The Sandbox Collective presents cast of ‘Next To Normal’

The Sandbox Collective, coming off of a highly successful 10th anniversary season, just announced the full cast of their opening salvo for 2025 — the Tony Award-winning musical, Next To Normal. The show is slated to open in February of next year at the PowerMac Spotlight Theater in Circuit Makati.

One of the most moving shows to hit Broadway, Next To Normal opened in 2009 to rave reviews. The show follows the life of the Goodman family, as they experience love, loss, illness, grief, alongside the intricacies of the family dynamic. The musical has been credited with launching the conversation on mental health in mainstream theater. With book and lyrics by Bryan Yorkey, and music by Tom Kitt, it wen on to win three Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.

The Sandbox Collective’s staging features a stellar cast of actors, tasked to bring this family drama to life. Playing the central role of family matriarch Diana Goodman are two of the country’s top talents. Gawad Buhay and Aliw Award winner Shiela Valderrama-Martinez, who has been theater mainstay since she was 13, is gearing up to put her emotions on stage to bring this role to life. The actress was last seen as Erzulie in 9Works Theatricals’ Once On This Island, and had a starring turn in the recent CCP Triple Threat series, Leading Ladies. Alternating with her in the role is FAMAS Award winner Nikki Valdez, marking her return to the stage. She is best known for her roles in the films Tanging Ina and Family Matters.

Playing her husband Dan are theater veteran and Gawad Buhay nominee, for Tanghalang Pilipino’s Sandosenang Sapatos, Floyd Tena, and stage actor and singer (of The Company) OJ Mariano, who played Audrey II in Little Shop Of Horrors, also by Sandbox. Cast as the perfect daughter, Natalie, is Jam Binay, a singer-songwriter and actress who was last seen in Bar Boys: The Musical and Pingkian: Isang Musikal, and AHEB. She shares the role with Star Magic actress and dancer Sheena Belarmino, who’s latest theater credits include One More Chance, and Tabing Ilog.

Davey Narciso, who just came off the successful runs of Othello and Going Home To Christmas, alternates with Bar Boys’ Omar Uddin as Henry. Star Magic actors Vino Mabalot, and Benedix Ramos, who played lead in Bar Boys, will both play the elusive Gabe Goodman. Rounding out the cast is the multi-talented Jef Flores, as Dr. Madden.

The Sandbox Collective’s production of Next To Normal will be directed by Toff de Venecia, with musical direction by Ejay Yatco. The production team is comprised of Stephen Viñas as choreographer, Mark Daniel Dalacat as production designer/associate director, Elliza Dawn Aurelio as hair and make up designer, Jonas Garcia as dramaturg, Serena Magiliw as intimacy coach, Gabo Tolentino as lighting designer, Aji Manalo as sound designer/engineer, and Francisco Miguel Yabut as technical director.

Next To Normal was previously staged in Manila in 2011 by Atlantis Productions, starring Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, and Jett Pangan, and directed by Bobby Garcia.

Follow The Sandbox Collective on their socials for ticket and show details.