How does this musical critique the social assumptions surrounding the American suburban nuclear family? What myths does it reinforce or subvert?

Discuss the role that work plays in the lives of the Goodman family. How do the family members view work vis-à-vis their relationships with their family members? What does this suggest about the social function of work in contemporary times?

Analyze the character of Gabe against other famous ghosts in literature, such as Hamlet’s father. How does their presence drive the conflict forward? What do they suggest about the psychological function of ghosts in stories?

Examine the idea of grief in the play. How does the play explore the nature of grief? How do various characters—Diana, Dan, and Natalie—experience different types of grief and loss?

How does the play explore the experience of teen life and coming-of-age through Henry and Natalie’s character arcs? How are they different or similar in their experiences?

In “Just Another Day,” Natalie comments that her family may be faking love for each other. How does the musical explore the strengths and limitations of familial relationships?

Compare and contrast Diana’s experience with mental health treatment in Next to Normal with another text dealing with the patient experience, such as Susanna Kaysen’s Girl, Interrupted (1993) or Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar (1963). In what ways are these texts similar in how they depict and/or critique how mental healthcare functions, or fails to function?

Analyze the motif of drugs, both licit and illicit, in the play. How do drugs function in terms of the play’s narrative, characterization, and/or illumination of key themes and ideas?