"Next to Normal", currently playing at Allentowns Civic Theatre is a show that changes everyone in the audience. This 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner, while not fun, is unforgettable and powerful.
The book, written by Brian Yorkey, is the star of this show.
The performance of the cast was disciplined and clean. I did not notice one dropped line, one missed entrance, or one missed music cue. ACT usually runs a disciplined show, but this one was exceptional in its crispness and exceeds the usual ACT standard.
Every character was believable in their role. I could quibble about a few things, but a quibble will take away from the overall impact given to the script by the acting of the cast.
Picking the strongest actor on the stage is not possible. Janis Greim was a compelling bi-polar wife and mother. Michael Traupman was a supportive, tolerant husband who captured the idea of a man squeezed in a marital vice he cannot open and will not leave.
The rest of the cast was just as strong. Matthew Meckes as the dead son haunting the family was strong and believable in his characterization, although I have no idea how a dead-son specter should act.
Kellie Linder and Will Morris as the daughter and boyfriend were typical teenagers experimenting, growing up, and expressing the disappointments and frustrations with the adults in their lives.
Brian Foleys portrayal of two different doctors captured the clinical detachment needed for Dr. Fine and the heartfelt but helpless concern of Dr. Madden with an accuracy that reminds us that physicians are often as helpless as their patients.
The weakest part of the show was the singing. Many of the singers vocal technique was not up to stringent demands of Kitts music. While the singing was true to the score, the technique was not.
On average, I could understand about 50% of the words. I believe the diction problem is partly due to the size of the theatre and the amplification system. I have found this to be a continuing problem with ACT musicals.
Singing technique also broke down frequently on long held notes. Long notes were often sung with fuzzy vowels that did not sing true. The result was a pitch that was flat with a vowel that added to the difficulty understanding the words. Overall, the singing detracted from impact of the show for me.
Allentown Civic Theatre does a fine job presenting this show. The acting is compelling, the book is heart wrenching, the stagecraft is superb, the instrumental music is sublime, and the audience is changed by the experience.
The story is centered on the stess and trials of an American family coping with a bi-polar mother, Diana Goodman, played by ACT first-timer Greim.
Dianas husband, Dan Goodman, played by Traupman, and teen-age daughter, Natalie played by Linder, deal with the ramifications of the extremes of Dianas behavior.
The story suggests her bi-polar symptoms are caused by the death of her infant son many years earlier. The impact of this death is shown by the appearance of the present-day specter of her son, Gabe Goodman, played by Meckes. Gabe appears throughout the show in ways that demonstrate his continuing influence on the family psyche.
After a scene where Diana has a manic episode while making many sandwiches on the table and then on the floor, she and Dan decide to seek medical help. She first sees Dr. Fine and then Dr. Madden, both played by Brian Foley. Dr. Fine prescribes a pharmacy of drugs that leave Diana quiescent and numb. She and Dan then go to Dr. Madden. He starts with psychotherapy, moves on to drugs, and after a suicide attempt by Diane, uses electro-convulsive therapy.
As all this is happening, their daughter finds a boyfriend named Henry played by Will Morris. She goes through the usual teenage issues that emerge in a long-term relationship with the added complications associated with a bi-polar parent.
All does not end happily ever after, although a ray of hope remains.
From this foundation, it is hard to imagine a performance that would not have a profound impact on the audience, and the one delivered by this cast and crew is a heart-rending, soul-searching tour de force. The realism delivered by all the actors in this performance will leave you wanting to cry in the aisle.
I have known families with a bi-polar parent, and other families dealing with family members significant psychotic or neurotic episodes. Their pain is spread over time and with no end in sight. The ACT actors drive the emotional impact of this trial right into your gut.
This is not your "High-School Musical" candy bar that leaves you energized for a minute and hungry in ten.
The music is diabolical. This show is classified as a "rock musical," but do not let the descriptor fool you. The composer, Tom Kitt, must have delved deep into the place where Stravinsky found his Firebird. The rhythms, though straightforward, are relentless and fast. The orchestra played with a precision that is rare in any musical, and is the best I have heard in a show in the Lehigh Valley.
Justin Brehm on keyboard gave a master class in how to play a keyboard instrument. He also deserves special recognition for preparing the cast for the musical challenges they faced.
The play is directed by William Sanders. Jason Sherwood designed the set.
"Next to Normal" continues through May 19, 2013. Tickets are $31 or $28 with special prices on May 9.
For information, please visit the Civic Theatre website, www.civictheatre.com