To me, NEXT TO NORMAL is like an independent film. I love the honesty of its characters and the riskiness of its concerns. I love how one family's crisis becomes every family's crisis and how all the dirty laundry is left out for everyone to see.

I love the specificity and originality of the lyrics -- which make directing and acting the play so vigorous and joyous, and so painful and rewarding. And mostly, I love the extraordinary music that expresses every idea and every emotion so perfectly and so profoundly.

It's great to discover an original musical with so much intelligence and so much heart. I hope you love this recording as much as I have loved being a part of its creation.

-- Michael Greif, director

— from liner notes to the recording