Paradox Opera's Next to Normal on
April 17-19 at The Fruit Is Superb

Original art by KaiAsch

Paradox Opera's production of Next to Normal (which plays this weekend at The Fruit in Durham) checks every box on my list of qualifications for a show to be well worth seeing.

• It tells a story that is meaningful -- one that needs to be told.
• The presentation is both engaging and moving.
• The acting, the singing, the music, and the movement are all superb.
• Even at some ultra-serious moments, there is still room for a bit of humor to be generated.
• There are moments that, for a variety of reasons, are visually stunning.

With music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, this 2008 Off-Broadway, 2009 Broadway, and 2024 West End rock musical deals with the subject of mental illness and the impact it can have on the lives of the families as well as on the victims. It was nominated for 11 Tony Awards® (including Best Original Score Written for the Theatre), and it won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Choices made by director Eric Love show a deep sense of understanding of the story and a wide range of imagination. This production is briskly paced, and the smoothly executed transitions never slow it down.

Paradox Opera's April 17-19 production of Next to Normal stars Kelley Keats as Diana Goodman (photo by Erin Bell of Bull City Photography)

The Play:

Diana Goodman is bipolar. Her husband, Dan Goodman, tries to be supportive; but he also tries to keep the day-to-day business of life as close to "normal" as possible.

Gabe Goodman died at the age of eight months; but he is alive, well, and quite active in Diana's mind. Sixteen-year-old Natalie Goodman is an active, creative high school student. She is ashamed of her family's dysfunctional dynamics and is embarrassed when her new boyfriend Henry comes over for dinner.

Two well-intentioned doctors -- Dr. Madden and Dr. Fine -- try their best to treat Diana's condition.

In the opening scene, we instantly become aware of how much Diana is overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of daily life. As the scene unfolds, the differences between reality and "Diana's reality" become apparent. The severity of Diana's condition (and its impact on the family) continues to increase, finally reaching a breaking point.

Watch for the progress and the backsliding. And pay attention to just where the phrase "next to normal" works its way into the dialogue.

The Acting:

The entire cast delivers top-notch acting and singing. The timing is impeccable. Solos are crystal-clean; voices blend and complement each other in duets and in company numbers.

Kelley Swaim Keats is phenomenal as Diana Goodman, registering the pain, the disappointments, and the frustrations that plague Diana. Keats sings the part with a full-throated voice that is pure gold.

Bradley McBride expertly navigates the transitions that Dan Goodman experiences. McBride has a deep, commanding voice.

Alissa Roca is thoroughly believable as the 16-year-old Natalie Goodman. The ambitions and joys, as well as the angst, are all apparent throughout. Watch for a transition that involves prescription drugs.

Dylan Elza is ideal as Gabe Goodman, the often ghostly son who only exists in Diana's mind. Elza has a stage presence that insists on the reality of his existence for Diana and makes obvious the strength of his pull on her.

Gwen Hyland has created a very likeable Henry, who describes himself as "a loner and a bit of a stoner." Hyland's Henry and Roca's Natalie play all the right notes of a budding-but-rocky high school romance. And Christopher Fotis handles the dual roles of Dr. Madden and Dr. Fine with aplomb.

The Band:

Music director Alex Thompson (who also wears the hat of sound designer) heads up an accomplished sextet who supply a wide variety of musical numbers. The lineup includes: Alex Thompson (piano), Keenan Jenkins (guitar), Thomas "TJ" Richardson (bass), Vincent Moss (percussion), Allison Willet (violin), and Emma Caterinicchio (cello).

The Tech:

Grace Elizabeth Bolton, assisted by Collins Wilson, handles stage management.

Scenic and costume design are by Chrystal Kelly. Kelly excels at both. The use of a thrust main-stage platform, connected to smaller "satellite" stages, creates opportunities for a variety of staging. There is also a "bridge" that links the main stage to a proscenium stage at the back of the space (shared by the band). Side-lines of the action unfold in this space.

Lynx Brown's lighting design makes use of a variety of instruments that create a plethora of visual effects. Changes are sometimes stark and sometimes slow and subtle, always appropriate to the changing of the mood and the tone.

Sound design by music director Alex Thompson (and delivered by sound technician Charlie Harris) includes effects that blend in nicely to augment the action.

