Night of the Living Dead (2013)

music by Matt Conner
book by Stephen Gregory Smith
lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith and Matt Conner
based on the film by George A. Romero
Oct. 10-Nov. 2, 2013
Washington University South Campus Theatre
Show Webpage
Production Photos

THE CAST
Ben – Zachary Allen Farmer
Barbra – Marcy Wiegert
Harry – Mike Dowdy
Helen – Sarah Porter
Tom – Joseph McAnulty
Judy – Mary Beth Black
Karen – Phoebe Desilets

THE ARTISTIC STAFF
Director – Scott Miller
Scenic and Lighting Designer – Rob Lippert
Costume Designers – Sarah Porter, Marcy Wiegert
Sound Designer – Kerrie Mondy
Stage Manager – Gabe Taylor
Props Master – Alison Helmer
Lighting Technician – Gabe Taylor
Box Office Manager – Kim Avants
Volunteer Coordinator – Ann Stinebaker
Graphic Designer – Matt Reedy
Photographer – Jill Ritter Lindberg

THE NEW LINE BAND
Piano/Conductor – Sue Goldford
Bass – Vince Clark
Cello – Daniel Dickson
Violin – Nikki Glenn
Second Keyboard – Joel Hackbarth
Percussion – Clancy Newell

REVIEWS
“Stephen Gregory Smith and Matt Conner breathed new life into the tired zombie trope by going back to the source – George A. Romero's iconic film – and setting it as a hard-as-nails musical. The ensemble cast conjured all the fear and loss bound into the polyphonic songs, but Zachary Allan Farmer and Marcy Wiegert were the twin cores of darkness at the heart of it all. Farmer's heroic Ben, fighting to save everyone trapped in the farmhouse, could neither comfort nor crack Wiegert's Barbra, a near-comatose woman who emerges only sporadically from her stupor to prophesy everyone's doom like a bouffanted Sybil. Director Scott Miller steadily ratcheted the tension, and then broke it all open with the single most harrowing moment to happen onstage in St. Louis this year.” – Paul Friswold, The Riverfront Times

“If you can really stand pure psychological terror, you can proceed west for the stunning power of Night of the Living Dead. . . It is, in fact, a play that had me looking over my shoulder for the rest of the night. The performances are so powerful, and so insistently based on maintaining an everyday frame of reference (in spite of an 'epidemic of murder' outside), that you carry the dread of it with you after the show, all the way to bedtime. Scott Miller: musical theater director and master of suspense. Who knew? . . . But this show is more emotionally focused than No Exit, being all about that horrible, frozen moment, that deer-in-the-headlights sense of panic, telescoped to utterly take over these peoples' lives. And let me tell you, it's nearly unbearable. Thank God it's only 90 minutes long, at least for you and me.” – Richard Green, TalkinBroadway

“One of the most frightening evenings ever at a musical. . . Most of the pre-show talk with other audience members was whether we’d need plastic sheets for the splattering blood, but instead you had to get your mind wrapped around the terror of the unknown and unexpected as this amazing story unfolds in terrifying and compelling fashion. With the unusually beautiful score and the power of these fine actor/singers, Night Of The Living Dead is one musical you don’t want to miss. Evidently this is only the second production of the show nationally but, like so many other Scott Miller productions, news of this one should spread fast and it could become the new cult favorite.” – Steve Allen, Stagedoor St. Louis

“New Line’s take is intense, creepy and full of slow-building tension. . . The show is unlike anything I have seen in musical theater. Writers Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith have found a way to translate the classic horror story into music and lyrics that are just as terrifying and suspenseful as the original film. . . For fans of musical theater, this is a show that you have never seen before. And although it is a musical, the subject matter is just as serious as the film it comes from. For fans of Romero’s work, you’ve never seen it like this – and it’s a must see. Expect to feel the tension and hopelessness fly off of the stage and into the seats, and hold on until morning.” – Kevin Brackett, ReviewSTL

“A sense of dread permeates New Line Theatre's Night of the Living Dead from the very beginning, a chilling and haunting work in both expected and unexpected ways. This is the stuff nightmares are made of – a serious musical adaptation of a landmark horror film that still resonates today. I've seen the original movie countless times and yet I jumped and screamed, such is the intensity of this live theatrical production. What happens is familiar, but the fact that Scott Miller's shrewdly directed piece would pack such a powerful punch is testament to the strong ensemble who plunge us down the rabbit hole with them. Miller never resorts to cheap tricks, and the us. vs. them tension builds, almost unbearably at times, as the zombie apocalypse takes place outside the barricaded doors. . . In this Night of the Living Dead world, the terror is real, not manufactured or phony, for it is not aliens or chemically-altered monsters they are trying to survive – it is the human race.” – Lynn Venhaus, Belleville News-Democrat

