Following its milestone 10th-anniversary season, The Sandbox Collective ushers in a new decade with the Tony Award-winning musical Next to Normal. This musical is a powerful production that delves into themes of love, loss, mental health, and family dynamics, offering audiences a deeply emotional and thought-provoking experience. It will run from February 1 to 23, 2025 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Theatre located in Circuit Makati.
Leading the cast in the role of Diana Goodman are Shiela Valderrama and Nikki Valdez, alternating as the complex matriarch. Nikki, a celebrated singer and actress, returns to the stage after her acclaimed performances in The Wedding Singer and the Ang Tanging Ina film franchise, where she earned a FAMAS Best Supporting Actress award for Family Matters. Shiela, an esteemed Gawad Buhay and Aliw Award winner, is known for her dynamic portrayals in Rama Hari, Passion, and most recently, Once on This Island.
The role of Diana’s devoted husband, Dan, will be shared by Floyd Tena and OJ Mariano. Floyd, a seasoned performer in theater, film, and television, received a Philstage Gawad Buhay nomination for Sandosenang Sapatos. OJ, a member of the renowned vocal group The Company, is an Awit Award winner with multiple albums and a Philstage Gawad Buhay award for his role in Rama Hari.
Taking on the role of Natalie Goodman, the Goodmans’ overachieving daughter, are Sheena Belarmino and Jam Binay. Jam, a versatile singer-songwriter and theater artist, has been seen in Bar Boys: A New Musical, Pingkian: Isang Musikal, and Ang Huling El Bimbo. Sheena, an actress, singer, and dancer under Star Magic, has showcased her talents in Lyric and Beat, ASAP Natin ‘To, and It’s Showtime, with recent stage credits in One More Chance and Tabing Ilog.
The rest of the stellar cast includes Vino Mabalot and Benedix Ramos as Gabe Goodman, Omar Uddin and Davy Narciso as Henry, and Jef Flores as Dr. Madden. Helming the production is The Sandbox Collective’s Managing Artistic Director, Toff de Venecia, alongside a distinguished creative team featuring Ejay Yatco (musical direction), Stephen Viñas (choreography), and Mark Daniel Dalacat (production design/associate director). Next to Normal will run at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Blackbox Theater, presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). A landmark in contemporary musical theater, Next to Normal has won three Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, sparking vital conversations about mental health since its Broadway debut in 2009.
