When we first heard about Next to Normal, we were all intrigued. A musical about being bipolar. We all wanted to know more, not just about the show, but about the disease and how you could possibly come to understand it.

We started the project thinking we would interview everyone in the cast and find out their personal connection to the disease. We would also talk to the University Counseling Center and other groups on campus that help students deal with mental disorders. We were going to do a profile on student mental health on campus and use Next to Normal to talk about how one group of students came to undertand bipolar.

And then we spoke to Lizzy. As the star of the show, we knew that we were going to have to interview her either way. We also knew that she is bipolar. But we didn't know what she would tell us. We were weary going into her interview because this is not a topic that either of us took lightly. So when she opened up as much as she did, we knew that we had something really special. Her story is amazing. It's not out of the ordinary or groudbreaking, but it's honest, and true and highly revealing of what it means to be bipolar. She opened up in a way that made us feel honored and proud to bear witness. After meeting Lizzy, seeing Next to Normal, and learning more about bipolar disorder, we are all truly inspired by her bravery and the courage of her cast to dealve into such a dark topic and do it with grace, honesty and conviction.

This is our tribute to Lizzy and to the entire cast and crew of Next to Normal from whom we learned so much. Thank you, and enjoy.