Maia Campbell, Andrew Cope Anne Warren Clark, Courtney Merrell, Albert Hodge, and Roeen Nooran Photo by Ben Krantz

Diana has suffered from her condition for many years, and finding the right combination of treatments turns into an hysterically funny (and yet not) dance in "My Psychopharmacologist and I," choreographed by Jill Jacobs.

The set, by Matt Owens, is on a 45-degree angle, so that it opens up downstage as if to symbolize how this family will reveal their dreams and heartbreaks over the course of nearly two and a half hours (including one intermission). Upstage, the walls meet in a sharp seam like the point of an arrow or a wedge that drives deep into the characters' hearts and emotions.

Diana, played with a vicious intensity by Anne Warren Clark, takes center stage in the family drama, as everyone else has to adjust to her needs. This requires dad Dan (Albert Hodge) to be ever on guard for what might be the aftereffects of Diana's next manic episode. In the past, we learn later in the show, Diana has accidentally set their house on fire and run over the family cat while teaching daughter Natalie (Maia Campbell) how to parallel park.

Despite Diana's challenges, life refuses to stop spinning, especially for Natalie, who has a new suitor in the form of the adorable, but sort of a stoner, Henry (Andrew Cope). Despite Natalie's incredibly packed schedule–including rehearsing a Mozart sonata for a big piano recital–the lyrics of "Everything Else" open a window for us into how Natalie uses music to cope with the chaos of her family life: "Mozart was crazy. Flat fucking crazy. Bat shit, I hear. But his music's not crazy–it's balanced. It's nimble. It's crystalline clear."

Next to Normal is an extremely challenging score for vocalists, requiring significant range, with fast patter lyrics and soaring melodies that require significant vocal chops for singers hoping to express the complex and challenging emotions of the characters. I'll admit I was worried whether Ray of Light could find six performers who could meet this challenge.

I needn't have, for director Jenn Bevard has assembled a cast who more than rise to the challenge–they soar above it. As Diana, Clark manages to mine the full array of emotions of bipolar disorder: her eyes flicker like flashbulbs in her manic moments, then seem to shrink back into her skull for the dead-eyed look of suicidal depression. One of her best moments comes in the song "I Miss the Mountains," when she makes the decision to toss all her meds in order to feel the fire of joy she once felt.

As the somewhat ignored teen daughter Natalie, Maia Campbell plays the part beautifully, seeming to melt into the background (her ironic half-hearted "yay! hooray! at a minor non-victory in her mother's attempt to recover lost memories is angsty teen perfection), until her anger at being overlooked comes pouring out in "Superboy and the Invisible Girl." This is followed by perhaps the best song in the show, "I'm Alive," which gives Roeen Nooran the opportunity to share his not-insignificant vocal chops. It's a terrific song, but not easy to sing, requiring incredible range and power.

Fortunately for Nooran and the rest of the cast, the backing band led by music director Jad Bernardo is nothing short of terrific. The six-piece ensemble is tight and delivers the emotional punch the show requires. And though I'm not sure how, Ray of Light seems to have found a way to overcome the horrific acoustics in the Victoria, which have threatened to spoil some of their past shows.

Next to Normal is about a family of beautifully wounded people trying to make the best of a bad situation. Though the subject matter requires the show to dive deeply into some very dark territory, there's enough humor and heart and hopefulness to make Next to Normal an experience you should definitely place on your to-do list.

Next to Normal runs through June 21, 2025, at the Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street, San Francisco CA. Performances are Wednesdays - Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., with 2:00 p.m. matinees Saturdays. There will also be a performance Monday, June 16 at 8:00p.m. and a 2:00pm performance on Sunday, June 29. Tickets are $22-$75. For tickets and information, please visit www.rayoflighttheatre.com.