West End transfer for Donmar’s hit UK premiere of Next to Normal

Eleanor Worthington-Cox and Jack Ofrecio in Next to Normal at London’s Donmar Warehouse. Picture: Marc Brenner

Following a sold-out season in the summer, the Donmar Warehouse’s UK premiere production of the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Next to Normal will transfer into the West End in 2024.

Directed by the prestigious venue’s artistic director Michael Longhurst, the powerful rock musical will begin performances at Wyndham’s Theatre on 18 June 2024 ahead of an opening night on 26 June 2024. The strictly limited 14-week season will run until 21 September 2024.

Featuring music by Tom Kitt (High Fidelity, If/Then) and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey (If/Then, The Last Ship – libretto co-writer with John Logan), the intimate exploration of family and loss won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and won three Tony Awards including Best Original Score and Best Performance For A Leading Actress Award for Alice Ripley. The musical debuted Off-Broadway in 2008, winning the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Score and opened on Broadway in 2009.

The creative team for the Donmar Warehouse production also includes musical supervisor Nigel Lilley, designer Chloe Lamford, lighting designer Lee Curran and sound designer Tony Gayle, with movement, choreography and additional direction by Ann Yee, video design by Tal Rosner, musical direction by Nick Barstow, casting by Anna Cooper and production management by Chris Hay.

Commenting on the transfer, Longhurst said: “Some stories pierce the heart of the human condition: Tom and Brian’s astonishing musical does just that – facing our deepest vulnerabilities whilst celebrating our capacity to endure. The outpouring of emotion from audiences at the Donmar was incredible: you could hear audible sobs before they surged to their feet every single night – like nothing I’ve experienced. Tickets were impossible to come by, so I am beyond thrilled that more people will now be able to experience the work of this extraordinary creative team.”

 Angela Thomas