Dylan Elza (left) stars as Gabe Goodman and Alissa Roca stars as Natalie Goodman (photo by Erin Bell of Bull City Photography)

Nice Touches:

• Blowing out candles -- the timing (as well as the choice of who does it).
• A pair of "hospital socks" worn during a critical sequence.
• Ghostly lighting on a certain character during key moments.
• The use of multiple acting areas.
• The blocking of the scene in which Diana signs the permission slip for a certain medical procedure.
• Frequent juxtapositions of simultaneously occurring events.
• Use of freeze-frame and redirection of focus at powerful moments.

Memorable Lines:

• "Living on a latte and a prayer."
• "Three women at work know I'm nuts?!"
• "You know I love you. I love you as much as I can."
• "I can be perfect for you."
• "Everything is perfect. Nothing is real."
• "I miss my life."
• "He's not here."
• "You don't know what it's like."
• "You're not a scary rock star anymore."

From the Department of Picky-Picky:

There was a brief Henry/Natalie scene on "the bridge" early in the first act for which the lighting was inefficient. However, we were attending a "final dress rehearsal" preview that, for the most part, was "totally ready," and I'm sure that bit will be ironed out.

The Bottom Line:

Next to Normal is a great script. Paradox Opera's production is superb. The space created at The Fruit is ideal for it. All the Cool People heartily endorse it.

Paradox Opera's April 17-19 production of Next to Normal stars Chris Fotis and Kelley Keats (photo by Erin Bell of Bull City Photography)

Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's NEXT TO NORMAL (In Person at 7 p.m. Friday, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, and 4 p.m. Sunday, April 17-19), directed by Eric Love, with music direction by Alex Thompson, and starring Kelley Swaim Keats as Diana Goodman, Bradley McBride as Dan Goodman, Alissa Roca as Natalie Goodman, Dylan Elza as Gabriel "Gabe" Goodman, Gwen Hyland as Henry, and Christopher Fotis as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine (Paradox Opera in the The Fruit [formerly the Durham Fruit & Produce Co.] in Durham). REELS: https://www.youtube.com/@paradoxopera. PRESENTER: https://www.paradoxopera.org/, https://www.linkedin.com/company/paradoxopera/, https://www.facebook.com/paradoxopera/, https://www.instagram.com/paradoxopera, https://open.spotify.com/show/0M2V3dtXkqJCvG3L3vUneo, https://www.tiktok.com/@paradoxopera, and https://www.youtube.com/@paradoxopera. PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fandom-of-the-opera/id1855380128. VENUE: https://www.durhamfruit.com/, https://www.facebook.com/305sdillardst/, https://www.instagram.com/durhamfruit/, https://www.tiktok.com/@durhamfruit, https://x.com/durhamfruit, and https://www.youtube.com/@TheFruitCast. DIRECTIONS: https://www.google.com/maps. NEXT TO NORMAL (2008 Off-Broadway, 2009 Broadway, and 2024 West End rock musical and winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama): https://www.nexttonormal.com/, https://www.mtishows.com/next-to-normal, https://web.archive.org/web/20250116185528/https://www.iobdb.com/Production/4658, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/next-to-normal-483135, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_to_Normal. THE SCRIPT (excerpts): https://books.google.com/books. STUDY GUIDE (Alliance Theatre of Atlanta, GA): https://www.alliancetheatre.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/N2N-Study-Guide.pdf. TOM KITT (New York composer, nee Thomas Robert Kitt): http://www.tomkittband.com/, https://www.mtishows.com/people/tom-kitt"> https://web.archive.org/web/20241213113651/http://www.iobdb.com/CreditableEntity/13205, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/tom-kitt-100673, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3967129/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Kitt_(musician). BRIAN YORKEY (Omaha, NE-born playwright and lyricist): , https://www.mtishows.com/people/brian-yorkey, https://web.archive.org/web/20240616084530/https://www.iobdb.com/CreditableEntity/35785, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/brian-yorkey-483138, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Yorkey. CONTENT ADVISORY: Next to Normal's official U.K. website cautions, "Age recommendation: 14+. Please note: This production contains some adult topics, including depictions of various mental health conditions and disorders, themes of bereavement, and strong language. Click here to learn more." TICKETS: $25, plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets. INFORMATION: 919-386-9224 or ParadoxOpera@gmail.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: Paradox Opera.

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