Award-Winning Broadway Musical Next to Normal Now Showing at Actors' Playhouse

Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three 2009 Tony Awards, Next to Normal explores how one suburban family copes with crisis. With powerful lyrics and an electrifying pop-rock score of more than 30 songs, this intense, emotional and ultimately hopeful musical aims right for the heart with its story of a family coming to terms with its past and bravely facing its future. 


Actors' Playhouse is proud to be the first regional theatre in South Florida to produce the show following its long Broadway run and National Tour. Next to Normal will be presented at the Miracle Theatre through February 12.


The most talked about new show on Broadway, Next to Normal is the acclaimed and compelling hit-musical "that pushes Broadway in new directions," according to Rolling Stone magazine. Next to Normal's surging score, with emotional book and lyrics, tells the story of one woman’s struggle with manic depression and the toll it takes on her family.


"Next to Normal is the most powerful and riveting piece of musical theatre written in the last decade," said Artistic Director David Arisco. "I'm extremely excited to follow in the footsteps of last year's August: Osage County with a production of another Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Our cast, band, design and creative team are more than up to the task of taking our South Florida audience on this electrifying musical journey." 


Next to Normal features an impressive cast with strong ties to both the New York and South Florida theatre communities. Jodie Langel, playing Diana, premiered on Broadway as the role of Cosette in Les Miserables and later went on to play the role of Eponine. Now living back in South Florida, Langel's Broadway tour credits include the role of Bertrande in the Pre-Broadway tour of Martin Guerre, the Narrator in the National Tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Grizabella in the National Tour of CATS. Mark Sanders, who was last seen as Perchik on the Broadway National Tour of Fiddler on the Roof, will play the role of Dan. Eddy Rioseco, a native Miami boy, will play the role of Gabe. Rioseco's New York shows include Fame (Nick), Mamma Mia (Pepper) and Wicked (Boq). 


Next to Normal features music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, and direction by David Arisco. 


The show opened on Friday, January 20 and will run through February 12, 2012. Evening performances will be held Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with afternoon matinees on Sunday at 2 p.m. A special weekday matinee is scheduled on Wednesday, January 25 at 2 p.m.


Tickets for weeknights and matinees are $40, and on Friday and Saturday evenings $48. The theatre offers a 10 percent senior discount rate the day of performance and $15 student rush tickets 15 minutes prior to curtain with identification. Discounts are based on availability and exclude Saturday and Sunday. 


Four-show flexible subscription packages are now available to the remainder of the 2011-2012 season for only $186; which includes: the international musical sensation that won Actors' Playhouse eight Carbonell Awards in 2001, including Best Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (March 7 - April 8, 2012) with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice; the hilarious, new comedy Becky's New Car (May 9 - June 3, 2012) by Steven Dietz, as well as the World Premiere of a manly musical revue called Real Men Sing Show Tunes and Play With Puppets (July 11 - August 12, 2012) by Paul Louis and Nick Santa Maria.


Actors’ Playhouse is the nonprofit resident theatre company and managing agent of the historic Miracle Theatre on Miracle Mile in Coral Gables. Actors’ Playhouse, which has brought home 70 regional Carbonell Awards for artistic excellence, is a Florida Presenting Cultural Organization and one of 22 major cultural institutions in Miami-Dade County. In addition to its Mainstage season, Actors’ Playhouse offers a year-round season of Musical Theatre for Young Audiences, a National Children’s Theatre Festival, a Theatre Conservatory and Summer Camp Program, as well as educational arts outreach programs for under-served youth, and has initiated a Young Talent Big Dreams contest for children in partnership with The Children’s Trust.


For more information please call 305-444-9293 or visit www.actorsplayhouse.org. Actors' Playhouse is located at 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables in the historic Miracle Theatre.


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