Crown Uptown kicks off new era, explores mental health with ‘Next to Normal’

The Crown Arts Collaborative is entering its future by taking a page from its past.

It will open “Next to Normal” this weekend, continuing through Oct. 3. The musical, about a wife and mother enduring a tragedy, was staged “almost exactly 10 years ago” on the same Crown Uptown Theatre stage, said Max Wilson, the nonprofit’s founder.

“We figured since we’re undergoing a bit of a rebirth ourselves and coming out of the pandemic at a time when mental health is really taking a toll on our country, it was incredibly relevant to do it for our past and society’s present,” he said.

“Next to Normal” has not only returned, but so has Shannon McMillan, who plays the mother, Diana.

“Rarely do you get a meat-and-potatoes role like this in your life,” she said, “and to get to do it twice is pretty surreal.”

“I have sort of a déjà vu with her – her mannerisms, her moments – but it’s been wonderfully challenging to revisit this material and her story,” McMillan added.

A lot has changed for the actress in the decade since she first played the role – most notably, she’s become a mother herself, to two sons.

“Different lines have different weights,” McMillan said. “Things I kind of took for granted last time carry more substance now.”

McMillan said she is fond of the role because it broke her out of getting typecast in certain roles.

“I love all her highs and lows. I think she’s a beautifully written character with so much heart and soul, and I love that her voice gets to be heard,” she said. “I love the cracks to the façade of this family, and that she’s so perfectly imperfect.”

John Keckeisen plays her husband, Ryan Schafer and Madi White portray her children; Matt Hale and Joey Yates round out the cast.

Molly Tully, directing her first book musical, said “Next to Normal” – nominated for 11 Tony Awards in 2009, winning four – was deep, but uplifting.

“It’s a very important topic to discuss and it can get very heavy,” she said. “But this show does a wonderful job of balancing humor and finding ways to laugh at yourself through hardship.”

The Crown is partnering with the Mental Health Association of South Central Kansas, donating 15% of ticket sales on Sundays, and hosting a post-show talkback including mental health professionals, the cast and crew.

“You cannot leave this show and not want to talk about it, not want to relate to this show in some way,” McMillan said.

It’s the connection to the community that strives to set Crown Arts apart, Wilson said.

“The goal really for us is to build bridges in the community, to find ways we can help other nonprofits and other small businesses through art,” he said. “So many times in Wichita, the arts community segments itself and the business community does the same.”

Wilson said the artistic goal of Crown Arts – which also plans on film series and visual arts galleries – was to make its own niche among Wichita’s theater landscape.

“We’ve got a space that can fit shows that venues like Roxy’s couldn’t, places like the Forum couldn’t,” he said. “But we also have a younger demographic and younger support that lets us do riskier shows that (Music Theatre Wichita) wouldn’t. We’ve got an MTW-sized stage and a young, fresh mentality. So the goal for us is to find a strong spot in that lane that will allow us to do newer works that won’t offend lifelong season ticket holders, but also things that every audience will enjoy.”

Crown Arts will bring “The Rocky Horror Show” back in October, and later this year will debut “Inverno: The Great Holiday Circus,” with an original script by Schafer and music by Andrew Bowers, featuring aerialists, strongmen and firebreathers; it will be the new group’s first dinner theater. A 2022 schedule will be announced in November.

Wilson said he and his team are grateful to be opening the Crown Arts season in mid-September, especially since a lightning strike in mid-June – in the midst of a benefit performance – damaged the theater’s electrical units and its air conditioning. One temporary, 35-ton AC unit sits in a neighbor’s parking lot, he said. Initially, he was told it would take a minimum of 15 weeks for the damage to be fixed.

In the audience, as much social distancing and mask wearing as possible will be encouraged. There also will be a “vaccine raffle,” where two audience members with completed COVID shot cards will win tickets to upcoming performances.

“Our way to incentivize good behavior,” Wilson said.

‘Next to Normal’ by Crown Arts Collective

When: Sept. 10 to Oct. 3; performances at 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays

Where: Crown Uptown Theatre, 3207 E. Douglas

Tickets: $20-$30 adults, $2 discount for seniors; $10 students, at crownuptown.com or 612-7696