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Next to Normal San Francisco | Curran Theatre

“Next to Normal”, one of the few – if not the first – Broadway musicals that revolves around a complex mental illness – Bipolar disorder – and tackles how the affected suburban family deals through the ordeal of one family member’s sudden change in temperament and perspective, is finally going on a national tour starting this fall in Los Angeles, till July 2011 in Charlotte, NC.

One of the production’s first stops at the start of the New Year is at the Curran Theater in San Francisco from January 25 until February 20.

The musical already has several awards and acclaims to its name since its off-Broadway debut in 2008 which earned the production three Tony Awards in 2009 including one for original Broadway cast member Alice Ripley for her groundbreaking performance as the manic-depressive “Diana” and one for composers Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey for Best Original Score. It was also nominated for Best Musical honors.

Critics have been raving at this new breed of musical with Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone magazine calling it as a “tough sell” but an “agonizingly beautiful” production “that pushes Broadway in new directions”.

Touring cast members include Jason Daniely who plays head of the family “Dan”, Meghann Fany as the sixteen year-old “Natalie”, Kyle Dean Massey as Natalie’s slightly older brother “Gabe”, and Alice Ripley who after a short break will relive her highly acclaimed portrayal of “Diana” only for the musical’s San Francisco run.

“Next to Normal” has lyrics and composition by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, respectively, and direction from Tony Award nominee Michael Greif of “Rent” fame. “Next to Normal” also earned a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2010 for Brian Yorkey making it the eighth Pulitzer-winning musical, following in the footsteps of “Rent”.

For advanced tickets, premium seating and sold out shows, review the ticket options featured below.