Masterful Musical: CVRep’s Production of ‘Next to Normal’ Examines the Effects of Mental Illness on Entire Families
Coachella Valley Repertory, or CVRep as it is fondly known here in the desert, has splashed open its season with Next to Normal. With books and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, and music by Tom Kitt, the musical features a six-member cast—and it creates quite an impact.
For those not familiar with the names, Tom Kitt is a winner of two Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award and, for this musical, a Pulitzer Prize. Impressive? I should say! And wait until you hear the show’s rock music. Brian Yorkey shared that aforementioned 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and also a Tony and the Outer Critics Circle Award for this musical.
Directed by Adam Karsten, the executive artistic director of CVRep, the show is about mental health. “EXCUSE ME?” you might say. “Why would I want to see THAT?”
The story is one with which we can all identify. It starts with the introduction of a seemingly typical family, with Mom, Dad, a daughter and a son. Everything looks normal and fine … until the complications start to be revealed. We begin to see some inner pain and suspect that all is not well. It takes a while for us to dig out what the problem is, and who is going to have it…
…Please experience this unforgettable show, because the acting is magnificent and very affecting. The direction is excellent; the actors speak to each other intently in profile until the second act, when three of them suddenly break out and face the audience so that we see them full-face for the first time. The finale is performed with all six actors facing the audience … wow.
CVRep’s production of Next to Normal is a show that’s full of surprises—and that, nowadays, is almost impossible to find.
