Next To Normal

Music by Tom Kitt
Book & Lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Directed by Matthew McCray
Music Direction by Stephen Hulsey

Awards and Recognition

  • WINNER 4 OCTG Theatre Awards
  • OCTG Recommended
  • WINNER Pulitzer Prize

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.


For those who are more cautious, we are also offering a select number of Vaccinated+ Performances. As with General Performances, ticket holders are required to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and masks must be worn at all times. Unlike General Performances, Vaccinated+ Performances will not accept proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test and there will be minimal socially distanced seating between parties. Ticket holders who do not comply with these policies will not be admitted.  » Learn more about our health and safety protocols.

If you have any questions, please call the box office at (888) 455-4212 or send an email to [email protected].

 

Press Photos

In rehearsal

Join us at the Saturday, February 19th at 3PM performance of Next to Normal and stay for a special conversation with members of the cast and our special guest...

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 Sciences
Jeffrey 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.
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Audience Buzz

    1. Jaylen and Tim stole the show with their incredibly emotionally charged performances. Loved it!

      — Venita De Souza
    2. 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!

      — Kathy Esfahani

Venue Bette Aitken theater arts Center

Bette Aitken theater arts Center
5522 E. La Palma Ave.
Anaheim, CA  92807
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