NEXT TO NORMAL Tour Will Play Toronto, July 2011

The Pulitzer Prize winning musical Next to Normal will play Toronto in July of 2011, according to thestar.com.  Though the venue has yet to be announced, the North American tour stop will be produced by Dancap.

Next to Normal is a contemporary musical that explores how one suburban household copes with crisis. With provocative lyrics, and an electrifying score of more than 30 original songs, Next to Normal shows how far two parents will go to keep themselves sane and their family's world intact.

Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's musical, Next to Normal, directed by Michael Greif (Rent, Grey Gardens), opened at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre on February 13, 2008 and was significantly reworked in a subsequent out-of-town run at Washington D.C.'s Arena Stage, where it opened on December 10, 2008. The musical's unusual trajectory from a New York Off-Broadway premiere to an out-of-town regional theatre engagement and then back to Broadway is unprecedented.

Next to Normal won three Helen Hayes Awards for its Arena Stage engagement, including Outstanding Non-Resident Production, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Non-Resident production (Alice Ripley) and Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Non-Resident Production (Aaron Tveit). Also, Next to Normal received Helen Hayes Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Non-Resident Production (J. Robert Spencer) and Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Non-Resident Production (Jennifer Damiano).

For its sold-out Second Stage Theatre engagement, Next to Normal won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Score and also received the following accolades: Lucille Lortel Award nominations for Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Featured Actor (Aaron Tveit), and Outstanding Lighting Design (Kevin Adams); Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Alice Ripley) and Outstanding Music; Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical and Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Alice Ripley); and a Drama League nomination for Outstanding Musical, among others.

Next to Normal is performed at the Booth Theatre (222 West 45th street) on the following schedule: Monday at 8pm, Tuesday at 7pm, Thursday at 8pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, and Sunday at 3pm & 7:30pm.

Tickets, priced $25.00 - $115.00, are available at www.Telecharge.com, www.nexttonormal.com or by calling 212-239-6200.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.