A reimagined adaptation of Next to Normal has locked in details for its world premiere. The Tony Award-winning musical will run at the Festival Grec de Barcelona this July. Performance dates will be announced April 26 and tickets will go on sale the following day.
Starring Tony-winning original Broadway actor Alice Ripley as Diana Goodman and a virtual performance by Tony nominee Adam Pascal as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine, the production is said to be a live, immersive theatrical event. It is performed without sets or props, with the immersive aspects being derived from its surround-sound system and 360-degree projections.
The adaptation is directed by London-based creative Simon Pittman and includes performances by Andy Señor Jr., Jade Laurel, Eloi Gomez, and Lewis Edgar.
With music by Tom Kitt and a book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, Next to Normal tells the story of the Goodman family and how they cope with a tragic loss. It features themes of mental illness, depression, and psychiatry as the matriarch battles bipolar disorder.
"Tom and I couldn’t be more thrilled that the world will get to see Next to Normal in this brand-new way," shared Yorkey. "When we wrote the show, we wanted to bring the audience inside the mind of the lead character—and this incredible new immersive production makes that happen in a bold and amazing fashion."
Debuting on Broadway in 2009, the original production received three Tony Awards including Best Original Score, Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Musical (for Ripley), and Best Orchestrations, and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In addition to originating the role of Diana on Broadway, Ripley has played the character Off-Broadway and on the U.S. Tour.
For more information, visit NextToNormalImmersive.com.