“A+. I was captivated mere seconds into the production and by the time the cast took their bows I was out of breath.” – Jeff Ritter, The Trades

“A must-see for fans of daring musical theatre. . . All of the cast acquit themselves well vocally, and their intensity helps to maintain the suspense and tension of this entertaining and harrowing piece. . . New Line Theatre's production of Night of the Living Dead is a real winner, especially for those who like their horror without a constant barrage of one-liners.” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld

“This is no spoof, nor is it merely an homage; if you let it, it will lead you to think. . . The music—and this superbly strong cast—lift the piece into quite a different realm. . . By approaching these rather two-dimensional characters with such deep seriousness the cast leads us to consider some thoughts that make this show more than just a zombie thriller.” – Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM

“It’s a straightforward, dramatic musical that relies not on blood or guts, but on the notion that the boogeyman is actually coming in from the dark. You’re not paranoid if they’re really out to get you. . . All the familiar New Line trappings are in full force: A strong cast singing the dickens out of a complicated score, a creative set, a tight and talented New Line band, plus the usual rock-solid staging by Scott Miller. . . With Night of the Living Dead, no blood and guts are necessary. Just bring your imagination.” – Christopher Reilly, Alive Magazine

“A taut, intriguing production. . . In gritty, sobering fashion director Miller guides his players across Romero’s harrowing landscape as interpreted by Conner and Smith with intriguing and satisfying results. . . Absorbing food for thought, with a hearty portion of goosebumps on the side.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News

“Like those old black-and-white horror films, Night of the Living Dead does more than scare – it will give you a chill. Bolstered by a score full of tight harmonies, surprising melodies, and a solid cast and crew, this regional premiere makes for another must see.” – Andrea Torrence, St. Louis Theatre Snob

“It’s not a gory show at all. In fact, we never even see the ‘others,’ the rampaging zombies outside. But it’s a nightmare. Zombies start as regular people. In this world, whom can you trust? The survivors who take shelter in an abandoned house have nothing in common except, they’re still human. Can that be enough?” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“In the hands of New Line’s excellent cast and creative team, it’s a thoroughly compelling and riveting production. . . Yes, I was terrified, but that’s the point of a show like this, and wow, was it done right! I was literally shaking in my seat, and the sense of terror was palpable in the audience. This is an old-fashioned suspense thriller in the very best sense. Kudos to New Line for scaring me out of my wits and showing me that a horror show well done can be an evening well spent.” -- Snoop's Theatre Thoughts (St. Louis blogger)

DIRECTOR'S NOTES
Jason Zinoman writes in his great book Shock Value, “Night of the Living Dead did for horror what the Sex Pistols did for punk.”

Even though this musical is pretty faithful to its source film, the show’s writers have reimagined this iconic story for the musical stage. They have translated George Romero's storytelling devices into the language of the musical theatre.

The result is a really original piece of theatre, unlike any other show, in its music, its lyrics, and its pacing. These aren't conventional musical theatre lyrics – they're sometimes as fragmented as the mind of the character who's singing, they often don't rhyme, and since this is a thriller, most of the songs often don't have a conventional “button” at the end to cue applause, and that builds tension.

What I've always loved about zombie movies is that the zombies serve as metaphor. Romero has made a zombie movie each decade, starting in 1968, and each film comments insightfully on the American zeitgeist, just as this new adaptation does. As Adam Lowenstein says in the documentary The American Nightmare, “The apocalypse isn't now. The apocalypse is always.”

More than anything, Night of the Living Dead and its sequels remind us of that famous line from the political comic strip Pogo: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” The film and our show ask a pointed question: Who are the real monsters here?

Kim Paffenroth writes in his book Gospel of the Living Dead, “Zombie movies imagine a scenario far worse than nuclear war or a cabal of vampires taking over the world: they present us with a world in which humans and monsters become very hard to distinguish, and therefore the moral rules that guide our dealings with other humans – it is better to suffer injustice than to commit it, thou shalt not kill, love they neighbor, turn the other cheek – are discarded as irrelevant and unfeasible. . . The horrific nature of zombies and, many would say, terrorists, is that they may force us to act as barbarically and impetuously as they do. . . Zombies dehumanize humans by eliminating their chance to experience normal feelings of grief, mortality, or sacredness, and forcing them to substitute callous, unthinking, reflexive violence.”

