Next to Normal

The book itself goes through the script of the entire show with staging and even lighting cues. The story is absolutely phenomenal and has even brought tears. Highly recommend for someone who enjoys social topics in mental health and a fan of dramas

I love this show and try to see it whenever it's being done nearby. I bought the book to follow along with the soundtrack, and it was great to be able to relive some of those powerful moments in the snow - to process them in my mind. Definitely worth it.

As someone who loves Broadway shows and has seen at least 50 shows, many several times, I was floored by this musical... My mother was bipolar with psychotic episodes, and all i can say is that the writers really had an understanding of how mental illness affects a family. I can totally relate to Natalie's character and can see my father in this show... The only difference is that i was 5 years old when my mom had 13 rounds of shock treatments in the mid-70's, and back then, memories were completely obliterated... My mother passed away this past December, and even after 40 years, she never regained all of her memories. For the first 10 years, she had none, to the point of believing that she had me via an immaculate conception. As I watched this musical (and read the script), I kept thinking how if I were to write an autobiography, this would be it minus a few variations... The show was so validating to me and healing in a way... i so wish i could thank all those involved with the show directly...Even if I couldn't relate to the story personally, the show is wonderful in every respect. I saw pretty much every show on Broadway from 92 to 97, and several from 2007 to 2014, and I can say that it is one of my favorite shows of all time... The story line, choreography, lighting, lyrics and score, etc. were beyond exceptional.I hope to see a revival of Next to Normal, and in the meantime, I'm so glad to have the music and the script. If you have the opportunity to see the show, don't miss it!

I ordered six copies as gifts to give my cast mates on closing night of our two week run of Next to Normal. I will say that playing Diana was a huge challenge and a gift since my real life daughter played Natalie.Now, with that out of the way, let me say this is EXACTLY what it says it is. It is a script which includes all of the lyrics to the songs in the play along with the dialog. It also includes the stage directions. If you're looking for a novelization, this is not what you're looking for. If you think that reading poetry (which is essentially what lyrics without music to accompany them are) is boring, this is not what you're looking for. But if you've ever seen Next to Normal, you also know that the show is about 90% music, so a script of only the dialog would be about 10 pages long. Yorkey and Kitt have perfectly interwoven the music with the dialog in masterful storytelling for this wonderful script. There's a reason it won a Drama Desk Award and a Pulitzer Prize along with multiple Tony Awards.

I saw this show on Christmas Eve 2010 in Los Angeles with no expectations. Mostly, I was curious about what made it a Pulitzer prize winner. It's been four months now and I'm still haunted by its courage, raw beauty, and the seamless performances of this cast. For the first two months, there were songs that would pop into my head at random. Tom Kitt's music and Brian Yorkey's lyrics are as brilliant and insightful as anything Sondheim has ever given us and despite its electric and modern rock sounds, so much of it feels as if its all been with us before when I know it hasn't. Although Alice Ripley is at the core and the star of the piece, it is about as beautiful an ensemble as I've ever seen. Not since, A Chorus Line, have songs been so well balanced in their story narrative and character revelations. The song, My Psycho-pharmacoligist and I, had me in convulsions of laughter and yet when the song was over, I sat motionless in my seat stone cold with fear. It's that rare piece that penetrates your consciousness without assaulting you months after you've seen it. More than anything, I feel blessed to have witnessed such a masterful and compassionate piece of American musical theater. Without being snobbish, I don't think anyone but American composers could have tackled such a monumental feat so brilliantly.

I had the opportunity to see this on Broadway, as well as on tour, and I had to buy the script as well. First of all, it is a Pulitzer Prize winner- that tells you a lot. This play deals with a lot of hot topics such as the treatment of mental health issues, drug use, and contemporary family pressures. It treats these issues with more legitimacy than the average musical. The book strikes a great balance of treating the material seriously while also making you laugh out loud. Although this does not include the score, it ROCKS. The songs will be stuck in your head! 'Next to Normal' is as good as it gets and will be especially loved by theatre fans who enjoy rock musicals and plays such as 'August: Osage County'.

Next to Normal is a groundbreaking show that helped shape a new genre of the American Musical. (Rent being the fist of its kind). Stunning depth and exploration of the human condition and an honest, raw look into the lives of those who struggle with PTSD every day. Next to Normal won the Pulitzer Prize in Drama. I saw the original Broadway production in New York and was equally as touched, if not more so now as I revisit the script.Next to Normal is a very important piece of theater. I highly recommend reading it while listening to the recording.

This play captures the essence of living with the memory of a dead child, and then pain of an emotionally disturbed family member. As a psychologist, I have seem this played out many times. But the loss of a child does not cause mental illness, and bipolar illness often has genetic roots, sometimes triggered by stressors, and sometimes just occurring on its own.My DILs own mother has bipolar. There is no known stressor other than genetics. Natalie and her share the same pain of growing up.

I absolutely love this musical. I have seen a recording of it on YouTube and understood most of it (English is not my first language). Reading the book made me understand what I hadn't caught watching the show.I recommend this book (script) to anyone who loves musicals and who wants to get a better understanding of this play.

Product as described - Excellent quality and good price.

I love that I now have the script and lyrics to this fantastic show - one that I will always regret not seeing on Broadway.

“Superboy and the Invisible GirlSon of Steel and Daughter of AirHe's a hero, a lover, a princeShe's not there...”― Brian Yorkey, Next to NormalIch habe die englische Version mit Aaront Tveit gesehen, Wahnsinn. Die deutsche Version kenne ich noch nicht, aber dieses Büchlein ist eine schöne Erinnerung an einen unvergesslichen Musicalabend.

Next to normal is one of those musicals that has so much diversity and therefore is so hard not to fall in love with.The tragic tale of a mother, daughter, father and son relationship plagued by mental illness which effects almost every character in the play at some point is hard to describe when the production is so well put together.I am not a huge fan of musicals myself but when a friend introduced me to N2N i fell in love straight away as i felt a connection / bond with all the characters on stage and for a small production musical its something quite magical.Next to normal is witty, beautifully crafted and tragically sad due to the effort that must have gone into researching the mental illnesses Diana has and thinking how they can be portrayed in a humorous yet accurate manner.With songs such as "I miss the mountains", "Superboy and the invisible girl" and "I dreamed a dance" its easy to see why the play captivated audiences while on its broadway run.I honestly dont think i have cried so much before in my life.N2N is one of those musicals that has taught me so much and i hope it continues to captivate audiences well into the future.