NEW YORK—Clinical depression is given the rock musical treatment in the excellent Next to Normal (book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, music by Tom Kitt), now at the Second Stage Theatre.
Husband and wife Dan (Brian d'Arcy James) and Diana (Alice Ripley), and teenage children Gabe (Aaron Tveit) and Natalie (Jennifer Damiano) seem like the average suburban family.
However this is not the case. Diana is bi-polar and also suffers from depression, conditions which came to the fore after a family tragedy 16 years earlier. Since that time she's tried innumerable treatments, medications and doctors (two of which are played by Asa Somers) all in a vain effort to lead a normal life.
As time goes on and Diana's condition leads a suicide attempt, it becomes only a matter of time before the entire family breaks apart. The question then becomes, can it be put back together and if so, in what form?
The creators of the show get high marks. Not only for presentation, (Michael Greif's direction and Sergio Trujillo's musical staging are spot on, as are Michael Starobin's and Kitt's orchestrations), but also for having done their homework.
As the show points out, Diana's illness affects her entire family, all of whom are seemingly helpless to change things until they first help themselves. This is especially true for Dan. He desperately wants his wife to get better; however he may actually be enabling the situation by trying to impose his needs upon her.
At the same time, by being the loving, loyal husband, he keeps his own pain and anger bottled up and as a result is slowly dying inside.
Since Diana's condition basically takes up all of the family's time and energy, everybody else is basically shunted aside.
This is especially the case with Natalie who, bitter because Gabe has always been her mom's favorite, soon finds herself drowning in pills in an effort to make the hurting stop.
She's also so ashamed of her family, she doesn't want her boyfriend Henry (Adam Chanler-Berat) to meet them. As for Gabe, he died 16 years earlier, but has been kept alive (and aging normally) by his mother's psyche, which refuses to let him go.
The script is strong, but it's the score and performances that bring the tale to life. The music and lyrics are wonderful, with tunes ranging from hard rock to a poignant solo by Diana where she sings about her lost child.
More importantly, the lyrics tell what would be pages of dialogue in a few verses of song. Some of the highlights include "i miss the mountains," where Diana sings about what part of herself she's lost since she's been on medication; "i am the one," Dan's explanation of why he's stayed in the marriage; "i'm alive," Gabriel's refrain to all showing that he can't be simply medicated over and forgotten; and "let their be light," a very upbeat opening number.
Casting is letter perfect, with every actor bringing his or her character fully to life. Ripley is perfect as a complex and desperate woman in torment, while James is strong as the steadfast husband always ready to help (too ready in fact at times). Chanler-Berat makes an unlikely hero in Henry and Damiano is good as Natalie, whose pharmaceutical efforts mask her own desperate cry for help. Tveit works well as Gabe, and Somers is fine as various doctors (including a "rock star" psychologist).
Best of all, the show doesn't wrap everything up neatly, instead going for an ending that is both realistic and believable. Sets by Mark Wendland are excellent; costumes by Jeff Mahshie and lighting by Kevin Adams are strong.
Next to Normal definitely deserves a life beyond this initial run and will hopefully be seen elsewhere soon.
Next to Normal
Second Stage Theatre
307 West 43rd Street
Tickets: 212-246-4422 or www.2st.com
Running Time: Two Hours, 20 Minutes
Closes: March 16, 2008
Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.
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