next to normal - contemporary musical presented at Vokes Theatre features Hopkinton resident

The Vokes Players roll up the curtain on what is probably their

most ambitious undertaking yet, the Tony Award and Pulitzer-Prize winning musical,

next to normal.  Performances

will be held at Beatrice Herford’s Vokes Theatre, Route 20 in Wayland, MA from

October 31st through November 16th, Thursday-Saturday evenings at 8PM, Friday

and Saturday, November 22nd and 23rd at 8PM, with a 2PM matinee on Saturday,

November 9th and 16th.  For tickets order online at www.vokesplayers.org,

or call 508-358-4034. 

Ticket prices are $18.00 for Thursday evenings & Saturday matinees; $25.00

for Friday & Saturday evenings.

next to normal. is

truly a musical written for our times. With music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics

by Brian Yorkey, this engaging, powerful and utterly contemporary musical

concerns a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effect

her illness has on her family.   next to normal’s

stage director is Donnie Baillargeon with music direction by Howard

Boles.  

After opening on Broadway in 2009, next to normal

was nominated for eleven Tony Awards and won three of them. The following year,

it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in no small part for its insightful story

of a suburban housewife fighting through an all-too-common psychological

problem to remain a part of her family.  This groundbreaking musical

explores how her family copes with crisis.  Diana struggles to battle her

mental demons, brought about, in part, by her bipolar disorder. Husband Dan

fights to help keep both her mind and his family stable, even as Diana decides

to stop taking her meds.  Sixteen year-old Natalie, on the other hand, can’t

seem to escape the shadow of her mysterious eighteen year-old

brother. With its thrilling contemporary score next to normal

is an intense, often times humorous, emotional powerhouse of a musical that

aims right for the heart.

The

cast of Vokes’ production includes Lea Oppedisano (Hopkinton) as Diana,

Robert De Vivo (Waltham), Kelsey Bevins (Wakefield), Brendan Paine (Quincy),

Matthew Sherman (Newton), and Dan Masden (Newton). Director, Donnie

Baillargeon, is from Waltham.  Music director, Howard Boles, lives in

Marlborough.

The historic Beatrice Herford’s Vokes Theatre in Wayland is one

of the truly unique cultural and historical resources in Metrowest.  The

Vokes Players is a non-profit theatrical organization.  next to

normal is the first production of our 2013-14 season; our 307th

production to date.  The theatre is wheelchair accessible.  For more

information about the Vokes Players, visit our website – www.vokesplayers.org.