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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who comments that Dan doesn't truly care about what happened to him or about what is happening to Diana in Act 1, Scene 6?

2. What is Diana's last name in Next to Normal?

3. What song does Dan sing as he tidies up in Act 1, Scene 11?

4. What emotional ballad does Dan sing to Diana in Act 1, Scene 11?

5. Next to Normal closed on Broadway after how many regular performances?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is sung about and by whom in the songs "Who's Crazy" / "My Psychopharmacologist and I"?

2. What is symbolized in Gabe's comment "I own you," in Act 1, Scene 8? What is revealed in this scene regarding his character?

3. What songs are sung by the doctor and Gabe in Act 1, Scene 9? What do they describe?

4. What song does Dan sing to Diana about their son in Act 1, Scene 5? What does the song reveal?

5. What does Dan sing about in the song "It's Gonna Be Good"? Where is he?

6. What takes place at the family dinner in Act 1, Scene 5?

7. What triggers Diana's memory flashback in Act 1, Scene 4? What is the memory of?

8. What structurally takes place in Act 1, Scenes 10 and 11? What film is references in these scenes?

9. What is the subject and style of the song "Superboy and the Invisible Girl"? Who sings it?

10. Describe the structural elements which stand out in the first scenes of Act 1. How is musical improvisation used as a literary technique?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the role of the choral ensemble in Next to Normal. How does the chorus relate to choruses of the Classical Greek theater?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the song "Hey #2" and the role of reprise in the musical. What effect do reprises have on the reader/audience member?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the symbolic and metaphorical elements in Act 1, Scene 10. How does this scene illustrate the suicide attempt of the protagonist in a creative way?

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