Winner! 2010 Pulitzer Prize Winner! 2009 Tony Award Best Music
Don't miss Alice Ripley in her legendary Tony Award®-winning performance.
"‘Next to Normal’ arrives with its two greatest assets
- Michael Greif’s boldly inventive physical staging and Alice Ripley’s raw Tony-winning, truly gutsy tour de force performance. A rare recent example of Broadway integrity. The artistry and ambition are uplifting. Like all good musicals, it breaks your heart without crushing your hope."
- Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times
"There’s no denying the ferocity and emotional precision of the cast. Alice Ripley is a ‘force of nature.’
'Next to Normal’ shouldn’t fail to absorb anyone interested in what’s happening in American musical theatre and, not incidentally, in American families."
- Bob Verini, Variety
"That rarity of rarities: A Broadway show that’s as good as its hype.
A richly wise and searing musical about madness and sorrow, rage and forgiveness. Director Michael Greif's staging is fierce and dynamic: the production crackles with energy and intensity."
- Paul Birchall, LA Weekly
“A work of muscular grace and power. It is much more than a feel-good musical; it is a feel-everything musical.”
- The New York Times
"An emotional powerhouse. The best musical of the season — by a mile. It’ll pin you to your seat."
- Rolling Stone
From the director of RENT comes Next to Normal, an emotional powerhouse of a musical with a thrilling contemporary score about a family trying to take care of themselves and each other.
Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards including Best Musical Score, Next to Normal is the most talked about new show on Broadway — and chosen as “one of the year’s TEN best” by major critics around the country including the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone and The New York Times.
Alice Ripley, Tony Award-winning actress will reprise her Broadway performance at the Ahmanson.
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 North American tour, launching this November at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles.
Feature article from
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
The Ballad of Kitt & Yorkey by Josh Getlin
Applause breaks out as the lights dim and a piano plays the first haunting bars. Cheers fill the Booth Theatre, a small Broadway house on Shubert Alley. The actors are ready to perform Next to Normal, a critically acclaimed musical, but the audience — more than 800 people — won’t let them begin: They shout, stomp, and clap, delaying the start of the show for nearly three minutes. The players freeze. Should they try to speak over the tumultuous crowd, or just wait it out? MORE ONLINE
Alice Ripley, Asa Somers, Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey talk about Next to Normal - playing NOW at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, through January 2nd only!
Audience Feedback about Next to Normal
I have seen a good number of plays primarily at the Ahmanson but other venues as well. I have never before seen anything like Next to Normal. It grabbed me and didn't let go. The acting was great, the musicians superb, the set design as always, was amazing. I didn't know what the play was about when I sat down for the Saturday matinee. As the story unfolded, I was the ultimate voyeur feeling the pain, watching the struggle. It was very powerful for me. Thank-you for a great production I will not forget.
- R.M.
"Why is this show so blurry? Oh! My eyes are full of tears!"
- Mike Gastaldo, Santa Monica
I saw this show in New York over the summer and was blown away by it. I am a regular theater-goer and put this in my top 3 of all time list. I was hesitant about the LA show thinking that LA couldn't possibly match the NY cast, but I was wrong. They were as good (better in the case of one actor) as the Broadway cast. I loved it.
- Abbie, Los Angeles
Very difficult topic to make as a musical. Not exactly an uplifting evening of theater.
- 30+ year Ahmanson attendee, West Los Angeles
It was way too much like our real life.
- PH, Sherman Oaks
See more audience feedback