CAMBRIDGE – Mom, dad, two kids in high school; what seems like a typical American family is anything but, as they deal with challenge after challenge behind closed doors.
‘Next to Normal’ highlights a woman’s struggle with manic depression and the toll it takes on her family. The new production at Central Square Theater is the first in New England to put a black family at the center of this story.
The concept is something that director and choreographer Pascale Florestal has been dreaming of putting on stage for years.
“When I think about musical theater, a lot of the stories are often about people of color, it’s all about race or the struggles, and I really wanted to give people the opportunity to have a family like any other family, but a family that my family,” explains Florestal.
Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning opera
The Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning pop-rock opera tackles some heavy topics.
“It’s a story about how to move forward from grief. How does grief relate to anxiety and mental illness? How does a family respond around someone struggling with mental illness? What did they do? How did they respond?” Co-Artistic Director Lee Mikeska Gardner says.
Although the subject matter can be challenging, it is surrounded by some humor, some memorable songs and a few surprises.
This play is a co-production with Front Porch Arts Collective, a Black theater company in Boston working to increase diversity on local stages.
Florestal tells WBZ: “A lot of times, people in this cast aren’t seen in these roles. And I think that’s something we’re very passionate about at Front Porch: giving people of color the opportunity to be in roles that you normally would not letting them see inside. And I think that’s the best part of the show.”
You can see ‘Next to Normal’ at the Central Square Theater in Cambridge until June 30.
Paula Ebben
