Nancy Keystone

Is there such a thing as “normal?” As someone who has never really felt normal in my life, I’m not sure what that would actually look like. In Next to Normal, the veneer of normalcy of the Goodman family household cracks almost immediately, exposing the wounded hearts and souls of the characters as their raw struggles are laid bare for the next two hours. The core dilemma involves Diana’s journey with bipolar depressive disorder and how each member of her family is impacted by it. Regardless of her specific condition, the play is universal in its grappling with loss, grief, love, a long marriage, and the collision of one’s expectation with reality. And though the piece deals realistically with intense and emotional experiences, part of its brilliance lies in the way it does so with exhilarating theatricality, powerhouse music, humor, and a sense of fun: Diana’s state of mind is articulated through various fantasies, time collapses and expands, genres shift — romance, comedy, psychological horror, and in some ways even a Greek tragedy. It has something for almost everyone, and people connect with different characters and ideas depending on their lived experience.

One of the strengths of Next to Normal, and a reason why I believe it continues to be so relevant, is that it invites conversation about its deeply human issues. In many communities, discussion of mental illness is taboo. The play’s forthright expression of the challenges faced by people with mental health issues breaks down some of the barriers to discussion or at least provides a mirror and sense of recognition. There is a trenchant exploration of the medical establishment and the various and imperfect treatments for bipolar disorder ranging from talk therapy, to the many medications and their side effects, to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). And then, of course, there is the Goodman family. The dynamics of husband and wife, parents and children, and relationship between siblings, drive the story and the emotional events, and again, provide a common ground for experiencing the play. We all have a family of some kind, and we all struggle to find our place, to be seen, to be loved and to love.

Related: A Big Stage for Big Emotions in Next to Normal

It has been a great honor and joy to bring this production to life with our extraordinary company and Denver Center Theatre Company. And now we are thrilled to share it with you.

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