Zombies act as a Rorschach test. As we all do with classic fairy tales, we take from zombie movies (and zombie musicals!) what we need. The zombies represent different threats to different people, depending on what scares them most. In the documentary Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue, George Romero says, “Zombies to me could be any natural disaster. They could be anything. My stories are about the people that deal with it, don't deal with it, deal with it improperly, deal with it stupidly. The stories are about how people screw up.”

This isn't a show about falling in love or finding your path in life or making a place for yourself. This is a show about surviving till morning. There are no love songs here. No dancing. And definitely no dancing zombies!

This is a thriller.

They're coming to get you, Barbra...

Bukowsical (2013)

book and lyrics by Spencer Green and Gary Stockdale
music by Gary Stockdale
May 30-June 22, 2013
Washington University South Campus Theatre
Show Webpage
Production Photos

THE CAST
Charles Bukowski – Zachary Allen Farmer
Narrator, Father, Tennessee Williams – Joel Hackbarth
Bishop Fulton Sheen, Mickey Rourke – Ryan Foizey
William Faulkner, Barbet Schroeder – Nicholas Kelly
One True Love – Kimi Short
William Burroughs, Sean Penn – Christopher Strawhun
Sweet Lady Booze – Marcy Wiegert
Teacher, Sylvia Plath – Chrissy Young

THE ARTISTIC STAFF
Director – Scott Miller
Choreographer – Robin Michelle Berger
Music Director – Justin Smolik
Costume Designer – Amy Kelly
Scenic Designer – Scott L. Schoonover
Lighting Designer – Kenneth Zinkl
Sound Designer – Kerrie Mondy
Stage Manager – Gabe Taylor
Props Master – Alison Helmer
Lighting Technician – Christopher “Zany” Clark
Box Office Manager – Kim Avants
Graphic Designer – Matt Reedy
Photographer – Jill Ritter Lindberg

THE NEW LINE BAND
Piano/Conductor – Justin Smolik
Guitar – D. Mike Bauer
Bass – Dave Hall
Percussion – Clancy Newell

REVIEWS
"Let's hear it for the risk takers, for those who embrace originality, for entertainers who want to give audiences something different. Want to raise your eyebrows, laugh out loud and marvel at the chutzpah of creative minds? Fit the bold, brazen – and bewitching – Bukowsical into your schedule at New Line Theater during the next two weekends. . . it's unlike anything you have ever seen." – Lynn Venhaus, Belleville News-Democrat

“I can't remember a show that ever creeped me out as much as it made me laugh. In fact, at the risk of sounding like a critic, I'll say that if you liked Book of Mormon, you'll love Bukowsical. In its own deeply personal style, it's just that great. It's that sensibility that says 'life is gross and people are mad, and any intelligent decision you may possibly dare to make will always be destroyed by corrupt authority figures so you might as well just jump on board the Hell-bound train and get it over with.' Plus, it's really funny and outrageous.” – Richard Green, TalkinBroadway

“For twenty-two years Scott Miller and his New Line company have been zapping the St. Louis musical theatre scene with bolts of energy. Off-beat, eccentric, sometimes dark, often hilarious, occasionally outrageous and always fresh, New Line productions are for folks who have accepted the fact that Rogers and Hammerstein are actually dead. . . Folks will either see it as one of the most outrageously funny things ever staged, or it will offend every sense. (Or possibly both.)” – Steve Callahan, KDHX

“Scott Miller and his New Line Theatre never back down. Has a musical been a quick flop on or off Broadway? He’ll make it a hit and suddenly regional theatres are salivating to produce it. Is a musical considered too 'out of the mainstream?' No problem, let’s give our audiences a choice and see what happens. Is this one too rude, crude and obnoxious? Let’s do it! And now, combining all three of the above theatrical no-no’s, New Line presents Bukowsical, the musical.” – Steve Allen, Stage Door St. Louis

“New Line Theatre's production captures this drunken genius in all his splendor. You may be shocked by what you see or hear, but I guarantee you won't forget it. This is cutting edge theatre at its finest. . . Bukowsical is a rude crude, raucous, offensive and delicious musical that treads the line between biography and satire. New Line Theatre's production is an absolute blast. Go see it immediately!” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld

Bukowsical is not for everyone. But if you are a fan of shows like The Book of Mormon, or Avenue Q, there shouldn’t be anything you can’t handle. New Line Theatre does what it does best, putting on a raw and uncensored show that never pulls any of its punches. With a fantastic cast, non-stop laughs, and many memorable songs – 'you can be Bukowsical too.' And you should.” – Kevin Brackett, ReviewSTL

Bukowsical riffs on the life and work of Bukowski in the form of a wild musical bursting with simulated sex, four-letter words, and clever lyrics. It's the perfect piece of theater for a sophisticated urban crowd looking for pure ribaldry on a Saturday night. . . This is the sort of goofy, lead-with-your-pelvis, sharp late-night comedy that’s perfect for a city with a thriving, risk-taking alt-theatre scene, like Chicago or New York. We’d like more of this brand, please.” – Byron Kerman, St. Louis Magazine

“Musical theater has changed a lot since Bukowski came on the scene. Now 'Love Is a Dog from Hell' is actually the title of a song – and its author is the subject of the smoky, clever, amazingly foul-mouthed show at New Line Theatre. Its often-cheery homage to traditional styles darkens this show's material. From the ironic title to the hot little combo headed by Justin Smolik to choreographer Robin Michelle Berger's stylish ensemble work, this production was plainly the work of people who know musical theater.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“This musical not only sheds considerable light on what went into making Charles Bukowski the artist he was, it also satirizes the conventions of musical theatre. It defies tradition by packaging foul lyrics about slimy behavior in these irresistibly tuneful, upbeat little songs. Under Miller's clear-sighted direction, the entire cast passionately embrace all kick-lines, key changes, and every instance of 'jazz hands.' Seeing these supposedly contradictory elements combined with such enthusiasm is what makes it so funny. The profanity may offend your sensibilities, but with everything else this show has to offer, I bet you'll get over it after about 4 minutes.” – Andrea Torrence, St. Louis Theatre Snob

“It’s definitely not family material and absolutely full of mirth and mayhem in equal doses. New Line artistic director Scott Miller and his notably energetic and fun-loving troupe make Bukowsical an evening you won’t soon forget and may actually enjoy quite a bit. . . Miller’s pace is brisk and witty, the action is amusing, the banter is brittle and the music direction by Justin Smolik is perfectly in sync with the performers. . . New Line’s presentation of Bukowsical captures the musical’s surprisingly engaging blend of sass and sweetness.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News

“New Line Theatre Director Scott Miller never shies away from challenging material, whether it be darkly tragic like Next To Normal or hilariously over-the-top like Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Bukowsical definitely falls into the latter category. . . Even the shocked first-time attendees were tapping their toes, laughing and clapping with each tragically absurd scene.” – Jeff Ritter, The Trades

DIRECTOR'S NOTES
There are a lot of very funny musicals, even more of them lately, now that we've moved away from the bombast of the 1980s British Invasion (of the musical theatre), and back toward the original form of the American musical – the musical comedy. These “neo musical comedies” (Bukowsical, Cry-Baby, Spelling Bee, Shrek, Avenue Q, Lysistrata Jones) are more self-aware, more political, more ironic, and often more vulgar than their ancestors, but they still capture the joy, the chaos, and the muscle of those classic musical comedies. It's a perfect blend – a uniquely American blend – of innocence and irony, idealism and cynicism.

Maybe the funniest aspect of Bukowsical is its perversely good-natured, sunny tone. This is not Bat Boy or Urinetown. This is Anything Goes and No, No, Nanette, but with the irony turned up to eleven and a chronic case of Tourette’s Syndrome.

The musical comedy has always had this kinetic tension driving it, but it used to lean more toward the innocence and idealism, and today it leans more toward the irony and cynicism, to match the zeitgeist. The mega-musicals of the 80s began to wither away in the ironic 1990s and 2000s, under the weight of way too much earnestness. Miranda Lundskaer-Nielsen wrote in her book, Directors and the New Musical Drama, “Rather than finding order through chaos, or offering the sense of resolution that even the more political Broadway musicals often give their audiences, some newer shows imply that emotional confusion is a reasonable response to the contemporary world. Just as social playwrights have been doing for years, today's musical writers choose to raise more questions than they answer, and to reflect the world around them rather than trying to interpret it through a simplistic lens.”

