"Next to Normal" - by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt - Central Square Theater (Cambridge, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Cortlandt Barrett as "Natalie" and Sherée Marcelle as "Diane" in a scene from the musical, "NEXT TO NORMAL," by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, co-produced with Front Porch Arts Collective, now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until June 30, 2024. Photo Credit Maggie Hall)
By Emily D. Baldwin
Special METRMAG Correspondent Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“The memories are gone, the aftershocks live on. But, with nothing to remember, is there nothing left to grieve?"
- ("Gabe") / Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt
Central Square Theater
Presents the Musical
"NEXT TO NORMAL"
Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Directed by Pascale Florestal
Music Director Katie Bickford
Cast Includes: Cortlandt Barrett as "Natalie," Diego Cintron as "Gabe," Ricky Holguin* as "Dr. Madden/Fine," Sheree Marcelle as "Diane," Dashawn McClinton as "Henry," Anthony Pires, Jr.* as "Dan."
Co-produced with The Front Porch Arts Collective
Additional Creative Team:
Scenic Designer - Erik D. Diaz; Scenic Assistant - Octavia Reohr; Costume Designer - Kiara Escalera; Lighting Designer - Michael Clark Wonson; Associate Lighting Designer - Emily Bearce; Properties Designer - Lauren Corcuera; Sound Designer - James Cannon; Intimacy Director - Sean Patrick Gibbons; Wardrobe Supervisor - Katherine Scott; Sound Engineer - Gus Voorhees; A1 - Angela He; Stage Manager - Deirdre Benson*; Assistant Stage Manager - Athéna-Gwendolyn Baptiste; Sub Stage Manager - Fanni Horváth*; Sub Assistant Stage Manager - Roisin Daly.
*Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
Performances:
June 2, 2024 through June 30, 2024
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER, 450 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139
TICKETS:
# 617-576-278
https://www.centralsquaretheater.org/shows-events/season-tickets/
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Central Square Theater (CST) offers up a stunning staging of the intense musical, "NEXT TO NORMAL."
Walking into the theatre, one is able to sense the chaos that we as an audience are about to witness.
Under director Pascale Florestal, who fully utilizes the CST space effectively, sometimes just by using the set, the production is able to creatively foreshadow critically important moments.
"NEXT TO NORMAL," with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt, has been lauded as a "dark," depressing" or even an "angsty" musical.
It is none of those things (although "angsty" does merit some consideration).
It is more an unambiguous musical - a blatant, honest depiction of a troubled family trying to work its way out of a tangled web of disfunction, one woven by a bad mixture of mental illness, misery and medicine.
"NEXT TO NORMAL" looks at a troubled mind on stage and one does get the impression that they are literally looking at the mind of a unsettled individual or at least how they see their life on a troubled day by troubled day basis.
There are multiple toxic exchanges and emotionally charged moments, and any person feeling easily emotionally "triggered" should be aware of the content before seeing this show.
Before premiering Off-Broadway, "NEXT TO NORMAL" received several workshop performances and won an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Score and received nominations for Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Actress (for actress Alice Ripley) and Outstanding Score.
"NEXT TO NORMAL" made its Broadway debut in 2009, where it ran for 20 previews and 734 regular performances.
The musical received 11 Tony Award nominations in 2009, winning for Best Original Score, Best Orchestration and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (again for Alice Ripley).
"NEXT TO NORMAL" would also go on to be awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, becoming the eighth musical in history to receive the honor.
(Photo: Diego Cintron as "Gabe" from the musical, "NEXT TO NORMAL," by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, co-produced with Front Porch Arts Collective, now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until June 30, 2024. Photo Credit Maggie Hall)
In the the Central Square Theater production, we are introduced to the Goodmans: Dan and Diana (portrayed respectively by Anthony Pires, Jr. and Sheree Marcelle) and their teenage daughter, Natalie (Cortlandt Barrett).
From the opening number, with her dynamic and powerful voice, Marcelle proves to be a force to be reckoned with, especially as she renders the song, "You Don't Know."
Bringing so much to the complex character, Marcelle’s performance as Diana does not falter for a moment.
All the characters in the story must contend with Diana's ongoing mental health crisis - a crisis connected to a bi-polar diagnosis and manifesting itself in the human form of the couple's first son, Gabe (Diego Cintron).
Cintron’s character has some of the most intricate and notable songs in the musical.
Not easy to perform, while Cintron’s voice may not be what you expect, especially if you’ve only heard the cast recording, but there’s no denying his voice is both unique and beautiful.
Cintron is blessed with both an incredible falsetto and equally astounding belting voice, which are especially noticeable in the haunting song, “Come With Me.”
But in Yorkey’s story, the impression the character of ghostly Gabe gives is one that spans from departed devoted son to devious demon and every cliché in between.
So, is Gabe malevolent spirit or merely the result of overmedicating a malignant condition?
