“Next to Normal” Production Stills

Did you have tickets to our SOLD OUT opening night?  If not, take a look at these Beautiful production stills by Sensitography.  Click the image below to see the full album on Actors’ Facebook page.

Kelly Cary and Kyle Los in Actors’ production of “Next to Normal” Photo Credit: Sensitography

For complete show information and to order your tickets, head over to Actors’ website: www.atgr.org

“Next to Normal” Opening Night is SOLD OUT

Please Note: Tonight’s opening performance of Next to Normal is effectively SOLD OUT.

A waiting list for unclaimed seats to the production will begin 1 hour prior to the production. You must present yourself at the theatre, in person, be placed on the waiting list.

Tickets are still available for Friday and Saturday’s performance but are going fast!

Want a sneak peak?  Check out our video on YouTube:

Then, rush over to www.atgr.org to order your tickets! They are going fast!

“Next to Normal” in the News!

Check out this excerpt from article about our next production on mlive.com:

Actors’ Theatre production of ‘Next to Normal’ relies on small cast, strong lyrics

By Sue Merrell | grentertainment@mlive.com

From left, Kyle Los as Gabriel, Kelly Cary as Diana and Larry Young as Dan rehearse a scene from “Next to Normal” Monday, Nov. 19, 2012 at Spectrum Theatre in Grand Rapids Mich. The show, put on by Actors’ Theatre will open Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012 at Spectrum Theatre. A portion of the proceeds from the performance will go to the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan.
Sally Finneran | MLive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — It’s not normal for a musical to win the Pulitzer Prize. But then who would expect a routine response to a musical named “Next to Normal?”

Since the Pulitzer Prize for Drama was established in 1918, only eight musicals have made the grade, including such stage triumphs as “South Pacific”(1950), “A Chorus Line” (1976), and “Rent” (1996.) Each of these shows dares to go beyond entertainment to take on issues.

“It has to be a good drama as well as an excellent musical,” said Fred Sebulske, who is directing “Next to Normal” at Actors’ Theatre.

But when “Next to Normal” won the prize in 2010, it was a double surprise. Not only is this a musical drama that dares to talk about mental illness, but unlike all other prize-winning musicals, the show doesn’t feature a huge cast.

“It’s surprising because it’s such a small piece,” Sebulske said. “It’s all on the shoulders of six characters.”

And even though the Broadway production was up against best musical winner “Billy Elliot” in the 2009 Tony Awards, “Next to Normal” managed to walk away with the award for best score. Composer Tom Kitt and lyricist Brian Yorkey have created a rock score with lots of texture, Sebulske said.

(…)

Read the rest of the article over on www.mlive.com. Then head on over to www.atgr.org to reserve your tickets before it sells out!

Dynamic Duo in “Next to Normal”

Diving in Heart First

Interview and article by: Taylor Nefcy

Next To Normal: an increasingly popular rock musical that was nominated for eleven Tony Awards back in 2009. It depicts certain hardships within a family, illustrating their pain, grace, perseverance, and vulnerability on all levels. But this is not your average musical, and these are not your average actors. Next To Normal – as described by The New York Times – depicts the “portrait of a manic-depressive mother and the people she loves and damages is something much more: a feel-everything musical, which asks you, with operatic force, to discover the liberation of knowing where it hurts.” The lead roles of Dan and Diana (husband and wife) are played by Kelly Carey and Larry Young, who have brought the production of Next To Normal to new heights. But what you may not know is that the two leading actors have a history that go beyond the stage of these characters.

Enter Kelly Carey: a poised, well-rounded professional actress and singer whose resume is nothing short of excellence. Not only being an avid participator of Actors’ Theatre productions – such as Floyd Collins, Bat Boy the Musical, Spitfire Grill, Rabbit Hole, and Tick Tick Boom – Kelly has also performed other roles in Jesus Christ Superstar, A Chorus Line, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, and The Marvelous Wonderettes. Kelly has notably shared the stage with Broadway Actor Timothy Shrew and Tony-Award winner Sutton Foster, while also being a “swinger” in the developmental run of the Broadway bound CHIX 6 in Queen’s Theatre, New York. And now Kelly is back for Actors’ Theatre debut of Next to Normal, playing the role of Diana.

