The GhostLight Theatre presents Broadway Musical “NEXT TO NORMAL”
The GhostLight Theatre (Benton Harbor) presents the Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway Musical “NEXT TO NORMAL”
June 11th – June 28th – directed by Paul Mow
The GhostLight Theatre’s June 2026 production will be “NEXT TO NORMAL” the Pulitzer Prize winning musical written by Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt. Next To Normal will open on Thursday, June 11th and continue through Sunday, June 28th at the theatre’s black box home in the Arts District of Benton Harbor. Next To Normal is a powerful rock musical that grapples with mental illness in a suburban American family and was groundbreaking for it’s expanding the scope of subject matter for the genre of musical theatre. The show's themes include extreme topics around mental health, grief, medical ethics, suburban malaise, suicide attempts/ideation, severe depression, delusional bipolar disorder, and drug abuse/dependency. This production is not suitable for young children, and those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Next To Normal is stage directed by Paul Mow, with music direction/conducting by Lane Alsup, set design by Andy Sawyer, costume design by Megan Myers, technical design by Collin Wagner, with assistant directing by Wes Shenker, and Stage Management by Anastasia Field and Gabe Wright.
At first glance, the setting of Next to Normal seems that of a typical suburban family—busy mornings, witty teens, and the familiar rhythms of everyday life. But beneath the surface, they are coping with the profound impact of a mother’s struggle with bipolar disorder and the ways it shapes each member of the family. Next to Normal explores themes of mental health, grief, medical treatment, and the elusive idea of what it means to be “normal,” telling this family’s story with honesty, compassion, and heart.
The cast of Next To Normal includes Kate Acosta as Diana Goodman, Travis Braxton Paul as Dan Goodman, Loue Emery/Mya Nubar as Natalie, Braden Allison as Gabe, Em Hallowell/Jake Zapor as Dr. Fine/Dr. Madden, and Bryson England/Coby Henslee as Henry. Included in the ensemble are Ryan Clough (u/s Dan), Skyler Scott (u/s Natalie), and Triss Wright. Note: The Saturday, June 27th production will feature Ryan Clough as Dan, Skyler Scott as Natalie, and also Bryson England in the role of Gabe.
The Orchestra Pit band will include: Braden Miesse and Joshua Goines on Keyboard 1, Forrest Miesse and Grace Yuan on Synthesizer/Violin, Carolyn Lyons Murray on Percussion, Turner Peterson on Cello, Ben Cripe on Guitar and Chris Grapis on Bass.
“Working on Next to Normal with this cast and crew has simply been incredible,” says director Paul Mow, “I was fortunate enough to direct this ground-breaking musical a decade ago, but its themes of mental health and self-care have never been more important than they are today.” Mow continued by saying “It is so important at GhostLight that we continue to bring forward important conversations through music and art whenever possible, and Next to Normal is a succinct opportunity to do so.”
As General Manager/Artistic Director, Mow also adds: “We are certain that GhostLight’s seventh season will provide a vast amount of story-telling education and didactic experiences for our audiences and performers alike. We simply cannot wait to share these stories with our SW Michigan audiences, as real-life connection and shared fellowship becomes more and more important every day.”
**On Sunday, June 14th, at 5:30pm a very special post-show talkback discussion will be held featuring mental health professionals along with the cast and crew. This discussion is FREE and open to the public.
Doors will open at 7:00 on weeknights and 2:30 pm on Sundays. (Please NOTE: There will be NO show on Sunday, June 21st – Father’s Day) A cash bar with wine and beer will be available on Friday and Saturday evenings. General admission theatre tickets range from $20-$32 and 2-person VIP tables are also available in limited quantity for $85 total.
Tickets can be purchased at https://www.ghostlightbh.com/currentseason
Season Sponsors include Timothy’s Restaurant, Chicago Records Management, and On Base Productions, Forte Coffee & Bread+Bar. Show Sponsors for Next To Normal include Corewell Health, Lake Michigan Nephrology, Scott Berry Promotions, and Tom and Mary Ives.
In addition to NEXT TO NORMAL, The GhostLight Theatre mainstage season will consist of five (5) additional 2026 mainstage productions:
• The Musical Comedy Murders of the 1940s – a play directed by Jodie Wilson - July 16-19
• Little Shop of Horros – the musical – directed by Lari Lawrence-Gist - August 13-30
• What The Constitution Means to Me– a co-production play with the University of Notre Dame– directed by Matthew Hawkins - September 18-27
• One Party Consent – a **2026 Jeff Award winning play by Omer Abbas Salem – directed by Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble member Caroline Neff - October 15-25
• Avenue Q – the musical by Jeff Marx & Bobby Lopez– directed by Paige Mulick- December 3-13
Show Sponsorship information is available at: https://www.ghostlightbh.com/support
For more information, visit: www.ghostlightbh.com or email info@ghostlightbh.com
The GhostLight Theatre, an innovative playhouse with a mission to enlighten, inspire,
and illuminate Benton Harbor and the surrounding region,
is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
101 Hinkley Street, Benton Harbor, MI 49022
GhostLightBH.com 269-252-5222
