Next to Normal: Cast and Creatives Reflect on the Musical's Enduring Relevance
"Most people who think they're happy are really just stupid," says Diana Goodman, a suburban mother with bipolar disorder, in the musical Next to Normal. In a society that sees mental illness as a lack of faith and, thus, optimism, there's always a necessity to mount material that talks about mental health. From February 1 to 23, The Sandbox Collective is staging Tomm Kitt and Brian Yorkey's Tony Award-winning musical, Next to Normal, at the Power Mac Center Spotlight, Circuit Makati.
Timelessness of Next to Normal
"It's timeless and timely. You can stage this even 10 years from now, and people will still very much relate to it. It's a Broadway musical, but it's very Pinoy. It's family, and it's very emotional. Pinoys love that. [It's about] mental health. There are never enough forums and platforms to be able to talk about it, to shed light on it, and to demystify a lot of misconceptions about it. And, of course, grief. I think that's the one that really connects to all of us. It's not just the loss of a loved one, but you can also have grief from losing your job, losing your jowa, losing yourself, and your identity. There's so much about the show that people can relate to," explained Toff de Venecia, Next to Normal's director and Sandbox's managing artistic director, during a media visit at their rehearsals last January 22.
The 2008 American rock musical tells the story of the Goodman family, grappling with the devastating impact of mental illness. Diana, the mother, suffers from bipolar disorder, leading to a tumultuous and unpredictable life for her husband Dan, their daughter Natalie, and the specter of their deceased son, Gabe. The musical explores the complexities of Diana's illness, including medication, therapy, and the emotional toll on her family.
"What really hits people about Next To Normal is not just the music but also the lyrics. The characters have so many walls up, but they're not afraid to be raw with their emotions. They're not afraid to articulate how they're really feeling. 'Yun 'yung tumatagos talaga sa puso ng mga tao. Even now, when we run, we would bawl our eyes out every time. It really cuts deep. The emotion really gets to you. And I think Next To Normal is able to capture something really profound that hits the soul," Jam Binay, who plays the role of perfect daughter Natalie Goodman, shares. She's alternating with Sheena Belarmino.
The Next to Normal cast features Shiela Valderrama and Nikki Valdez alternating in the role of the matriarch Diana Goodman. OJ Mariano and Floyd Tena alternate in the role of the husband, Dan. The elusive Gabe Goodman will be played by Vino Mabalot and Benedix Ramos. Omar Uddin and Davy Narciso will share the role of Henry, the boy who falls in love with Natalie. Playing the role of the psychiatrist Dr. Madden is Jef Flores.
From L to R: Davy Narciso as Henry, Jam Binay as Natalie, Nikki Valdez as Diana, Floyd Tena as Dan, Jef Flores as Dr. Madden, and Benedix Ramos as Gabe
The Music of Next to Normal
"There's something about the music Of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Tumatagos sa kaluluwa e. It swells at the right time; it softens strategically. It really takes you on an emotional rollercoaster. Ang sarap niya ibirit, ang sarap din niya ihimbing. It's such a nuanced score," De Venecia explained.
The director also revealed that this is one of Ejay Yatco's dream musical productions, and he's very excited about having a live band for the show. Yatco is taking the helm as musical director.
"The song, the music, the lyrics are just so alive. At first, you won't feel like it's about mental health. You'll feel like it's a party song or something very bop or jazzy. But when you hear the lyrics of it, you [find out] that this song is about grief. It doesn't necessarily have to be so dramatic," echoed Benedix Ramos, whose recent theater credits include Bar Boys, Tabing Ilog, and Ang Huling El Bimbo.
For award-winning actor and musician Jef Flores, Next to Normal's music is "a score, it's not a soundtrack." He added: "It's not just a bunch of songs chunked together. All the moments in between are so focused on the story between the people."
From L to R: Omar Uddin as Henry, Sheena Belarmino as Natalie, Shiela Valderrama as Diana, OJ Mariano as Dan, Jef Flores as Dr. Madden, and Vino Mabalot as Gabe
The Sandbox Collective's Staging
During the open rehearsals, what was probably obvious was the use of chairs to emphasize movement onstage. Mark Daniel Dalacat, who's the Production Designer and Associate Director, joked about them being some kind of musical chairs. The current direction, however, wasn't their original plan.
"It really took us time. This is the third draft of this. We were navigating what the score, what the lyrics, what the music are really talking about and talking to us about. Eventually, it just became this semi-permeable space that people can really reflect their own emotions into, which I call the room. You enter the room, which is also the theater. You also enter the theater as a room," he explained.
De Venecia, added: "Everything you'll see is really a culmination of everyone's creative juices. Honestly, we had a radical staging in mind prior to auditioning. But then, seeing all these people in audition and the magic that they brought, we're like, scrapping that radical staging. Let's lean into what they've created. And they also brought that to rehearsal. What you'll see basically is a product of everyone's creativity."
Also joining De Venecia, Yatco, and Dalacat in the creative team are Stephen Viñas choreographer, Elliza Dawn Aurelio as Hair & Make Up Designer, Jonas Garcia as dramaturg, Serena Magiliw as Intimacy Coach, Gabo Tolentino as Lighting Designer, Aji Manalo as Sound Designer/Engineer, and Francisco Miguel Yabut as Technical Director.
Next to Normal runs from February 1 to 23 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight, Circuit Makati. Tickets, which are priced from P2,500 to P3,400, are available through Ticket2Me.
