Since my High School production of “The Wizard of Oz” (naturally, I was Dorothy), I’m not necessarily the first in line for the hot musical du jour, especially when they usually consist of trilling operatic ballads that make you consider slitting your wrists during intermission, but the premise for “Next to Normal” sounded right up my cynical alley. Mom = Bipolar, bonkers, and bored in her marriage. Dad = emotionally shut off and a work-a-holic. Daughter = overachieving wunderkind dating cute stoner. Sound like your very own family? Well, it’s a Broadway show that includes some of the best rock music and surprise twists and turns since Courtney Love pre- collagen induced trout pout. Even the cynical haters at The New York Times are kvelling over this production. It’s simply brilliant, with more layers than Jen Aniston’s 90’s hair. In one particularly hilarious moment, Diana (mentally unbound Mom played by the mind bogglingly gifted Alice Ripley) sings to her Psychopharmacologist cataloging the side effects of her drugs – nausea, drowsiness, sexual dysfunction, headaches, seizures – she finally says, “I don’t feel anything.” The doctor pronounces, “Patient stable.” Fans of “Rent” and “Hedwig” should rejoice, for another snarky and smart as hell modern musical has made it’s way to the big time. You may never look at your morning dose of Effexor (fill-in-the-antidepressant blank) the same way again. “NEXT TO NORMAL” is now open at the Booth Theatre in NYC. Get tickets for your next hot date stat.
