2018 November COLONY Magazine

LOCAL BUSINESS
winecountrytheatre.com
Wine Country Theatre presents
the musical Next to Normal
November 16 – December 2 at the
Park Ballroom in Paso Robles. An
emotional powerhouse of a musical,
Next to Normal features a compelling
Tony Award-winning pop rock
score that shatters through the façade
of a suburban family dealing with the
traumatic effects of mental illness.
Winner of three Tony Awards and
the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama,
this intense, emotional, yet ultimately
hopeful musical makes a direct grab
for the heart with a story that takes
us inside the lives of a typical American
family that’s anything but typical.
The New York Times said “NEXT
TO NORMAL is a brave, breathtaking
musical... It is something
much more than a feel-good musical
It is a feel-everything musical.”
This pop-rock musical by Tom
Kitt and Brian Yorkey investigates
the effects of mental illness and
trauma on a family that’s desperately
trying to keep it together. The
driving music, comedy and typical
family moments reveal a deeper understanding,
and empathy for, those
who have lived with mental illness.
Directed by Gregg Wolff, with
Music Direction by Mark Robertshaw,
the show features a cast of six
outstanding local performers. Veronica
Surber plays Diana Goodman,
the mother, who has suffered
from bipolar disorder. She tries desperately
to balance sanity, happiness
and her commitments to her family.
Her disorder takes a turn for the
worst and her long-suffering husband,
played by Gary Borjon-Hernandez,
can no longer pretend that
all is well. Her daughter, played by
Julia Seibert copes with her family
life by being a perfectionist, and the
son, played by Elliot Peters hangs
on to his mother no matter what the
cost. Ritchie Bermudez plays several
doctors who treat Diana and Phineas
Elliot plays the loveable, slacker
boyfriend. Each character is integral
to the story and fully developed.
“Next to Normal bravely and
artistically explores the topic of
bipolar disorder, and through this
examination of a very human experience,
the show is powerful,
touching and emotional. It is highly
entertaining and we are proud to
be the first theatre in our area to
present it”, states Cynthia Anthony,
Executive Director. “No family
is perfect, but every family can be
unified by support and love. The
writers, Kitt and Yorkey, once said
that the challenge was to strike a
balance between telling a truthful,
emotional story but also creating
a positive experience in the theater.
And, as their Pulitzer Prize
attests do, they have done just that.”
PERFORMANCES
November 16 through December 2
at 7:30 p.m. every Friday and Saturday,
with a 2 p.m. matinee every
Sunday. Tickets are $25 for adults
and $15 for students. Groups of 8 or
more are $20 each. Contains strong
language and themes.
For more informations and
to purchase tickets for Wine
Country Theatres’ production
of Next to Normal visit
winecountrytheatre.com.
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