The Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical winning musical next to normal broke its own box office record at the Booth Theatre (222 W. 45th Street) for its final week of performances, with a gross of $552,653 for the week ending January 16, 2011. next to normal's previous record, for the week ending January 3, 2010, was $550,409.
With a thrilling contemporary score,
next to normal is an emotional powerhouse of a musical about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other. Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three 2009 Tony Awards,
next to normal features music by
Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by
Brian Yorkey, and direction by
Michael Greif. The production played 21 previews and 733 performances on Broadway. A second production, starring Tony Award-winner
Alice Ripley, is currently touring North America.
On Friday, January 14, 2011,
Ben Brantley of The New York Times called
next to normal "one of the bravest musicals ever to hit the mainstream." In his original review of the musical he called it, "A work of muscular grace and power. It is something much more than a feel-good musical; it is a feel-everything musical." Peter Travers of Rolling Stone raves, "Rock is alive and rolling like thunder in
next to normal. Next time you think the Broadway musical is dead, head off to
next to normal. It'll pin you to your seat." And
Peter Marks of The Washington Post calls it "a moving, blisteringly honest, and inordinately powerful new musical. It is stocked with beautiful songs that get to the heart of the story - and simply get to the heart.
next to normal strikes a blow for the American musical's future each night."
next to normal is produced by
David Stone,
James L. Nederlander,
Barbara Whitman,
Patrick Catullo, and
Second Stage Theatre.
