Review: NEXT TO NORMAL at Houston Broadway Theatre

Full disclosure: Next to Normal is on my family's list of beloved musicals. Beyond the personal, this gripping story, if done right, endears its audience members with tears and emotions. A new player in the Houston performing arts scene, Houston Broadway Theatre, brings a new production of this terrific musical to Houston audiences this weekend and does so mostly well. 

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Next to Normal is a rock musical that explores the struggles of a suburban family dealing with the effects of mental illness. The story focuses on Diana Goodman, a mother battling bipolar disorder, and the impact her illness has on her family, including her husband Dan, daughter Natalie, and son Gabe. As Diana undergoes various treatments, including medication and electroconvulsive therapy, the family grapples with their emotional turmoil and search for normalcy. The musical delves into themes of grief, loss, and the pursuit of mental health, offering a poignant and powerful portrayal of the challenges and resilience of those affected by mental illness.

The performance of this production is primarily good. Constantine Maroulis does a decent job as Dan Goodman. Maroulis's voice is still in top shape. As someone who grew up with his season of American Idol, I appreciate his emotional depth and acting prowess. However, there were moments when it felt like Maroulis felt disconnected from his role. Never let anyone say Maroulis doesn't have charisma, though. Mary Caroline Owens, as the family's daughter, Natalie, does an exceptional job of adding so much complexity and depth to the role. The first tear across my cheek stemmed from Owens's emotional and sentimental moments. Finally, the true standout is Mary Faber's portrayal of Diana Goodman, which is exceptional. Having seen the Broadway production, I had high expectations for this role, and Faber exceeded them wonderfully. I hope Faber returns to Houston under different circumstances and with a different production of Next to Normal. Faber clearly understands her voice and has the acting chops to back them up. 

Several questions arise about how and why the Houston Broadway Theatre has wanted to join the packed Houston theater scene. Our fair city is already second to Broadway regarding performing arts organizations and theatrical productions. While Houston's market has some exceptional theaters and prowess, wanting to join the fray and stretch Houston audience members' "fun money" even further is odd. Also, while one can applaud Houston Broadway Theatre for doing Next to Normal, why couldn't one of Houston's already theater powerhouses produce this incredible work? This show has been done before, and according to history, to great acclaim; why do the powers of Houston Broadway Theatre want to do this work at this moment? Vanity project, maybe? It certainly feels so.

Furthermore, why are there no local actors in this production? Houston has a tremendous amount of exceptional acting talent. Could not one local actor be involved with this production? While two cast members called Houston their hometown, they are not active in our community. If an organization has the noun Houston, its ranks should have more local talent.

Design concepts at times felt disjointed and were a mixed bag with this production as it is apparent that some of these designers needed help designing for the Hobby Center's Zilkha Hall. Set Designer Timothy Mackabee's set, while adequate, seems unfinished. From my viewpoint, set elements seem fragmented. This also includes sound design elements from Andrew Harper, lighting design elements by Robert J. Aguilar and Alan C. Edwards, video designer Greg Emetaz, and costume designer Colleen Grady. All these elements felt like they needed to be more cohesive. The designers' disunity in terms of vision must've been a nightmare for stage managers and production crew to work with. If there is a second production from the Houston Broadway Theatre, more care and attention needs to be provided to its technical and production elements. 

If you are a person who wants to see Next to Normal, the price of a ticket is worth it. However, I recommend using the BroadwayWorld discount code (Discount code is BWW10). I recommend seeing Next to Normal this weekend but with a discount. However, I would recommend you to ask the questions I have posed above, and with the knowledge that while some of the performances are remarkable and design elements are adequate, there is some improvement the Houston Broadway Theatre needs to have before becoming Houston's next long-lasting theater. 

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Performances of Houston Broadway Theatre's production of Next to Normal ends the evening of Sunday July 28th. At the time of this writing, there are three performances left, with a Saturday evening performance at 7:30 pm, a Sunday matinee performance at 1:30 pm, and a Sunday evening performance at 7:30 pm. Tickets can be bought in person at 800 Bagby St., or at the Hobby Center website. Link: https://www.thehobbycenter.org/events/next-to-normal/. 

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