Tom Kitt (composer) and Brian Yorkey's (Book writer and lyricist) rock musical Next to Normal closed on January 18th at Arena Stage in Washington, DC but, the show's fans have reason to rejoice with the news that Sh-K-Boom Records will be recording the cast this February for release on CD.
Kitt and Yorkey's musical which focuses on a family in crisis follows a high-profile Off-Broadway run at Second Stage Theatre. The collaborators include Kitt, Yorkey, director Michael Grief, and choreographer Sergio A.Trujillo. Next to Normal chronicles the story of a mentally unstable mother and the waves she creates in the lives of her husband and daughter and stars Tony Award nominee Alice Ripley (Side Show), who returns to the project as mom Diana.
Also part of the Arena Stage cast were Aaron Tveit (Wicked, Hairspray) as son Gabe; Jennifer Damiano (Spring Awakening) as daughter Natalie; and Adam Chanler-Berat (Broadway's Les Misérables) as Henry, a classmate. J. Robert Spencer (Nick Massi in the original cast of Jersey Boys) joined the cast as the harried father, Dan, and Louis Hobson played multiple roles, including doctors. Spencer was in the original Next to Normal workshops and has a rich history with the show.
The Off-Broadway production which played an extended, sold-out run at Second Stage Theatre received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Score, as well as the following nominations: Outstanding Musical (Outer Critics Circle, Drama League, Lortel Awards), Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical for Alice Ripley (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle), Outstanding Score (Drama Desk) and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for Aaron Tveit (Lortel Award), among others.
For more information, visit http://www.myspace.com/nexttonormal
and
http://www.sh-k-boom.com/
Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
