A new theater collective, Kith & Kin, has entered the Milwaukee scene – and it didn’t hold back this weekend with its first full production, Next to Normal, at the Interchange Theater Co-Op (628 N. 10th St.).
Founded by Artistic Director Kimberly Laberge, Kith & Kin’s mission is “meeting family and friends in the gray area,” through its productions, workshops and readings. The collective did smaller “Music & a Movie” shows earlier this year, but Next to Normal is its first official foray into full-scale theater. This production is a great example of a show that highlights the “gray areas” of life, as the musical shows the complicated and not-always black-and-white dynamics of mental illness.
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Next to Normal is a contemporary musical that follows a family as they navigate and cope with the mother’s worsening bipolar disorder. The show was on Broadway in 2008 and won the 2010 Pulitzer for Drama.
The Interchange Co-Op’s small black box theater is made for just this kind of intimate and personal experience, creating a space that felt safe yet engaging for a show that deals with difficult topics. There was a generous buzz of people when I saw the show on Sunday afternoon, eager to see and hear what the new theater collective had in store.
In a word, if I had to choose one, the performance was emotional. The story is a heavy one. The mother’s condition worsens throughout the show as she’s in denial of her own son’s death. She tries new medications, hypnosis and even endures electroshock therapy treatment. And her family must cope with all of this, each in their own way. The cast bringing the characters vividly to life through the details of their performances – a prime example, Wendy Rightler’s furrowed facial expressions and anxious hands as The Mother. She portrayed her complicated mental health struggles with care and grace.
Sanaa Harper and Cory J. O’Donnell, as The Daughter and The Classmate, had an unquestionable chemistry. I loved the awkward but endearing, early-stages-of-love energy between them. It was wholesome and warm, and added a soft edge to the show, even when they had their own struggles. And Patrick Jones’ performance as The Father was heartbreaking and real, portraying a husband who wants the best for his wife and his family, at the cost of his own happiness. Daniel Bingham, as The Son, brought his character to life through his movements around the stage, notably during his song “I’m Alive,” which also showcased his impressive vocals.
All of the performers had voices that filled the room and demanded to be listened to. A few technical difficulties with a mic in Act I didn’t infringe on it. And though there were a few moments where the audio mixing could have been a bit more balanced, the singing in this show far outweighed those technical issues.
It’s really hard to pick songs that stood out against the rest – there were many that were powerful and affecting – but “It’s Gonna Be Good,” “Who’s Crazy/My Psychopharmacologist and I” and “Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I’m Falling” were among my personal favorites, all songs with most or all of the cast singing. Don’t get me wrong, the solos and duets were great too, but there was something about the recurring overlap of voices and parts of the songs throughout the show that created an unforgettable tension on stage. Adding to it, Justin Spanbauer as The Doctor, provided intense spoken backdrops about diagnoses and medications and bipolar disorder for some songs, which added another layer of friction. All together, the auditory experience resembled the struggles the family faced.
The show is filled with hard topics and conversations, but it was clear that Kith & Kin handled it with care, and they put on one heck of a performance while doing it. I got teary-eyed a few times throughout, and my partner, afterwards, said there was rarely a scene that didn’t have him choked up.
This weekend is the end of the production’s run, so catch it if you can. But if not, definitely keep Kith & Kin on your radar – I certainly will.
