Pulitzer Prize-Winning Musical Next to Normal Is (Finally!) Heading to the West End

The Donmar Warehouse production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal will transfer to Wyndham’s Theatre in 2024. Directed by Donmar Artistic Director Michael Longhurst, the production will begin a 14-week engagement on June 18 with an official opening set for June 26.

The Donmar production was the U.K. premiere of the musical, which originated off-Broadway in 2008 and had its Broadway premiere in 2009. An intimate exploration of family and illness, loss and grief, Next to Normal tells the story of Diana Goodman, a suburban wife and mother living with bipolar depressive disorder. It features a book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. Yorkey and Kitt won a Tony Award for Best Original Score for the musical.

Casting for the West End transfer has not been confirmed, but the cast of the Donmar production is definitely West End-worthy (and Broadway-worthy at that): Broadway's Caissie Levy played Diana, while Jamie Parker, an Olivier winner and Tony nominee for his performance in the West End and Broadway productions of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, played her husband Dan. The cast also included Trevor Dion Nicholas, who played George Washington in Hamilton in the West End, as Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine, Jack Ofrecio as Henry, Jack Wolfe as Gabe and Eleanor Worthington-Cox, who played Matilda in Matilda in the West End, as Natalie.

“Some stories pierce the heart of the human condition,” Longhurst said in a statement. “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.”

Next to Normal was the hottest theatrical ticket in London this summer, with every seat at every performance accounted for. (Donmar Warehouse seats 251; Wyndham’s Theatre seats 772.) Longhurst said, “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.”

The production features design by Chloe Lamford, movement, choreography and additional direction by Ann Yee, lighting design by Lee Curran, sound design by Tony Gayle, video design by Tal Rosner and musical supervision by Nigel Lilley.