Tom Kitt & Brian Yorkey - "Next To Normal"

What I found to be a very interesting choice was the individual progression in the music for each character. Some characters return back to melodies throughout the play, especially Dan when reprises "I Am the One" at the end of the play. I believe this choice indicates his lack of change throughout the play. Though his situation has vastly changed over the course of the show, he has been unable to change the way that he looks at his life and his wife; he cannot let go of his hope that perseverance is all that it takes. Natalie's progression, on the other hand, is characterized by huge changes in tone and tempo. Everything Else is a quick and complex song, but as the play progresses Natalie's songs become less structured and more in tune with the rest of the character's style. By the time Natalie sings Maybe with her mother, she is perfectly in tune with her mother's voice. This is reflective of her feelings that she may become just like her mother, a fear she expresses to Henry. Gabe's music is similar to his father's in that it does not progress or change throughout the play, but it is the tempo of his solos that distinguish his character from the others. After it is revealed that he is dead, Gabe develops an unearthly quality, complete with accompanying dissonant tones. The slow tempo of his music also creates the feeling of a lullaby or even a seduction of those who can hear him. This choice adds to the idea of Gabe's character as a creation of Diana's that sprung from her unimaginable grief, his entire being has been steeped in the heartache that collects around him like a cloud.