Welcome to the Fox Valley premiere of Next to Normal, a complex, contemporary show exploring a family’s struggle with mental illness and its effects. Next to Normal won three Tony Awards, as well as the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, which is a rarity for a musical. Theatre critic Ben Brantley of the New York Times describes it as “…much more than a feel-good musical. It is a feel-everything musical.”
Relating to this show, as well as to other production choices, I recently heard a comment from a patron which was essentially “Why can’t you do something nice?” After much reflection, I’m still not exactly sure what the word “nice” is supposed to mean in this context. There is an old adage that goes “art imitates life.” Obviously, not everything in life is pleasant. The boy doesn’t always get the girl. The guilty are not always punished. Moral justice doesn’t always occur. Essentially, life is not black and white, nor does everything have a happy ending. For us to only produce shows that portray a sanitized, unrealistic view of the human condition would be a disservice to our students and to the community. As an educational theatre, we have a responsibility to our students to provide them with a wide variety of theatrical experiences in an array of theatrical styles. My concern is, and always has been, for the education of the student, not the appeasement of the audience. I can appreciate The Sound of Music or My Fair Lady too, but there is an enormous amount of theatrical literature that does not fit into that formulaic mold.
There is some mature content in this show. Please be aware that the parents of these students have all signed a permission form allowing their children to perform the content of this show. Be assured that these students will be able to separate themselves from the language and actions that their characters are portraying. The actor playing Lady Macbeth doesn’t become a murderer. Ian McKellan is not really a wizard. That’s why it’s called acting.
Thank you to the folks from NAMI for collaborating with us to give attention to the serious issue of mental illness. Thank you also to our school and district administrators for their support in bringing this show to fruition. We look forward to seeing you for A Chorus Line in July!
