Theatre Fairfield’s latest production, “Next to Normal,” premiered at the Quick Center on Friday, Feb 7 and Saturday, Feb 8. Directed by Senior Nora Jacobi and Junior Kylee Faulkner, “Next to Normal” follows a family that appears perfectly average at first glance–a patient, dedicated father, a caring, slightly distracted mother, a carefree, jovial son and an intelligent, hardworking daughter. In reality, however, things are not as they seem, and this family is trying their best to keep from falling apart as mental illness and delusional hope take over.
Featuring powerful songs such as “I Miss the Mountains,” “Superboy and the Invisible Girl,” and “Light,” “Next to Normal” is full of emotion, mayhem and unexpected twists. Beginning with the presentation of Diana, the matriarch of the family, and her struggles with mental health, the musical tells the story of hers and her family’s attempts to cope. The show explores themes such as bipolar disorder, grief, family dynamics and love. It’s full of heavy topics, but the students of the cast and crew handled them with grace and care.
The songs of the show are difficult, musically and emotionally, but the cast stepped up to the challenge. Nora Jacobi and Anthony Lerro shined in their roles as Diana and Dan Goodman. Their portrayal of a struggling married couple was so convincing that it was easy to forget they are only college students, and their exceptional singing succeeded in conveying such an intense story.
Sophomore Oliver Merriam offered comedic relief in his role as Diana’s doctor, who she sees at first in the form of a crazy rockstar. His performance had the whole crowd laughing, a much comic relief from the heaviness of the musical. First-year Lucas Mortell described his experience playing Henry as “deeply rewarding,” explaining that he has “discovered how powerful it is to portray someone who chooses empathy, even when faced with times of uncertainty.”
The most impressive part of this production, aside from the compelling story and music, may be the fact that it was entirely student produced. With only six members in the cast, each actor had a crucial role to play, with little room for error. The students rehearsed four to five days a week for hours at a time. As a result of their hard work, the production went off without a hitch, even when illness in the cast threatened to disrupt the show. In rehearsals leading up to opening night, multiple cast members came down with the flu, throwing the actors for a loop. When the show scheduled for Thursday night was cancelled, the future seemed bleak. Nevertheless, a few adjustments made to the production allowed the show to go on. Director Kylee Faulkner went on as Natalie Goodman, despite not having planned on being on stage at all, in order to keep the show going on Friday night. Although she had to carry a binder with her lines throughout the duration of the show, it worked with her character. Natalie is quite studious and could very well have been carrying a textbook with her everywhere. “We had many bumps along the way,” Mortell says. “In the end we were able to fight through.”
First-year Diana Carbone expressed her enjoyment of the show, referencing the plot twists that took her by surprise and the themes that were discussed. “I think the message was clear and the story was presented really well,” she says.
The cast and crew of “Next to Normal,” despite the struggles they faced in putting together this show, did an excellent job of portraying such an emotional and important story.
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