Ten years ago, if you had asked me to describe my “style” as a director or choreographer, I don’t think I could’ve. At that point, I was still absorbing a little bit from many different mentors and responding instinctively to whatever production I was working on. But now, I can say clearly that my work is defined by the authenticity of the characters, of the lyrics, and the movement. The truth of each story lies there.

When I approached Mark Lamos with the idea for Next to Normal, I described the importance of the musical. Though it doesn’t have a lot of dance, and I knew the choreography would be minimal compared to my previous Westport productions, I had a significant connection to the subject matter. 

This piece centers a family coping with loss and mental illness, while learning how to coexist under the same roof. And because I grew up in a community that treated psychological health like a taboo, I knew that casting Latine and Black actors in these roles would deepen the circumstances of this story and enhance the impact that it has over its audience.

It is my greatest hope that this production, given all that we’ve witnessed and endured the past two years, is able to authentically explore the state of our mental health while expanding the possibility of who is able to truly identify with the Goodman Family.