'Next to Normal' musical to be staged in February 2025

The Sandbox Collective is set to kick off its 2025 Season with a bang!

The theater company will be staging "Next to Normal," the Tony and Pulitzer Award-winning musical, in February 2025 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight in Circuit Makati.

The rock musical, which features music by Tom Kitt and book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, will be directed by Toff De Venecia, with Ejay Yatco for musical direction.

Its cast includes Nikki Valdez and Shiela Valderrama as Diana, Benedix Ramos and Vino Mabalot as Gabe, Omar Uddin and Davy Narciso as Henry, OJ Mariano and Floyd Tena as Dan, Sheena Belarmino and Jam Binay as Natalie, and Jef Flores as Dr. Madden.

"Next to Normal" follows a family's story as they grapple with death, grief, and mental illness, and how these affect their relationships with each other.

It won the Pulitzer Prize for Dram a in 2010, and Best Original Musical Score, Best Orchestration, and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role(Musical) at the 2009 Tony Awards .

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