Exclusive: Hear A Reimagined 'You Don't Know' From NEXT TO NORMAL: 15th Anniversary

Next to Normal (Original Broadway Cast Recording) [15th Anniversary Edition], will be released in streaming and digital formats on Friday, August 9. Before the album's official release, BroadwayWorld has an exclusive clip of the remixed and remastered cast recording.

Below, listen as Tony Award-winner Alice Ripley performs, "You Don't Know," with newly reimagined orchestrations! 

The new remix and remaster are overseen by composer and album co-producer Tom Kitt – going all the way back to the original recording session multi-tracks – the 15th Anniversary Edition will be issued on CD and its first-ever vinyl pressing later this year.

Since the album's initial release in 2009, Next to Normal has taken its place among the groundbreaking American musicals. Next to Normal is experiencing a resurgence as the show is currently running on the West End at The Wyndham's Theater in a wildly acclaimed new production. The Daily Mail, in their 5 star review, called the show “an emotional rock n rollercoaster.”

Mixed and co-produced by Derik Lee, this remarkable revitalization of the beloved cast album is a rare triumph in the Broadway space. Original fans will fall in love with their favorite numbers all over again – now reinfused with the energy that was felt live and in person at Broadway's Booth Theatre in 2009.

Next to Normal – with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt – explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness. Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards, including “Best Original Score,” and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize, Next to Normal was also chosen as “one of the year's ten best shows” by critics around the country, including The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times.

“Next to Normal was one of the first cast albums I produced,” remembers Tom Kitt. “Now, with fifteen years of additional experience, I have more knowledge that has allowed me to expand on what's possible. I was also excited to go back into the mastering process and create a new sonic palette for the recording. Originally, the strategy was to get the album out as soon as possible. Now, the goal is to create a timeless iteration of the musical that will live on far beyond the run of the show. The craft of curating a true album – one that is fully representative of the musical – has evolved.”

“I knew we could embrace the album's tonalities more, specifically the rock sound,” he explains. “We dialed up the instruments to make them feel more rich and propulsive. The guitars have more bite, and now really crackle. We were also able to finesse the balance, finding new elements in the vocal blend. Even though the ballads have a different sensibility, it all feels cohesive. The strings soar and deliver huge dramatic moments where needed. You feel how they create heightened emotion throughout the album. In ‘I Miss the Mountains,' the drums feel more dynamic, and the acoustic guitar delivers an enormous lift in that last chorus.”

“Credit must be given to my brilliant collaborator, mixer and co-producer Derik Lee,” he continues. “I gave him some general thoughts and he ran with them. He really embraced the rock/edgy sound I was looking for, without losing the presence of the vocals. ‘I'm Alive' is a track that Derik was able to work his magic with, making what already sounded epic go even further. I've always loved the original recording, but now it truly achieves what I set out to make. As a listening experience, it gave me goosebumps to hear the album restored this way.”

Derik Lee adds: “With the addition of 15 years experience and new technology, we're mixing in a more modern way, digging a little deeper. We were able to bring the album into the sonic space of today, even though the songs retain their nostalgic feel. We tried to mix it more as an album than a cast recording. Tom gave me a lot of liberty to do that, saying the band should pop just as much as the vocals. The essence of the songs has been retained. The score sounds great, but it's always been great. The revamp of the album just helps fill out Tom's vision for how he originally wrote it. I tried to let the music guide me and stay out of the way.”

“Working in musical theater, I aspire to create musicals that are timeless,” Kitt concludes. “When Next to Normal opened 15 years ago, it struck a chord. I was curious to see how it would feel so many years later, so it was comforting to see the show resonate with the new audiences discovering it in the UK. I am still struck by the themes and emotions that my co-writer Brian Yorkey explored, and how personal Next to Normal continues to feel. While working on this new version of the album, listening multiple times, I was struck by Brian's poetry and his ability to speak so eloquently about the human condition.”

The original Broadway production of Next to Normal was produced by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, Barbara Whitman, Patrick Catullo, and Second Stage Theatre. The current London production is produced by David Stone, James L. Nederlander, John Gore, Ambassador Theatre Group, Aaron Glick, Pine Street Productions, P3 Productions, and The Donmar Warehouse.

The Next to Normal album stars Alice Ripley, who won the Tony Award for her role, as “Diana Goodman”; J. Robert Spencer, who received a Tony nomination for his role, as “Dan Goodman”; Jennifer Damiano, who also received a Tony nomination for her role, as “Natalie Goodman”; Aaron Tveit as “Gabriel Goodman”; Adam Chanler-Berat as “Henry”; and Louis Hobson as “Dr. Madden” and “Dr. Fine.” 

Next to Normal, a supercharged ride from the opening number to the final seconds, is an emotional roller coaster that takes you from the highest highs to the lowest lows. With a rocking score and exhilarating performances by some of Broadway's most extraordinary voices, you cannot escape the power of this deeply moving piece of musical theater.

The original Broadway Cast Recording of Next to Normal was produced by Kurt Deutsch, Joel Moss, and David Stone. Pre-save the 15th Anniversary Edition at ghostlightrecords.lnk.to/NextToNormal15thAnniversary.