Enter Larry Young: whose level of talent, drive, and discipline goes beyond Grand Rapids to a solo debut in Carnegie Hall. While also a devoted participant of Actors’ Theatre – with Grand Award winning performances in Bat Boy the Musical, Urinetown, and The Kiss of the Spider Woman – Larry too has shared the stage with Tony-Award winning Sutton Foster and has traveled nationally and internationally for his performances. Larry has performed for a number of theaters including Mason Street Warehouse Theatre, Circle Theatre, Bijou Orchestra, PEP Productions and Hope Summer Repertory Theatre – his fifteen years’ experience as a professional actor and singer shining through, impressing, and succeeding no matter what the environment. Here, Larry is back once again on the Actors’ stage in Next to Normal as the role of Dan.

Enter the dynamic duo: who since their first Actors’ show together (Floyd Collins) in 2000; Kelly and Larry have continued working together through a myriad of projects – both as friends and business partners. With shows such as Floyd Collins and Bat Boy the Musical under their belts, they developed their talents further in establishing Creative Edge Productions as co-founders. Creative Edge Productions started in 2009 – beginning more as a project than an actual business. The idea was initially sparked by Kelly, who was asked to do a live musical showcase by the DeVos Place for a finale of an event. Turning to Larry for help, they were able to succeed and showcase a phenomenal finale for the DeVos event. Since then, Kelly (artistic director) and Larry (managing director) have combined their talents into a unique, personalized entertainment business, where they specialize in providing entertainment for benefit concerts, fundraisers, and conventions. A notable event they have been showcasing for over three years is Broadway, Our Way, a performance tribute to memorable Broadway songs.

But after several debuts outside of Actors’ Theatre – both locally and nationally – Actors’ Theatre remains an almost nostalgic workplace environment for Kelly and Larry. Working with Actors’ Theatre has always been a positive experience for them, where there is drive for success, high commitment, and love of the challenge collaterally acknowledged throughout the entire rehearsal process. For Kelly, she continues working with Actors’ because of the more challenging material they provide, as well as the competition and high expectations of auditions and productions. Actors’ Theatre is a place Kelly sees as an opportunity to grow and develop more as an actor, a place of challenge but also reward. “I’m a mom, I have a full time job, and I’m a voice teacher for over thirty students,” says Kelly, “deciding to work here [at Actors’] is a serious commitment, but I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t absolutely love it.” For Larry, Actors’ Theatre marks the stepping stone of the start of his acting and singing career. Starting off as an education major, Larry took acting classes and participated in productions as extracurricular activities. It wasn’t until Fred Sebulske – founder of Actors’ Theatre and also Larry’s acting professor at GRCC – recognized Larry’s natural talent and convinced him to pursue and cultivate his art. Now, with a BA in Theatre from Hope College, Larry has embraced theatre as his lifestyle and sees Fred as the start of it all. “Fred was the reason why I got into theatre,” says Larry, “he was so nurturing and wonderful and fantastic. He was the one who pushed me forward. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Fred.”

And now Kelly and Larry are to be seen in a dynamic duo once again, performing the roles of Diana and Dan in the production of Next To Normal. Larry’s love and knowledge of the show is very evident – noting that he saw the performance in New York twice, as well as the tour in Chicago – and he deeply respects the music, the story, and the depth of the characters. He describes how the message of the show is powerful, “that even though there is no real solution, there is a light in the dark; there is hope.” Larry’s appreciation and passion for Next To Normal resonates solidly through his character, as he has embraced the opportunity to really dig into the acting and challenge of the vocal arrangement. For Kelly, Next To Normal was a show she was unfamiliar with, but after listening to the soundtrack, she was completely captivated from beginning to end. “Whenever I listen to a new musical track, I jog to it. I was listening to Next To Normal and when I got to the last song, I realized I had been running nonstop for two hours and I didn’t even notice because of how struck I was by the soundtrack.”

Performing in a production of Next To Normal has been on both Kelly and Larry’s bucket list of characters. And now, not only do they get to star in one of their top musicals, but they get to perform together once again. Kelly and Larry – the professional and talented actors as they are – have completely embraced the show as seen through their unwavering drive and commitment to both preserve and elevate the beauty of Next To Normal through their characters. The dynamics of the show come with difficult challenges, but Kelly and Larry have overcome these and have dived into the making of Next To Normal heart first.

