Everybody’s favorite really-dysfunctional-family rock musical, Next to Normal, was named today as the winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for drama. It’s the latest surprise for this most unusual show, which centers on a bipolar mom (Tony winner Alice Ripley) and the ripple effects that her mental illness have on her tight-knit suburban family. Few observers expected such a seeming downer of a show to survive on Broadway, let alone pack in audiences for more than a year. (It lost the Tony for Best Musical to Billy Elliot.) And even the Pulitzer was a shock, since the Pulitzer board made the rare but not unprecedented move of rejecting the nominating committee’s three choices — Kristoffer Diaz’ The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Rajiv Joseph’s Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, and Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room (or the vibrator play) – and selecting Next to Normal instead.
We’ve had an appropriately crazy love for the show since it first debuted Off Broadway in 2008. And if you want to understand why, just check out this clip featuring Ripley, her on-stage daughter Jennifer Damiano, and on-stage son Aaron Tveit (you might recognize him as Trip from Gossip Girl). It proves how fictional families, suffering the most extreme of circumstances, can reflect everyday emotions and feelings — just more intensely. And what young woman growing up doesn’t feel like an invisible girl?
I love Next to Normal! after watching the cast at the Tonys I went out and got the soundtrack. “I’m Alive” and “I am the One” are two of the best songs I’ve heard in a long time.
I Am the One is such a great song! I have it on my iPod , and ended up listening to it when I worked out this morning.
Having seen both Next to Normal and In the Next Room (but not the other two mentioned candidates), I would have chosen In the Next Room as the stronger choice for the Pulitzer Prize, had I been on the committee. Next to Normal didn’t quite succeed artistically as fully as In the Next Room did imho.
Danny, I have to play Siskel to your Ebert: I thought Next to Normal was the more original and, ultimately, moving of the two, tho’ I liked both.
This is totally bogus. There were so many better plays than Next to Normal. Circle Mirror Transformation? Orphans Home Cycle? Even In the Next Room (which I liked, but didn’t love) would have been better!
But the Orphan’s Home Cycle wouldn’t have been eligible, having been written over a period from 1962 to 1999.
I would’ve voted for Clybourne Park, myself, but I’m very happy for Next to Normal.
I have seen the show twice and it has moved me to tears every time. “Next to Normal” really is what’s wonderful about musical theatre to me. You don’t need the costumes or the props or the dance numbers to tell a wonderfully complex story that will touch you to the core. Congrats on the win, N2N, you absolutely deserved it!
such a powerful story, btw, jennifer was on gossip girl too! the prom episode where chuck and blair challenge each other to bring a date for the other one, jennifer is the girl who blair brings for chuck! small world
So if it debuted Off-Bway in 2008, why’s it winning the Pulitzer now??
Even the revised version debuted in Nov 2008. The same month Ruined premiered (which won last year). Yah? Why now? It’s not even that good. Like Danny said, it doesn’t quite succeed artistically (tho it aims high).
It may have primered in 2008, but the writers did not submit the play till this year, because the authors new that there were going to be revisions since the show i
quickly transferee to dc then in the middle of that run announced a tranfered back to new York . Throughout this time the show was constantly bing reworked, so in feburary of 2009 which is when the show would of been sumbmitted for last year it was in previews on broadway. So it was sumbittdd for consideration this year, “Time Stands Still” was not submitteded this year for consideration due to the plAywright wanting to reworke it as well.
If you haven’t seen Next to Normal yet, GOOO. Especially before Alice Ripley leaves the show. Honestly it is one of the most compelling shows I have ever seen. I started crying about 20 minutes into it and didn’t stop until the end. and that is a good thing. sorry for being so OTT but that is one show that has really stuck with me. and the score is fantastic!!!!!
Alice Ripley is so fantastic in it, I literally started cheering when she won the Tony. Seriously people, listen to momma bear and GOOOOOOOOOO!
I know I’m in the minority since she won the Tony and all, but I wasn’t a huge fan of her voice. Jennifer Damiano, on the other hand, absolutely blew me away.
Best show on Broadway!! It absolutely deserved the Pulitzer. Take that, Billy Elliot!
So happy for this show.
Grrrreat show- So happy for Tom, Brian and everyone who had something to do with it. Loved it!!!
So very disappointed that Next to Normal will not play Boston???? home of the excellent McLean Hospital, the hospital of Girl Interrupted and final hospital of Sylvia Plath.
Cannot imagine it not playing Boston? Iowa intead?