That is the question CST's "NEXT TO NORMAL" seems to want to dance around and certainly does as the show progresses.
(Photo: Anthony Pires, Jr. as "Dan," Sherée Marcelle as "Diane" and Diego Cintron as "Gabe" in a scene from the musical, "NEXT TO NORMAL," by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, co-produced with Front Porch Arts Collective, now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until June 30, 2024. Photo Credit Maggie Hall)
Diane seeks medical treatment with several doctors (all portrayed by Ricky Holguin).
Diana’s scene with Dr. Fine (Holguin) is one of the funniest in the otherwise grim production.
Holguin’s deadpan delivery juxtaposed nicely with Marcelle’s faux lusting in the number.
Holguin later plays another medical care professional, “Dr. Madden,” with equally effective execution, especially during the number “Open Your Eyes” in which his demeanor switches from calm and supportive doctor to volatile rock star in the blink of an eye.
Anthony Pires, Jr. is simply incredible in his portrayal of the paternal Dan, trying desperately to keep his family together.
Pires, Jr. not only shows us Dan's struggle, he shows us his love.
Not an easy task, to be sure, but Pires, Jr. shows us he was the perfect actor for the task.
Throughout the story, Dan is portrayed as a husband and father simply trying to do his best yet watching as his own resolve begins to crumble and crack under the enormous toxic pressure taking place under this one roof.
(Photo: Diego Cintron as "Gabe" dances with Sherée Marcelle as "Diane" in a scene from the musical, "NEXT TO NORMAL," by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, co-produced with Front Porch Arts Collective, now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until June 30, 2024. Photo Credit Maggie Hall)
Marcelle and Barrett work well together as mother and daughter and solidly render each and every musical moment.
Barrett, with her flawless voice, is incredible.
Her relationship with wannabe boyfriend, Henry (Dashawn McClinton) has chemistry but is strained from the outset as Natalie fears becoming just like her mother and, thus, may not be deserving of the love of another.
Situated behind the stage, the live band under the music direction of Katie Bickford was sharp and concise in their execution of the score.
Other standout numbers were "Wish I Were Here" which included some incredible harmonizing by Barrett and Marcelle.
The set for the show is an interesting construct, with the kitchen located far back, perhaps too far back, because some staged moments are lost as a result.
However, on a more positive note, the lighting is fantastic and serves the production quite well.
(Photo: Anthony Pires, Jr. as "Dan," Sherée Marcelle as "Diane" and Diego Cintron as "Gabe" in a scene from the musical, "NEXT TO NORMAL," by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, co-produced with Front Porch Arts Collective, now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until June 30, 2024. Photo Credit Maggie Hall)
At the June 9th performance, not all of the entrances to the musical numbers came in cleanly.
With all its merits, "NEXT TO NORMAL" is not a show that will appeal to everyone.
It is not a "feel good" musical and many of the sub-plots contained in the show never fully get resolved.
However, that isn't the intent, either.
The intent is to keep the discussion ongoing long after you leave the theatre - and this is where the show and the Central Square Theater production ultimately succeed.
(Photo: Cortlandt Barrett as "Natalie" and Sherée Marcelle as "Diane" in a scene from the musical, "NEXT TO NORMAL," by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, co-produced with Front Porch Arts Collective, now playing at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA. until June 30, 2024. Photo Credit Maggie Hall)
Again, "NEXT TO NORMAL" cannot be diagnosed as lighthearted entertainment.
No, it is serious, combative, enlightening, informing and, above all else, a marvelous time spent at the theatre.
"NEXT TO NORMAL" continues at Central Square Theater in Cambridge until June 30th and is an intense, visceral musical experience that succeeds beyond all prognoses.
Approximately two hours, 30 minutes with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
"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 Musical 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.
Dad's an architect; Mom rushes to pack lunches and pour cereal; their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens, appearing to be a typical American family.
And yet their lives are anything but normal because the mother has been battling manic depression for 16 years.
"NEXT TO NORMAL" takes audiences into the minds and hearts of each character, presenting their family's story with love, sympathy and heart.This deeply moving piece of theatre provides a wonderful opportunity for performers to explore dramatic material and showcase vocal talents with an energetic pop/rock score.
"NEXT TO NORMAL" is "an emotional powerhouse that addresses such issues as grieving a loss, ethics in modern psychiatry, and suburban life and is ideal for community theatres, as well as colleges and regional theatre companies." -mtishows
ABOUT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER
CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER (CST) is dedicated to the exploration of social justice, science and sexual politics through theater; catalyzing the dynamic synergies sparked by the collaboration between The Nora and Underground Railway. Through award-winning productions, the Catalyst Collaborative@ MIT Science Theater Initiative, and youth development programming – CST creates theater where points of view are heard, perspective shifts, and change can happen.
450 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA. 02139
# 617-576-9278