In many ways, Bukowsical and the others are a 21st-century reboot of the American musical comedy. There is a self-awareness and a fierce defiance about these shows. They subscribe to no hard-and-fast rules. Broadway composer-lyricist William Finn (Spelling Bee, A New Brain, Falsettos) says, “Musicalizing something inherently nonmusical seems a very dramatic action – arrogant, humorous, whimsical, yet serious. It says, ‘We are in the business of making the world sing.’ It's almost revolutionary.”

Of course the neo musical comedy isn’t entirely new. Kander and Ebb have been working on the form since Chicago in the 1970s, but it didn’t become a dominant form until more recently. In an interview in James Leve’s book Kander and Ebb, David Thompson says, “The embodiment of Kander and Ebb’s approach to musical theatre was, we are going to entertain you, and you are going to have fun, but at the same time we're going to lead you to a place that is very dangerous and very controversial, and what you take out of this, where you get, you're going to have to sort out yourself, but in the meantime, we're going to entertain you as you go.”

We won’t make you comfortable tonight, but we will entertain you.

Next to Normal (2013)

Book and Lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Music by Tom Kitt
February 28-March 23, 2013
Washington University South Campus Theatre
Show Webpage
Production Photos

THE CAST
Diana – Kimi Short
Dan – Jeffrey M. Wright
Natalie – Mary Beth Black
Gabe – Ryan Foizey
Henry – Joseph McAnulty
Dr. Fine/Dr. Madden – Zachary Allen Farmer

THE ARTISTIC STAFF
Director – Scott Miller
Assistant Director – Mike Dowdy
Music Director – Justin Smolik
Costume Designer – Amy Kelly
Scenic Designer – Scott L. Schoonover
Lighting Designer – Sean Savoie
Sound Designer – Kevin Miko
Stage Manager – Gabe Taylor
Props Master – Alison Helmer
Lighting Technician – Trisha Bakula
House Manager – Ann Stinebaker
Box Office Manager – Vicki Herrmann
Graphic Designer – Matt Reedy
Photographer – Jill Ritter Lindberg

THE NEW LINE BAND
Piano/Conductor – Justin Smolik
Guitar – D. Mike Bauer
Cello – Ethan Edwards
Violin – Nikki Glenn
Bass – Dave Hall
Percussion – Clancy Newell

REVIEWS
“I remember seeing Next to Normal at the Fox Theatre a while back and being impressed by the show. . . But New Line Theatre, for me, sets the local standard for musical theatre in our burgeoning arts community, and they’ve put together a superior staging of the play that hits even closer to the bone, and part of this is due to intimacy of the theatre itself, but a major reason is the fact that it’s blocked and staged in a manner that brings the message of the play clearly in focus. New Line Theatre’s production of Next to Normal is easily the best show I’ve seen this year so far. It has a terrific cast, a top notch band which is augmented with strings, and brilliant direction. This is a show you must see...” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld

“Surprising and exceptional performances from the entire cast, in a story that will not settle for less. . . it’s a major leap forward in depth of characterization offered by New Line Theatre. Watch out, everybody, the ‘bad boy of musical theater’ is growing up!” – Richard Green, TalkinBroadway

“New Line Theatre presents the show in its St. Louis regional premiere with scorching intensity, dotted with dark humor. . . The opportunity to see this emotionally packed, captivating production in such an intimate space should not be missed.” – Andrea Torrence, St. Louis Theatre Snob

“The show made its St. Louis debut at the Fox Theatre. That production was fine. But Next To Normal tells such an intimate story that it’s actually a better fit for New Line, a small theater company in a small space. The play deals with serious mental illness, and New Line director Scott Miller marked out the psychological musical as his home terrain years ago, with his memorable take on Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods.” – Judy Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“New Line Theatre’s Next to Normal is nothing less than extraordinary . . . For those who enjoy live theater, but have never seen the show, I can’t speak highly enough about it. The story is well written, the songs are fantastic, and the show is very honest and easy to relate to. New Line’s production looks and sounds fantastic, and continues to impress upon me the power of local theater.” – Kevin Brackett, ReviewSTL

“Directors Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy were inspired in their casting of the show. . . amazing acting and singing by all members of the cast. . . an affecting and thought-provoking night of theatre.” – Laura Kyro, KDHX

