Review: ‘Next to Normal’ at Hudson Backstage Theatre

Brian Yorke and Tom Kitt’s Tony Award-winning 2009 musical “Next to Normal” follows the Goodman family, who look like the perfect family from the outside, but peeling back layers reveals a family struggling with the grief of losing their son Gabe (Dillon Klena) and how that loss has affected each of them differently.

From left: Jonny Perl (Dan), Sophia Roth (Natalie), Catriona Fray (Diana) and Dillon Klena (Gabe) in "Next to Normal" at Hudson Backstage Theatre. Photo by Rachel Wilkosz.

Jackson Prince’s direction of the show is brilliant. He takes the complexities of grief and mental health and expresses them in a dynamic and emotionally grounded way. The pacing moves like a river, with each moment naturally flowing into the next and giving the production consistent momentum. This allows the blocking to feel organic and sincere while inviting the audience into the dysfunctional lives of the Goodman family.

Prince also makes incredible use of the Hudson Backstage Theatre, utilizing the full space of the venue and making the Goodman household feel alive. The set is a multi-level family home, complete with a dining table and four chairs, bookshelves, a kitchen area, an upstairs bedroom, a lounge chair and picture frames that help establish the Goodman household.

Matthew Perelman’s lighting design emotionally immerses the audience while highlighting the actors both physically and psychologically, especially the mother’s mental state, emphasizing the internal battle she struggles with throughout.

The entire cast delivers an engaging and invigorating performance. The actors have palpable chemistry with one another and display strong active listening, whether they are delivering lines or simply reacting in the moment. It is apparent that each actor thoroughly understands their character, and everyone brings something distinct to the stage.

From left: Dillon Klena (Gabe) and Catriona Fray (Diana) in "Next to Normal" at Hudson Backstage Theatre. Photo by Rachel Wilkosz.

Mother Diana (Catriona Fray) struggles to get a grasp on her mental health; sister Natalie (Sophia Roth) wrestles with feeling overlooked and overshadowed by the memory of her brother; and father Dan (Jonny Perl) desperately tries to hold his family together as they each search for their own way to heal and move forward.

Fray as Diana delivers a breathtakingly raw performance, tastefully embodying the grief and mental instability of a mother struggling with the loss of her son. And Perl as her husband gives a grounded and believable performance, making choices consistently rooted in truth.

Roth as sister Natalie does a wonderful job with her character choices, line delivery, comedic timing and vocals. Her performance during the song “Superboy and the Invisible Girl” — my favorite number in the show — is a standout moment. And Klena as Gabe truly embodies the character and makes it his own. His vocal performance, combined with his physicality, leaves a lasting impression.

Sophia Roth (Natalie) in "Next to Normal" at Hudson Backstage Theatre. Photo by Rachel Wilkosz.

Actors in other roles are also strong. Alex Michéll as Henry and Carter Michael as Dr. Fine and Dr. Madden help keep the show emotionally charged while adding much-needed comedic relief. Both deliver dynamic performances through vocals and character choices.

And Jonathan Kretchmer’s musical direction is phenomenal, supported by Kensington Watt’s sound design, allowing Kitt’s score to fully resonate and drive the emotional energy of the show. Kretchmer’s attention to detail should not go unnoticed, as he keeps the band and performers in sync while maintaining the heartbeat of the show. During one number at a recent performance, the music briefly began to overpower Diana’s vocals. I noticed Kretchmer signal the band to soften the sound, allowing the moment and performance to land more effectively.

Perl’s voice direction of the cast helps each performer take their vocal abilities to even greater heights, while Alexa Blair’s choreography enhances an already captivating production, with simple yet effective moves, adding depth without distracting from the story.

Dillon Klena (Gabe) in "Next to Normal" at Hudson Backstage Theatre. Photo by Rachel Wilkosz.

Thematically, grief sits at the heart of “Next to Normal.” This production wonderfully displays the internal turmoil of a family navigating grief while simultaneously showing how that grief can affect the lives of those around them. This theme works in tandem with healing, as the show reminds us that healing is not linear or black-and-white. Most importantly, it shows that sometimes the most difficult step toward healing is having the courage to admit that you need help. The production team allows these themes to resonate without forcing them, leaving the audience with a raw and deeply human experience.

After the final number, the actors were met with a standing ovation from the entire audience, and rightfully so. This production is emotionally moving and thought-provoking, keeping my attention from start to finish. I was moved by the music and captivated by the vocal and overall performances of the actors. My only problem with this production is that it only had four performances. With the level of commitment from everyone involved, it deserves a much longer run. I was thoroughly impressed and would absolutely see the show again.

“Next to Normal” performed from Aug. 20 to 23 at the Hudson Backstage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. Run time: 2 hours and 10 minutes, including intermission.