Next To Normal presented by BoHo Theatre at Theater Wit

Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended

"...Perhaps the greatest triumph offered by both this warm and wise production in particular and the show in general is how it pushes back on the idea of "closure" as the goal of life. "You don't have to be happy at all to be happy you're alive," sings Todd's Diana with hard-earned conviction by the end of the show. It's not exactly a soaring affirmation — but it's a truthful one. And once denial falls apart, the truth may set us free."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...The superb supporting cast includes Donterrio Johnson as Diana's husband, Ciera Dawn as their teenage daughter, Bradley Atkinson as the girl's boyfriend, Peter Robel as Diana's doctor, and Gilbert Domally as the dead son, who appears throughout the story as a hallucination, clinging to life through Diana's grief-driven delusions. The offstage band led by keyboardist Ellen K. Morris delivers Kitt's driving rock score crisply and powerfully, but never obscures the all-important libretto, which conveys a complex narrative with depth and clarity. This is a often painful, sometimes darkly funny, and relentlessly truthful work-musical drama at its very finest."

Chicago Stage and Screen - Somewhat Recommended

"...There's a reason Next To Normal won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. This script is intricate, delicate, devastating, and amazing. It takes the complex world of grief and depression and combines it with the edge of rock music to create something jarring and emotional. But with Boho Theatre's production of this musical, I'm not sure they captured that feeling. This production was a tonally misguided rendition of a beautifully crafted musical."

Chicago Theatre Review - Highly Recommended

"...For audiences ready to pack away their light summer entertainments with their flip-flops and Bermuda shorts in favor of an emotionally demanding musical, or who are simply looking for a more dramatic, grittier theatrical experience that will touch their souls and make them think, they won't find a finer production. Linda Fortunato's directorial achievement again proves that this company deserves its place among Chicago's finest, non-Equity theatres, with a production that should not be missed. It's hard to imagine that another musical this season will top the multi-layered, hard-hitting excellence found in BoHo's exquisite production."

Splash Magazine - Recommended

"...This is my fifth time seeing "Next to Normal", yet I still found myself wiping away tears and feeling the gut-wrenching anguish of loss almost as much as I did the first time I saw it. The musical has a lot to say about the cost of trying to be normal, about the elusiveness of pursuing happiness, about finding your own path, and dealing with loss. This is not a perfect production, but it does deserve an audience nonetheless - just be sure to bring some extra tissues with you when you go."