Next to Normal

About the Play

This deeply moving and captivating American musical took Broadway by storm in 2009, winning three Tony awards and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. Now, Chicago and Broadway director David Cromer returns to WT where he has directed A Streetcar Named Desire and Picnic to bring his singularly personal touch to this modern musical where the lines between reality and delusion are never quite clear.

Advisory: This production is intended for audiences aged 13 and up, and contains themes and depictions of mental illness, profanity, discussions of self-harm and the loss of a family member.

Showtimes

Meet the Artists

	Kyrie Courter (Natalie Goodman)
	Alex Levy (Henry)
	Liam Oh (Gabe Goodman)
	Gabriel Ruiz* (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine)
	David Schlumpf* (Dan Goodman)
	Keely Vasquez* (Diana Goodman)
	Brianna Borger* (u/s Diana Goodman)
	Ariana Burks (u/s Natalie Goodman)
	Evan Tyrone Martin* (u/s Dan Goodman, Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine)
	Kieran McCabe (u/s Gabe Goodman, Henry)

David Cromer (Director)
Andra Velis Simon (Music Director)
Ellen Morris (Assistant Music Director)
Regina García (Scenic Designer)
Rachel Anne Healy (Costume Designer)
Keith Parham (Lighting Designer)
Christopher M. Laporte (Co-Sound Designer)
Ray Nardelli (Co-Sound Designer)
Bobby Kennedy (Dramaturg)
Nick Moran (CFM Contractor)
Ethan Deppe (Keyboard Programmer)
Eamon Foley (Choreographer)
Harmony France (Assistant Director)
Abigail Medrano (Assistant Stage Manager)
Rebecca Pechter* (Production Stage Manager)

*Denotes a member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers

Reviews

"Reimagined [by Tony Award-winning David Cromer]... Next to Normal has found its true volume!"
The New York Times

“Magnificent! [This] brilliantly insightful…Pulitzer Prize-winning musical [is] exceptionally moving!”
Chicago Tribune

“Flawless!”
Chicago Reader

“Mounted by David Cromer, America's greatest stage director, for Writers Theatre, America's finest regional theater company!”
Wall Street Journal

“Make Next to Normal the next show you see!”
WGN

“Brilliant, poignant, powerful!”
Chicago Onstage

“[A] must-see production!”
Around the Town Chicago

“An electrifying and sometimes cathartic jolt to the heart!”
BroadwayWorld

“[David] Cromer's…Next to Normal does not disappoint!”
Windy City Times

“Searing and beautifully sung! A perfect fit for [Director] David Cromer’s intensely intimate style.”
Time Out Chicago

Special Events

Save the dates for these special events!

Accessible Performances

  Open-Captioned performance: Thursday, May 30, 2019 at 7:30pm

Accessibility Services >>

Sunday Spotlight:

Catch Me I'm Falling: Our Local Support Systems

Sunday, June 2, 2019 at 11:30am

In Next to Normal, a family fights to overcome trauma of the past that continues to haunt them, with the help of several doctors and experts. While the musical is a work of fiction, the mental health issues that it addresses are very real, and sometimes closer to our own lives than we think. At this morning’s interactive panel discussion event, we welcome representatives from local mental health service organizations to discuss how Next to Normal reflects issues in our own communities, and how help is sometimes just one step away. 

Post-Show Conversation: The Word

Join us after every Tuesday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute discussion of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Post-Show Conversation: The Artist

Join us after every Wednesday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute talk-back featuring actors from the production, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.

Pre-Show Conversation: Up Close

Join us at 6:45pm in the Atrium before every Thursday evening performance (excluding First Week and any extension weeks) for a 15-minute primer on the context and content of the play, facilitated by a member of the WT Artistic Team.