Next to Normal

Context

Poster from the Broadway
production of
Next to Normal

Next to Normal is a musical that opened on Broadway in April of 2009 and ran for nearly two years. This profound and revolutionary musical follows the main character, Diana Goodman and her family who, from the outside, they look like “a perfect loving family.” However, Diana has been living with bipolar II disorder for the past seventeen years. Her son, Gabe, dies in infancy, but she has hallucinations of him constantly Diana’s husband, Dan, and her daughter, Natalie, are constantly competing with Gabe, for her attention. This begins to tear their family apart.

The romanticism of mental illness drove composers Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey to create this musical, shedding light on what it is like to live with bipolar disorder. They felt the need to bring “justice” to people living with mental illness by portraying it in the correct way. In early developments of the show, it was much more comical. As the writers proceeded, they made the decision to cut most of the comedy and really focus on the seriousness of the matter. Also, through out the development phase, research was being done about bipolar II disorder and it’s various treatments. However, the book writers did not change most of the medical terms, making the diagnosis of Diana’s disorder “invalid.”

How the artist conveys the meaning

Examples of costumes in
Next to Normal

One major theme is very cliché. That is, basically, don’t judge a book by its cover. From the outside, the Goodman family seems perfectly normal. They live in a nice house in a nondescript american suburb. It isn’t until the end of the first number that the audience really notices that there is anything wrong with Diana. This theme is portrayed through the simplicity of the set and costumes. Most of the characters simply wear jeans and a t-shirt for the duration of the show. The set is very modern and sleek. It is the basic framework of a house with little decoration. This theme is also portrayed simply by the title. A lyric in the song “Maybe” is, “I don't need a life that's normal, that's way too far away, but something next to normal would be okay.” This shows how the family is just trying to get by as an average family. 

Another, more general theme is unconditional love. This is really shown through the relationships between the characters, specifically between Diana and Dan. Dan never threatens to leave Diana. He is always determined to keep Diana healthy and happy. A lyric that personifies this idea is from the song “I Am The One.” “I am the one who knows you. I am the one who cares. I am the one who's always been there. I am the one who's helped you. And if you think that I just don't give a damn, then you just don't know who I am.” Dan sings this to Diana after she tells him that he doesn’t know what she is going though. 

In general, the artists involved portrayed these themes effectively by having a small cast of 6 actors. This creates a much more intimate atmosphere and helps in the storytelling element. 

How I find it beautiful

I strongly agree with the themes that this piece presents. Even though the theme on no judgement is presented in many different ways, I believe that most people do not really take the theme to heart. This piece really helps to personify this general message and to help the audience to see it in a new setting and with a new perspective. Next to Normal has had many international productions. This fact speaks volumes about its universal themes and plot.

Set and costumes for the final scene 

from Next to Normal

Something else that really draws me to this piece is the general design. I love the simplicity of the sets, designs, and the general poster. As I expand my horizons in the world of musical theatre, I have noticed that some of my favorite shows have the same scenic designer as Next to Normal: Mark Wendland. I think that the set and costumes have a huge part in the storytelling process.

The score of this musical is one of my favorites. It combines a pop/rock sound (rather than a classic musical theatre sound) with beautifully poetic lyrics, which creates a very intense sound. The lyrics really convey the character’s thoughts in a way that just plain dialogue would not. Also looking deeply into the music, I have noticed a few things. In one song “Superboy and the Invisible Girl”, Natalie tells her mother how she only pays attention to Gabe and is missing out on Natalie’s important milestones. On the second chorus, Gabe comes in and sings with Natalie. However, Gabe “makes” Natalie sing harmony while he sings the melody. This shows how much control Gabe has over his entire family. These simple things make the plot even more interesting and really develop relationships between characters.

Overall, this musical tells a very beautiful and important message in a very unique way. It is very universal, and that is what I love about it. It really digs into the audience’s emotions and has a lasting effect.