Next to Normal for Phoenix
Fresh off their successful season of The Wedding Singer, Phoenix Ensemble (Qld) will present the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Next To Normal from April 22nd, 2016.
A dramatic musical, Next To Normal explores the lives of a typical suburban family - Dan is an architect, Di makes lunches and pours cereal; their children are bright, wise-cracking teens. Yet all is not as it seems. Di suffers from bipolar disorder and has been battling depression for 16 years. Set to a terrific rock score, the story explores with sympathy and heart the lives of the whole family, their trials, their joys, their loves and their losses.
“It’s such a relevant story,” says director David Harrison. “There’s not one of us whose lives aren’t affected in some way by mental illness and this production does a terrific job of exploring this.” Praised for its balanced take on what is delicate subject matter, Next To Normalfinds a way for audience members to relate to the characters on stage in a very personal way.
The show is being presented in the round. Not often seen for musicals, David suggests that audience members will feel a sensation that will perhaps be once in a lifetime for some. “Staging this show in the round in the already intimate Pavilion Theatre became an obsession for me. The subject matter of the show is so close, so heartfelt, that I wanted the audience to have an experience that they can carry with them always. Staging it this way brings them so much closer to the actors -you will see all those little details a larger production can’t show. The facial expressions, the tears in the eyes. It will be an experience that many may not see again and I hope that everyone appreciates the vulnerability the cast are allowing themselves to display.”
Speaking of which, the show has a stellar cast of talented performers from around South East Queensland, including Adam Bartlett, Michelle Dagan, Christopher Batkin and Jackie Turner. “Working with these amazing performers has been a complete gift and the work they do, the talent, the rawness - it’s simply brilliant to watch,” says David. “They’re an amazing group and we are incredibly fortunate to have this calibre of performer here in Queensland!”
Venue: Pavilion Theatre, Beenleigh Showgrounds, James Street, Beenleigh
Season: Friday 22 April Friday 29 April
Friday 6 May Friday 13 May
7:30pm Saturday 7:30pm Saturday Saturday 7:30pm Saturday 7:30pm Saturday
23 April 30 April 30 April 7 May 14 May
7:30pm 2:00pm Matinee Performance 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm
Bookings: www.phoenixensemble.com.au/bookings or (07) 3103 1546
Tickets from $28
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