Curtain Call for Chaos: Next to Normal Returns

Theatre has a way of holding a mirror up to life, showing us not only the joy and beauty but also the pain, resilience, and humanity that connect us. This fall, Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati (ETC) opens its 40th Anniversary Season with a bold revival of Next to Normal, the Tony Award– and Pulitzer Prize–winning rock musical that continues to redefine what musical theatre can achieve. Running September 13–October 5, 2025, the production marks both a homecoming and a reinvention for a show that has deeply impacted Cincinnati audiences before.

A Musical that Changed the Conversation

When Next to Normal debuted on Broadway in 2009, it broke new ground by placing mental health at the center of a powerful family drama. With music by Tom Kitt and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, the show captures the emotional highs and lows of Diana Goodman, a mother navigating bipolar disorder, and the ripple effects on her husband, Dan, and daughter, Natalie. The score pulses with rock intensity, while the story blends heartbreak and hope in equal measure.

This was not just another Broadway hit—it was a cultural shift. Winning three Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the musical forced audiences to confront issues of trauma, loss, and survival with honesty rarely seen on stage. Its resonance remains strong today, in a world where conversations about mental health are more open but still fraught with stigma.

For ETC, Next to Normal is not new territory. In 2011, it became the first regional theatre in the nation to stage the musical, a production that went on to sell out and draw acclaim across the Midwest. Now, Artistic Director D. Lynn Meyers brings the show back with fresh vision.

“This isn’t a remount; this is a reinvention,” Meyers explains. “When we produced this show 14 years ago, it was groundbreaking. Today, it feels even more essential. It’s about what it takes to love and survive in a world that often feels unbearable.”

The Cast and Creative Force

Headlining the revival is Broadway veteran Jessica Hendy, reprising her role as Diana. Hendy’s career spans four Broadway productions and a recent acclaimed off-Broadway run of her autobiographical one-woman musical Walking with Bubbles, which earned her a Drama Desk nomination.

Opposite her is Charlie Clark as Dan, a familiar face to ETC audiences with credits ranging from Fun Home to Violet. Newcomers Julianne Ferguson, Carter Minor, Rory Sheridan, and Jameson Zoller round out the cast, ensuring a dynamic blend of experience and fresh perspective.

Behind the curtain, ETC’s creative team—anchored by longtime resident designer Brian c. Mehring and music director Steve Goers—brings local artistry to a production that balances intimacy with sweeping theatricality.

Forty Years of Bold Storytelling

ETC’s 40th Anniversary is more than a milestone—it’s a testament to the theatre’s role as a cultural anchor in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Since its founding in 1986, the company has consistently championed contemporary stories that tackle social issues head-on. Supported by ArtsWave, The Ohio Arts Council, The Shubert Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, ETC has built a legacy of challenging, empathetic theatre that extends far beyond the stage.

The revival of Next to Normal underscores that mission. It is a reminder of theatre’s power to confront hard truths while offering catharsis and connection.

When and How to See It

Performances run September 13–October 5, 2025, with evening shows Tuesday through Saturday and matinees on weekends. Tickets start at just $22, with student and children’s pricing available, and half-price rush tickets offered two hours before showtime. More information is available at ensemblecincinnati.org.

As Cincinnati celebrates ETC’s 40th year, Next to Normal invites audiences to reflect not only on a family’s struggle but on the broader human condition. It’s about loss and renewal, about the costs of love, and about the fragile strength it takes to stay alive.

For a theatre that has always embraced bold, relevant storytelling, there may be no better way to mark an anniversary than by revisiting a show that changed the cultural conversation—both in Cincinnati and beyond.