Next to Normal is a cerebral, up-close-and-personal account of mental illness, with a cast of six and a small accompanying orchestra that in New Line’s presentation consists of a half-dozen musicians. Seeing it at the Washington University South Campus Theatre accentuates the personal nature of the work in a way the sprawling touring production could not do. . . New Line’s artistic director Miller has a keen eye for what makes a particular musical work best, often finding hidden gems and mining their potential to sparkle. Even with this Pulitzer Prize-winning show he’s been able to accentuate the delicate emotions that are laid bare in Next to Normal.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News

“New Line Theatre has brought an intimate and more accessible production to their stage and everything about it is outstanding. Kimi Short is simply sensational in the difficult role of Diana. . . The packed house on opening night leapt to their feet after the final strains of ‘Light’ to show their appreciation for a talented cast and crew and a most brave production.” – Steve Allen, StageDoorSTL

“New Line Theatre has crafted an edgy, thought-provoking production that does not sugarcoat the pain of a bi-polar disorder sufferer and her family. . . I hope the St. Louis theater audience gives Next to Normal a try. It isn't a simple way to pass a few hours, but like any challenging experience it is more rewarding for the difficulty.” – Jeff Ritter, The Trades

“This production encapsulates everything perfect about live musical theater. Pulled into the dysfunction of the family so perfectly, you feel as if there needs to be an empty seat at the dinner table for you. A set that is fairly minimalist and yet is disconcerting and haunting by itself, before a single actor has walked on stage sets the audience off kilter and prepares them to enter the world of the story dysfunction. The characters are priestly in the way they become arbiters between the physical and metaphysical crag the story treacherously sets as its path. The experience perfectly completes the circuit between stage and audience. . . There is no better description for this show than to refer to it as sacramental.” – Kevin J. Bowman, Dispossessed

“The production of the Pulitzer Prize winning musical about mental illness, Next to Normal, has been given a strong staging by New Line Theatre, where this intimate drama works much better than it did last year at the Fox.” – Bob Wilcox, Town and Style

DIRECTOR'S NOTES
When we produced High Fidelity last season, we realized that the show places us squarely inside Rob’s head. He narrates his own story and we hear everyone in his life in the musical vocabulary of Rob’s favorite recording artists. We get the story only from Rob’s point of view, which is very organic to the novel the show was based on.

Content Dictates Form.

With Next to Normal, we’re not really inside Diana’s head, since we see parts of the story that Diana is not present for. But we are inside her world, a world where things don’t make sense as often as they do. When Diana suddenly hallucinates her new doctor singing like a rock star, we share that hallucination. When Diana slips into delusion, we experience that delusion with her.

One of the show’s central points is that mental illness affects not just the person suffering from the illness, but also everyone around them – in this case, including the audience. The story’s other big point, an existential view that it shares with Passing Strange, is that everyone has his own journey and his own destination – or as Passing Strange puts it, his own Real. You can’t follow someone else’s path, because their Real is different from your Real.

Diana has to find her path, but throughout much of the show, everyone else is telling her what that path should be. Like Company, the end of Next to Normal is ambiguous. Diana takes action, but we have no idea what the results of that action will be. Will she be better? Worse? Those answers aren’t the point of this story. The point is that Diana finds her path. Just like Bobby in Company.

Like many of our shows, Next to Normal is a Hero Myth. Actually, it’s a double Hero Myth, because Natalie travels through her own Hero Myth as well. Each of the women are forced into their journey, encounter obstacles, pick up companions along the way, do battle with an “Evil Wizard,” and they each find new wisdom to point them forward.

Most musicals used to be love stories because musical theatre is an inherently emotional storytelling form. But as musicals became more personal and as our culture changed, musical theatre began shifting to the Hero Myth, every bit as emotional a journey as any love story.

As I’ve argued many times, people don’t go to the theatre (or movies) for escape, despite what the shallow types will tell you; they go for connection. To make sense of the world around them and their own lives, to be reminded that we all go through essentially the same trials, that we are not alone.

Sondheim says the point of art is to make order out of the chaos of our world. Art selects from life, focuses, juxtaposes, reveals, magnifies, all in the service of telling a meaningful story that helps us navigate the rough terrain of being human in the 21st century. You don’t have to be bipolar to see your own daily struggles in Diana’s more extreme struggles. And that’s why storytelling is important to the culture. And why we make theatre. And why lots of people find Next to Normal so genuinely powerful and incisive. Enjoy the ride.