The Next Normal, a Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical on the stage of an emotional production at Sanford’s Theatre West End, has a message of hope for “Next Normal.”
“The dancers may disappear, but the dance continues,” says one of Brian Jorkie’s lyrics as families deal with grief, mental illness and the arrival of age.
“Normal Next Door” focuses on the Goodman’s, and when the audience first sees Mama Diana (Melissa Min Yard), Papadan (Jeremy Hudson), and teenagers (Vargas and Jordan Perez in July), If it’s confusing, everything might look good.
However, it soon becomes clear that the appearance is deceived. Diana has been diagnosed with bipolarity and suffers from a variety of other mental illnesses despite having tried treatments and pill-based medications from various doctors (all with concerns and professionalism by Christopher DeJonggo) (He plays with a great combination of attitudes).
Of course, Dan is influenced by his wife’s condition, and his family’s unstable home life begins to date his classmate Henry (Harvey Evans, lovingly sympathetic), so he has a special touch to his daughter Natalie. I’m hitting it hard.
The family story unfolds in Tom Kitt’s pop-rock music. Here, there is a violin, cello and bass.
The music is also beautifully sung, with weak links in the cast. This is a score that requires both a belt and quiet introspection. The actor provides both counts.
But director Derek Critzer probably gave these characters too much introspection and fatigue to their situation. Sometimes it feels like an actor carries most emotional weight, instead of his face, with music and lyrics.
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This means that emotional heights don’t hit the heights they do, and lows don’t sink low. Staging is also not always 100% Jibe, with materials. His son Gabe has a strangely slow pace of movement, just to name one example, as he defies, victoriously and victoriously declares that “I am alive.”
However, throughout the show of Critzer’s impressive design work, there are multiple moments of tragic beauty. Prescriptions flap from above, flashes, darts, and color-changing light stripes represent both nightclubs and electroconvulsive therapy. The orange light strands also show visceral electricity.
And then one punch of “I’m one” and “Superboy and the invisible girl” soars.
Vargas in July gives Natalie the “invisible girl” and is a serious longing for love and attention that will ring the truth. Jordan Perez captures the mystical vibe and changing tone of his son Gabe. Jeremy Hudson puts true love into Dan’s tunnel’s concerns about his wife.
As Diana, Melissa Minyard keeps this woman authentic. She’s funny, sad, factual, determined. And Minyard can see the horror of humans under the façade.
I was far from the only tears to tear from my eyes by the end of the show as Diana’s life was heading in a new direction. A watery salute to human emotions on display in all forms: sadness, despair, determination, and of course, hope.
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“Normal next door”
Length: 2:25, including breaks: Theater West End, 115 W. 1st St. in Sanford: Until March 2nd Cost: $33.85 (including fees) Information: TheatreWestend.com
Original issue: 5am Eastern Standard Time, February 25th, 2025
