It's been 17 years since the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Next to Normal first graced Broadway. The original cast, led by Alice Ripley, J. Robert Spencer, Jennifer Damiano, Aaron Tveit, Adam Chanler-Berat, and Louis Hobson, has since gone on to diverse careers, each leaving their mark on the world of theater and beyond.
Ripley, who played the complex Diana Goodman, won a Tony Award for her performance and has since performed in concerts, released music, and even reprised her role in an immersive production in Spain. Damiano, who played Natalie Goodman, originated the role of Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and has since released an EP. Tveit, who played Gabe Goodman, has had a successful career in film and television, starring in Gossip Girl, Ugly Betty, and the film adaptation of Les Misérables. He also made history as the sole nominee for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical at the 74th Tony Awards.
Spencer, who played Dan Goodman, has continued to perform in various shows and has even formed his own production company. Chanler-Berat, who played Henry, has also had a successful career in theater and television, starring in Peter and the Starcatcher and the Gossip Girl reboot. Hobson, who played Dr. Madden and Dr. Fine, has been actively producing theater and has worked on various Broadway productions.
Despite the passage of time, the original cast of Next to Normal continues to inspire and influence the world of theater, each in their own unique way.
