Next To Normal

Irish Classical Theatre Company at the Andrews Theatre

Like WOW! You wouldn’t expect a loud Broadway rock musical about a woman with bipolar disorder to scale down to such a jewel of intimacy, but Fortunato Pezzimenti’s production of the Tom Kitt/Brian Yorkey musical Next to Normal is just about perfect in every way. Jenn Stafford gives an affecting and beautifully modulated performance as a woman whose sanity abandons her when her child dies. She is a model of clarity and focus, lending equal doses of comedy and pathos to the role. She is supported by a terrifically good ensemble: Jason Watson as her husband, Patrick Cameron as Gabe, Renee Landrigan as her daughter Natalie, Jacob Albarella as Natalie’s boyfriend, and David Autovino as her struggling doctor. Go with no pre-conceived notions. This show is a gem.