last night and were blown away. It is terrific. The play itself is an incredibly moving exploration of the interplay between overwhelming grief and chronic mental illness. All the actors gave performances that were powerful and beautiful. It is the kind of show you keep thinking about and talking about. Go see it before it closes on Feb. 27!
You’re welcome!