Alice Ripley, who received the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Next to Normal, will reprise her acclaimed performance in the musical's 36-week multi-city North American tour, launching November 23 with a six-week engagement at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.
Following the premiere, the tour has confirmed engagements in Denver, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Des Moines, Providence, Hartford, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Chicago, St. Paul, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Washington, DC, and Toronto.
Next to Normal also features
Asa Somers (Dan),
Curt Hansen (Gabe),
Emma Hunton (Natalie),
Jeremy Kushnier (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine) and Preston Sadleir (Henry).
"As our New York production continues its acclaimed run on Broadway, we are very excited to gear up for the national tour of Next to Normal," stated the show's producer,
David Stone. "We look forward to bringing this contemporary and emotionally powerful musical to cities across the country and to giving audiences outside of New York the opportunity to see
Alice Ripley's legendary, Tony-winning performance."
Next to Normal begins previews at the
Ahmanson Theatre November 23, 2010, opens November 28 and will run through January 2, 2011.
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, musical staging by
Sergio Trujillo, and direction by
Michael Greif. The creative team also includes
Mark Wendland (set design),
Jeff Mahshie (costume design),
Kevin Adams (lighting design), and
Brian Ronan (sound design). Musical direction is by
Bryan Perri, orchestrations are by
Michael Starobin and
Tom Kitt, and vocal arrangements by
AnnMarie Milazzo.
Next to Normal was chosen as "one of the year's ten best" by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Time Out New York, New York Daily News, The Bergen Record, and NY1 - more than any other musical from that season.
Next to Normal has had a surprising and highly unlikely route to Broadway. The musical originally opened at Off-Broadway's
Second Stage Theatre on February 13, 2008. The producer,
David Stone, who had been guiding the musical since 2005, took the unexpected step of bringing the show to Washington D.C.'s
Arena Stage where it was significantly reworked, and then back to New York and to Broadway, where it opened to rave reviews on April 15, 2009. This unusual trajectory from a New York Off-Broadway premiere to an out-of-town regional theatre engagement and then back to New York is unprecedented.
Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls Next to Normal "a brave, breathtaking musical. 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. It is the best musical of the season by a mile. 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.
For more information about Next to Normal, visit www.nexttonormal.com.
Tickets for Next to Normal are available by calling
Center Theatre Group Audience Services at (213) 972-4400, in person at the
Center Theatre Group box office or on-line at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org. Groups: (213) 972-7231. Deaf community: Information & charge, TDD (213) 680-4017. For more information please visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org/Normal.
Alice Ripley (Diana) received the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for this performance, as well as a Helen Hayes Award. Alice's work includes nearly 20 years as an actor on and off Broadway. Her many Broadway credits include the original Broadway companies of The Who's Tommy, The Rocky Horror Show (2000 revival),
James Joyce's The Dead, and Sunset Boulevard. Her performance in Side Show (1996) earned her a cult following and a Tony nomination for her portrayal of conjoined twin
Violet Hilton. Alice also received Helen Hayes Award nominations for her work in
Ken Ludwig's Shakespeare In Hollywood at the
Arena Stage, Company at the Kennedy Center's Sondheim festival, and for the one woman show Tell Me On A Sunday. Ms. Ripley has written a hundred songs and she records and performs regularly with her band RIPLEY.
Asa Somers (Dan). Broadway: Next to Normal, Grey Gardens, Taboo, Dance of the Vampires, The Rocky Horror Show. Off- Broadway: Next to Normal, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Burnt Part Boys, Once Around The Sun. Regional: Tall Grass Gothic (Actor's Theatre Louisville), Man In The White Suit (NY Stage & Film), Hair (TUTS - Houston), Hedwig (Victoria - San Francisco). Television: "The Good Wife," "Gossip Girl," "Royal Pains," "Ugly Betty," "Law & Order," "The Wedding Album," "Law & Order: SVU," "Whoopi," "The Sopranos." Film: Ira & Abby, Never Forever (Sundance 2007), Clear Blue Tuesday. Yale Graduate. Asa resides in New York City with his beautiful wife Gina and 6 year old son Carpenter. www.asasomers.com.
Curt Hansen (Gabe) is a Wisconsin native, and attended UW-Stevens Point. Broadway: Hairspray (Sketch, u/s Link Larkin), Next to Normal (u/s Gabe). Los Angeles (Center Theatre Group): Parade (Young Soldier/Frankie Epps). TV: "The Good Wife," Nickelodeon's "Big Time Rush" (Dak Zevon). Selected NYC Readings: Mrs. Sharp, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Giant and The Flamingo Kid. Love and thanks to his awesome family, Hay, the guys at BRS, and Mike at Principal Entertainment.
Emma Hunton (Natalie) is thrilled to join the national tour of Next to Normal. Past credits include Spring Awakening (Ilse), Next to Normal (Natalie Swing), LES MISERABLES (Young Cossette/Young Eponine) as well as numerous television and film appearances. Many thanks and undying gratitude to the N2N creative team and cast. All my love to Mom, Ta-da, Amy, Toran, D, and Jenn for creating a role I am honored to play.
Preston Sadleir (Henry) most recently appeared in Edward Albee's Me, Myself & I, and Douglas Carter Beane's Give It Up. Other New York credits include appearing alongside "30 Rock" star Jane Krakowski in Mrs. Sharp at Playwrights Horizons and a recent workshop of the infamous musical Carrie. Since moving to New York he continues to collaborate with many new songwriters and work in various concert settings and venues.
Jeremy Kushnier (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine). Broadway: Footloose (Ren); Rent (Roger). National Tours: Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida (Radames); Rent (Roger); Jersey Boys (Tommy). Regional: Chess (Freddie); The Full Monty (Jerry); Bright Lights Big City (Jamie); Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas). Film: The Adulterer. Jeremy's two independent CD's can be found online at www.jeremykushnier.com. This performance is dedicated to his wife Jenny Lee and their beautiful daughter Nora.
