The Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical “Next to Normal” opens Friday at the Deep Dish Theater in University Mall.

“Next to Normal,” about a family coping with mental illness, made its Broadway debut in 2009, when it was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won three. It also won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

It tells the story of a woman and her family as they struggle to come to terms with her disturbing breakdown through a variety of tribulations and therapies. Panel discussions will follow several performances.

The show will play Wednesdays through Sundays at the theater’s University Mall venue until March 17.

The show’s run at the mall will be followed by performances at the Cary Arts Center from March 22-24. Wednesday and Thursday shows will begin at 3:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday shows will begin at 8 p.m., and Sunday shows will begin at 2 p.m.

The cast includes John Allore, Abigail Coryell, Lisa Jolley, Wesley Miller, Mark Ridenour and Jeffrey Vizcaino.

When: March 1-17 in Chapel Hill, March 22-24 in Cary.

Where: Deep Dish Theater Company, 201 Estes Drive, University Mall in Chapel Hill; Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave, Cary.

Tickets: $21 adults; $19 seniors; $14 students. Wednesday and Thursday discounts. All tickets for March 6 show are $10.

Info: www.deepdishtheater.org; 919-968-1515 (Deep Dish box office)

Correspondent Tom Hartwell