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Next to Normal poster
9.0 / 10(1 votes)IMDb20252h 10mUnited States of America, United Kingdom

Next to Normal

“Something next to normal might be okay.”

Synopsis

A mother struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing her illness has on her family. The PBS Great Performances recording of the West End transfer to Wyndham's Theatre (from The Donmar Warehouse) in 2024.

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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes

Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.

Behind the Curtain with the Cast & Director of "Next to Normal" | Great Performances on PBS

Type: Behind the Scenes • Published 2025-05-13

Release History & Theatrical Window

World Premiere

PBS Premiere

Festival / Special Debut

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Michael Longhurst, Austin Shaw
Screenplay & Story
Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt
Original Score
Tom Kitt
Original Title
Next to Normal
Country of Origin
United States of America, United Kingdom
Spoken Languages
English
Runtime
2h 10m
Production Studios
Anonymous Content, PBS, Liberator Film Productions, The WNET Group

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Michael Longhurst, Austin Shaw

Screenplay & Story

Brian Yorkey, Tom Kitt

Original Score & Music

Tom Kitt

Film Editing

Egli Keli

Producers

David Stone, Aaron Glick, Austin Shaw, Nick Salmon

Department Leadership Roster

Brian Yorkey

Writer

Michael Longhurst

Director

Austin Shaw

Director

Tom Kitt

Tom Kitt

Writer

David Stone

David Stone

Producer

Aaron Glick

Producer

Austin Shaw

Producer

Chloe Lamford

Chloe Lamford

Costume Design

Egli Keli

Editor

Tom Kitt

Tom Kitt

Original Music Composer

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

International Certification Matrix

United Kingdom (BBFC)15

Suitable only for 15 years and over.

Official cinematic photography and background stills for Next to Normal.

Featured In Curated Collections

Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Next to Normal.

MNR

17374 titles

Added, Vol. 3

401–600.

189 titles

National Theatre Live

All productions released by National Theatre Live, UK – either done directly by the Royal National Theatre or other UK venues/producers. [**NationalTheatre.org.uk**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk) / [**NTLive.com**](https://www.ntlive.com) / [**NTatHome.com**](https://www.ntathome.com) (for its US equivalent, see [**BroadwayHD**](https://www.tmdb.org/company/103196-broadwayhd) and site [**BroadwayHD.com**](https://www.broadwayhd.com).) Some productions were filmed _solely_ for their paid streaming channel "National Theatre at Home", and were branded without the "National Theatre Live" posters which those that also screened in cinemas typically got posters with. (plus: There was a 2009 BBC TV series entry titled "National Theatre Live" with the first five filmed productions that featured additional commentary, at #280519, but this was deleted by a mod!) ______________________________________________________________________ • **2024.05.09.Thu: Plays 1-100** - [**nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25) _"National Theatre Live broadcast its 100th title, Nye, live from the Olivier stage. Now buckle up as we’re going to take you on a journey through all 100 NT Lives (you heard that right). From our first to our most recent, join us to recount all the incredible plays that have made it from the stage to the screen – with some fun facts thrown in for good measure!"_ ______________________________________________________________________ **What is National Theatre Live (NTL) & National Theatre at Home (NTaH)?** ([**Wikipedia**](https://w.wiki/9grq)) National Theatre Live is an initiative from the National Theatre (formerly "Royal National Theatre") in London, who record their own plays (and also may do/did some live broadcasts to cinemas too) and other non-National Theatre productions from selected indie/West-End theatre plays in London and beyond in the UK (eg. Chichester, et al.). Unless it's a live cinema viewing, typically once the live theatre run has ended these are then shown in cinemas. NTL cinema audiences are able to view play recordings at cinema screenings in the UK and globally (eg. Australia, Taiwan, et al.), with cinema releases either concurrently (or after an initial cinema release) also released on their paid streaming service National Theatre at Home. NTaH launched in 2020 offering access to over 100 productions, with new titles added monthly. All titles include captions, over 90% available with Audio Description, and a selection available in British Sign Language (BSL). Reaching theatre audiences globally, streaming to over 184 countries, a majority of audiences having never visited the National Theatre's South Bank home, and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. 2026 research showed 99% of NTaH's audiences are outside London, with over 60% saying filmed theatre options support wider discoverability and increased overall theatre experiences.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Next to Normal

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is Next to Normal about?

A mother struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing her illness has on her family. The PBS Great Performances recording of the West End transfer to Wyndham's Theatre (from The Donmar Warehouse) in 2024.

Who directed Next to Normal?

Next to Normal was directed by Michael Longhurst, Austin Shaw.

Who stars in Next to Normal?

The principal cast of Next to Normal includes Caissie Levy, Jamie Parker, Jack Wolfe, Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Trevor Dion Nicholas.

When was Next to Normal released and how long is it?

Next to Normal was released in 2025 with a total runtime of 2h 10m.

Who composed the musical score for Next to Normal?

The original motion picture soundtrack for Next to Normal was composed by Tom Kitt.

What is the age rating and content advisory for Next to Normal?

Next to Normal holds official age classifications: GB: 15 (Suitable only for 15 years and over.).