Test your knowledge on the groundbreaking musical *Next to Normal* with these intriguing trivia facts. How well do you know this Pulitzer Prize-winning show that changed the landscape of modern Broadway? Explore fascinating details about the characters, awards, and global productions of this riveting musical, and see if you're an expert on its bold portrayal of mental health and family dynamics. Dive in and discover how much you really know about this emotionally charged and unique rock musical that's made a lasting impact worldwide.
International Productions
- The Dutch premiere of 'Next to Normal' was held on January 16, 2012, at DeLaMar Theater in Amsterdam.
- The musical debuted in Australia with a production by Melbourne Theatre Company beginning in April 2012.
- A replica of the Broadway production directed by assistant director Laura Pietropinto premiered in Tokyo, Japan in July 2013.
- Kolleen Park, a renown American actor, starred as Diana in multiple South Korean productions of the show.
- The Asian premiere of the musical was staged in March 2011 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in Makati, Philippines.
- The first non-English language production of the musical opened in September 2010 at the Det Norske Teatret in Oslo, Norway.
- Caissie Levy played the lead role of Diana Goodman in both the 2023 Donmar Warehouse production in London and the subsequent 2024 West End transfer.
- A new Mandarin production of the musical premiered in Beijing, China, in August 2018, followed by a Cantonese version in Hong Kong in December 2022.
- The original Taiwan production premiered in English in July 2023 at the National Taichung Theater.
- The East West Players' production of 'Next to Normal' featured an almost entirely Asian cast, highlighting mental health issues within the Asian Pacific-Islander community.
- The Mexican production of the musical opened in January 2019 at Teatro Aldama, Mexico City, and was nominated for six Premios Metropolitanos de Teatro.
- The Argentine premiere of 'Next to Normal' occurred on January 5, 2012, at the Liceo Theatre in Buenos Aires.
- A German-language production of 'Next to Normal' opened on October 11, 2013, at Stadttheater Fürth in Bavaria.
- The Italian version of 'Next to Normal' premiered on March 7, 2015, at Teatro Coccia in Novara.
- A Spanish-language production of 'Next to Normal' began performances on September 14, 2017, at Teatro Pérez Galdós in Las Palmas, Canary Islands.
- 'Next to Normal' had its Russian-language premiere in Minsk, Belarus on March 28, 2018.
- The UK premiere of 'Next to Normal' took place at the Donmar Warehouse, London from August 12 to October 7, 2023, before transferring to the West End's Wyndham's Theatre in 2024.
Musical Composition
- The set's emotional evolution in the musical led to eliminating the original title song, 'Feeling Electric', focusing more on the family's emotional journey.
- Diana's condition in 'Next to Normal' is described as 'bipolar depressive with delusional episodes', which would now be diagnosed as bipolar 'with psychotic features' according to the latest DSM.
- The show's powerful narrative and rock-infused score helped it gain recognition and awards from both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk before even hitting Broadway.
- Characters in 'Next to Normal' reference several classic literary works including 'The Catcher in the Rye', 'Flowers for Algernon', and 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' throughout the show.
Notable Tours
- The show’s extensive tour included 16 cities across the U.S. and Canada, starting in Los Angeles and ending in Toronto.
- Next to Normal's first US tour began in November 2010, with Alice Ripley reprising her role.
Production Facts
- The Broadway Center Stage production featured actors Brandon Victor Dixon, Maia Reficco, Khamary Rose, Ben Levi Ross, and Michael Park under the direction of Michael Greif at the John F. Kennedy Center in early 2020.
- Next to Normal won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, even though it was not originally on the shortlist submitted by the Pulitzer Prize jury.
- The musical 'Next to Normal' inspired a musical episode (Chapter Ninety-Four: Next to Normal) of the TV show 'Riverdale' in 2021.
- Next to Normal won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, making it one of the few musicals ever to receive this honor.
- TheaterWorks Hartford's production of 'Next to Normal' received critical acclaim and multiple awards, including Outstanding Production of a Musical from the Connecticut Critic Circle Choice Awards.
- In the Broadway production, the producers recouped their initial investment of $4 million just after the show's one-year anniversary.
- 'Next to Normal' was recognized with a 2009 OMMA Award for Best in Show due to its innovative promotional campaign on Twitter.
- Anthony Rapp, known for his role in 'Rent', served as assistant director for the Off-Broaday production of 'Next to Normal'.
- During its Broadway run, 'Next to Normal' set a new box office record at the Booth Theatre, grossing over $550,000 in one week.
- The original family surname in 'Next to Normal' was Brown, but it was changed to Goodman for the production that ran Off-Broadway and beyond.
- Diana's struggle with her mental health and its impact on her family originally began as a 10-minute workshop sketch titled 'Feeling Electric', highlighting the stigmas and challenges of psychiatric treatment.
- Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) is depicted as a treatment option for Diana following her suicide attempt, showcasing the extremities of her mental health condition.
- The musical's storyline takes a bold approach by incorporating the effects of electroconvulsive therapy as a treatment for the protagonist's depression.
- Next to Normal's Broadway production was notable for winning three Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Orchestration.
- The musical addresses complex themes such as mental illness, suicide, and the impact of psychiatry, showing the daily struggles and effects on a suburban family.
- Alice Ripley, who originated the role of Diana on Broadway, won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for her depiction of a mother battling bipolar disorder.
