CLOSE TO THE STANDARD at the Houston Broadway Theatre

Full Disclosure: Next to normal is on my family’s list of favorite musicals. Beyond the personal aspect, this captivating story, if told well, makes audiences cry and marvel. A new player in the Houston performing arts scene, the Houston Broadway Theatre, brings a new production of this great musical to Houston audiences this weekend and does it quite well.

Next to normal is a rock musical that explores the struggles of a suburban family dealing with the effects of mental illness. The story centers on Diana Goodman, a mother struggling with bipolar disorder, and the impact her illness has on her family, including her husband Dan, daughter Natalie, and son Gabe. As Diana undergoes various treatments, including medication and electroshock therapy, the family grapples with their emotional turmoil and search for normalcy. The musical explores themes of grief, loss, and the quest for mental health, providing a poignant and powerful portrayal of the challenges and resilience of those affected by mental illness.

The acting in this production is overall good. Constantine Maroulis does a decent job as Dan Goodman. Maroulis’ voice is still in great shape. Having grown up with his season of American Idol, I appreciate his emotional depth and acting prowess. However, there were times when I felt like Maroulis felt disconnected from his role. Never let anyone say that Maroulis doesn’t have charisma, though. Mary Caroline Owens, as the daughter of the family, Natalie, does an exceptional job of adding so much complexity and depth to the role. The first tear on my cheek came from Owens’ emotional and sentimental moments. Finally, the real highlight is Mary Faber’s portrayal of Diana Goodman, which is exceptional. After seeing the Broadway production, I had high expectations for this role, and Faber exceeded them wonderfully. I hope Faber returns to Houston under different circumstances and with a different production of Next to normal. Faber clearly understands her voice and has the acting skills to back it up.

There are several questions about how and why the Houston Broadway Theatre wanted to join Houston’s crowded theater scene. Our fair city is already second only to Broadway in performing arts organizations and theater productions. While the Houston market has some exceptional theaters and prowess, wanting to join the fray and make even more money off Houston audience members is odd. Furthermore, while the Houston Broadway Theatre can be commended for its action Next to normalWhy couldn’t one of Houston’s most powerful theaters produce this incredible work? This show has been performed before and, as the story goes, has been acclaimed. Why would the big names in Houston’s Broadway theater want to do this work now? A vanity project, perhaps? It certainly feels that way.

Also, why are there no local actors in this production? Houston is full of talented actors. Couldn’t a single local actor be in this production? Although two cast members have declared Houston as their hometown, they are not active in our community. If an organization is named after Houston, it should have more local talent in its ranks.

The design concepts sometimes felt disjointed and a hodgepodge for this production as it is obvious that some of these designers needed help designing the Hobby Center’s Zilkha Hall. The set by scenic designer Timothy Mackabee, while adequate, feels unfinished. From my perspective, the set elements feel fragmented. This also includes sound design elements by Andrew Harper, lighting design elements by Robert J. Aguilar and Alan C. Edwards, video designer Greg Emetaz, and costume designer Colleen Grady. All of these elements felt like they needed to be more cohesive. The disunity of the designers in terms of vision must have been a nightmare for the stage managers and production team. If there is a second Houston Broadway Theatre production, more care and attention will need to be given to its technical and production elements.

If you are a person who wants to see Next to normalthe price of a ticket is worth it. However, I recommend you to use the discount code BroadwayWorld (the discount code is BWW10). I recommend you to see Next to normal this weekend but with a discount. However, I recommend that you ask the questions I posed above, knowing that while some performances are remarkable and the design elements are adequate, the Houston Broadway Theatre needs to improve before it becomes Houston’s next sustainable theater.

The Houston Broadway Theatre’s production of Next to Normal ends on the evening of Sunday, July 28. As of this writing, there are three performances remaining, a Saturday night performance at 7:30 p.m., a Sunday matinee performance at 1:30 p.m., and a Sunday night performance at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in person at 800 Bagby St. or on the Hobby Center’s website.k: https://www.thehobbycenter.org/events/next-to-normal/.

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