“There will be light” is the kind of message many of us may need right now, whether you’re struggling to digest the current news cycle (been there) or have things going on in your personal life that are weighing you down (also). Next to Normal, a Broadway musical about one family’s journey with mental illness and loss, is playing at Sanford’s Theater West End for one last weekend — and if you haven’t seen it yet, don’t miss out. Featuring a small cast of just six,
Next to Normal isn’t quite as depressing as our brief description above may indicate. It’s a drama, yes, but it’s also a dark comedy, offering a grimly realistic depiction of the trial-and-error process of finding a treatment that works for debilitating mental illness — featuring a literal rock-star doctor and many pills — and the impact of that on the family.
Theater West End is a perfectly intimate venue for this production: a story of struggle, loss, acceptance and healing, where you’re likely to find yourself laughing, crying, and then maybe doing a bit of both.
Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 27-March 2, Theater West End, 115 W. First St., Sanford, theaterwestend.com, $28-$44.
Theater West End
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This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 4, 2025.
