I saw Next To Normal (Broadway) on 03/19/11. Overall, I'd say it was a 5-star rating. I'd summarize it by saying “The MANILA staging of Next to Normal is WAAAAAAY better than the Broadway version. ”

I had a very emotional time and left the show feeling happy because the show was so beautiful and sad because of the reality of the plot. I'd describe the show as soul-catching, touching, and musically beautiful. When gabe (felix rivera) sang i am the one reprise was a highlight of the show because finally, Dan acknowledges the existence of his late son. If this were a movie, I'd rate it PG-13. I would recommend this show to theatre geeks, non-theatre geeks, and those who don't give a damn about the theatre but not to kids or those who won't take the show seriously.

I saw this show because I knew all the actors and because of the highly rated reviews that recommended everyone to see it. I would see it again. I sat in the center orchestra area of the theater. The view was perfect and the seats were comfortable.

* This review is not of the Broadway show but of the MANILA show staged by Atlantis Productions (http://atlantisproductionsinc.com/).
Cast: Menchu Lauchengco as Diana, Jett Pangan as Dan, Bea Garcia as Natalie, Felix RIvera as Gabe, Markki Stroem as Henry, and Jake Macapagal as the two doctors.

* I wrote a longer review in my blog. (http://katherinemich.posterous.com/next-to-normal-my-favorite-pill)