Caissie Levy and Trevor Dion Nicholas are cast in Next To Normal at the Donmar Warehouse

Having collaborated on Caroline, or Change on Broadway, Donmar Warehouse’s artistic director Michael Longhurst will reunite with Caissie Levy, who will play Diana in Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey’s Next to Normal, along with Trevor Dion Nicholas as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine, with further casting to be announced. The UK professional premiere production of tge Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical runs from 12 August to 7 October 2023 (press night is 22 August).

Critically acclaimed Broadway musical Next to Normal is an intimate exploration of family and loss. At its heart is Diana Goodman, played by Broadway star Levy, a suburban wife and mother living with bipolar disorder and haunted by her past. The powerful musical about a far from average family is the winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three Tony Awards including Best Original Score.

Joining Longhurst in the creative team are: musical supervisor Nigel Lilley, designer Chloe Lamford, lighting designer Lee Curran, sound designer Tony Gayle, movement director Ann Yee, musical director Nick Barstow and casting director Anna Cooper CDG. Alessandra Davison and Adam Karim are have been announced as resident assistant directors for the company.

Caissie Levy plays Diana Goodman. Her theatre credits include Leopoldstadt (Longacre Theatre), The Bedwetter (Linda Gross Theatre), Caroline, or Change (Studio 54), Frozen (St James Theatre), First Daughter Suite (The Public Theatre), Les Misérables (Imperial Theatre), Murder Ballad (Union Square Theatre), Ghost The Musical (Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Piccadilly Theatre, Manchester Opera House), Hair (Gielgud Theatre, Al Hirshfeld Theatre), Wicked (Pantages Theatre, Gershwin Theatre), Hairspray (Neil Simon Theatre and US tour) and Rent (US tour). Her television credits include The Battery’s Down, Creative Galaxy, Gotham, Wishenpoof! And for film; Options and Ms. Bula Banerjee.

Trevor Dion Nicholas plays Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine. His theatre credits include include George Washington in the West End production of Hamilton, Preacher in Bonnie & Clyde (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Disney’s Aladdin (West End, Broadway & US Tour/What’s On Stage Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical), Big River (US Tour), The Wiz, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Ragtime, The Little Mermaid, The Wizard of Oz, Into the Woods, Little Shop of Horrors, Rent, The Exonerated and This is the Life (ETA Hoffman Theatre, DE). He is the voice of the Ghost of Christmas Present in the Netflix animated film Scrooge: A Christmas Carol. Television credits includes Panellist/Judge on All Star Musicals (ITV), Lester in Moley (Boomerang), The Show Must Go On (Sky Arts), Strictly Come Dancing (BBC), Christmas at the Snow Globe, The Americans, Sunday Night at the Palladium, Royal Variety Performance and Disney’s Broadway Hits at Royal Albert Hall (Emmy Award).

After five years in the role, Michael Longhurst has announced he will step down as artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse when his contract ends in February 2024.

Longhurst said: “As I approach the end of my contract, it feels like the right moment to hand over this incredible theatre – now celebrating its 30th anniversary. When I leave next year, I will do so with the company in robust financial health, in part due to the Donmar’s many loyal supporters, with whose help we feel confident we can fill the gap left by the recent withdrawal of our Arts Council funding. I know that the Donmar will not simply survive, but thrive and continue to forge forward as an industry leader and innovator – this next chapter is a new moment and an incredible opportunity for the company’s next artistic director.

“Before then, I am beyond thrilled to be honouring the 5oth anniversary of Coward’s death by reviving his most famous work Private Lives in the fierce intimacy of the Donmar; producing Jack Thorne’s astonishingly timely play about BBC independence, and directing the long-awaited UK premiere of Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal, with Broadway star Caissie Levy, whose vocals are currently Grammy-nominated on the cast album of my last Broadway production Caroline, or Change. I look forward to announcing my final season later in the year, before pursuing new artistic challenges for myself in 2024.”

The Captioned Performance for Next To Normal is on 25 September at 7.30pm, the Audio Described Performance is on 30 September at 2.30pm and the British Sign Language Interpreted Performance is on 23 September at 2.30pm.