Want to learn more about Creative Edge Productions?
Visit www.creativeedgeproductions.net
Kelly Carey, artistic director: Kelly@www.CreativeEdgeProductions.net
Larry Young, management director: Larry@www.CreativeEdgeProductions.net

Interested in voice lessons with Kelly Carey?
Visit https://www.facebook.com/KellyCareyVoiceStudio for more information

Meet the Cast of “Next to Normal”

Kelly Carey (Diana)

Kelly was recently in New York City performing in Chix 6 (The Queen’s Theatre In The Park). While in NYC, Kelly also worked on a number of upcoming musical projects for various composers including doing vocal arranging and recording original concept demos. Kelly is no stranger to the Actors’ stage. Her past credits include: Floyd Collins*, Batboy the Musical*, Spitfire Grill*, Rabbit Hole* and Tick Tick Boom. Other area theater credits include:Smokey Joe’s Café, The Marvelous Wonderettes, Das Barbeque, …Trailer Park Musical, Full Gallop (Mason Street Warehouse); A Chorus Line, Evita, JCS*, Merrily We Roll Along (Circle Theatre); Singin’ in the Rain* (Civic Theatre)(*Grand Award received/nominated). Kelly has also been headlining her solo cabaret act at the Dunes Resort (in Saugatuck) for ten years. She is also a vocal coach and audition preparation expert.

Jared Graybiel (Dr. Madden)

Jared is thrilled to be making his Grand Rapids theatre debut at Actors’ Theatre. Jared is a graduate of Hope College (2010). While there, he trained vocally in musical theater with Linda Dykstra. Under her teaching, Jared placed 1st in the National Association of Teachers of Singing at both the state and regional competition and was named “Most Promising Voice in Musical Theatre.” He was also heavily involved in Hope’s theatre and musical theatre program. Favorite theatre credits include: Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour), Wonderful Town(ensemble), By the Bog of Cats (Ghost Fancier), and The 1940s Radio Hour (BJ Gibson).

Kyle Los (Gabe)

Kyle was last seen at Actors’ Theatre as Hanschen in Spring Awakening. He is excited to be returning to the Actors’ stage after his Grand Award-winning performance as Berger in Hair at Circle Theater this past summer. You may recall seeing Kyle on Actors’ stage: Michael in The Sweetest Swing in Baseball and the Lecturer in Reefer Madness: The Musical [Nominated for a Grand Award]. Recently, Kyle has also worked off-stage as the Assistant Director for the Grand Award winning production of August: Osage County at Actors’ Theatre and the Sound Designer for Escanaba in Da Moonlight at Circle Theatre.

Duncan McCargar (Henry)

Duncan is so pleased to be back at Actors’ Theatre. He was last seen in last season’s production of Spring Awakening as Moritz. Duncan has also been seen in: Magic Circle Theatre’s Alice in Wonderland as the White Rabbit and as Rocky in Laugh Fest’s 2011 production of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He is currently a theatre major at Aquinas College where he has appeared in Isle of Marvels, Nevermore (Grand Award Nominee), Any Other Name, A Room with a View, and Writer 1272 (Grand Award Nominee).

Maggie Nye (Natalie)

Maggie could not be more thrilled to be a part of this production. She has performed on Grand Rapids Community Theatre stages many times throughout her 20 years of life. Some of her favorite roles include Peter Pan (Peter Pan 2010), Little Guido (Nine 2005), and her Grand Award winning role as Wendla in last season’s production of Spring Awakening.

Larry Young (Dan)

Larry has been on the Actors’ Theatre stage for many productions including Floyd Collins, Pacific Overtures, Side Show, The Last Five Years, and most recently Next Fall. He has won three Grand Awards for his performances as Dr. Parker in Bat Boy, Officer Lockstock inUrinetown and Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Larry is a graduate of GRCC and Hope College with a B.A. in Theater, He has performed with companies throughout the U.S. and also Vancouver, B.C. Currently Larry is the Managing Director of CREATIVE EDGE PRODUCTIONS and is in the process of forming a new company called L-CONCIERGE.

Production Information for Next to Normal:

November 29 – December 15, 2012: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8:00 PM.

Go to the Actors’ Theatre website: atgr.org