A contemporary pop-rock musical in NANOEK-style: raw, topical and imaginative.
The internationally acclaimed musical actress Willemijn Verkaik – known for, among others, 'Wicked' and 'Frozen' – is back in the Netherlands. She plays the role of Diana in the multi-award-winning Broadway hit 'Next to Normal'. Diana lives with bipolar disorder, which blurs the line between delusion and reality in her family. As a viewer, you are drawn into the life of a family that seems ordinary on paper, but fights for stability behind closed doors.
Husband Dan, played by Edwin Jonker, tries to salvage what can be salvaged; son Gabe is all over the place and daughter Natalie escapes into pills and perfectionism. 'Next to Normal' won three Tony Awards in 2010 and also received the Pulitzer Prize for drama, which is rarely awarded to musicals. The New York Times knows why: "This is something much more than a feel-good musical: it is a feel-everything musical."
Director Anouk Beugels, who made a splash with 'MELK, a motherfucking musical' – five Musical Awards in 2024 – deliberately chooses a direct, unpolished approach. NANOEK-style: raw, contemporary, imaginative and propelled by the steaming pop-rock score, performed by a four-piece band.
Website: NANOEK
Credits
Text: Brian Yorkey Translation: Judith Boesen Direction: Anouk Beugels Cast: Willemijn Verkaik, Edwin Jonker, Jonathan Demoor, Michael Muyderman, Yara Brand and Jaap Stoop Musical direction: Charlotte Dommershausen Musical directors: Mark Kuypers and Sam Nieuwenhuijs Composer: Tom Kitt Dramaturgy and contextual program: Eline de Jong Set and costume design: Leoni Pirenne Sound design: Maarten Houdijk and Jeroen Hoekstra Lighting design: Jordi Veenstra
