Musical theater fans have something to sing about this weekend.

Two musicals open tonight in Bend, and the productions couldn’t be more different — well, other than having characters who burst into song. You have to have characters bursting into song.

Other than that, there’s little common ground between the classic “The Music Man,” coming tonight to Summit High School and starring the young players of BEAT Children’s Theatre, and the family mental health tale “Next to Normal,” opening tonight at 2nd Street Theater.

Brad Ruder is the director of the award-winning “Next to Normal,” a musical by Brian Yorkey (lyrics and book) and Tom Kitt (music). The saga of a family dealing with a mother’s bipolar disorder, “Next to Normal” debuted off-Broadway in 2008 and arrived on Broadway in 2009, earning itself three Tony Awards. It also won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2010.

At the time the show was lighting up Broadway, Ruder was a student at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. A friend visiting from Bend insisted they see it.

“She started talking to me about it, and I had to admit I had no idea what it was,” he said. “I’m like, ‘OK, sure,’” he said, his tone recalling his skepticism about the show back then. “But she was going to pay for the tickets, so I was like, ‘Why not?’”

He was quickly converted.

“It had a three-story set, more lights than I’d seen for such a small show, so to speak. The music was rock ‘n’ roll, ballads — everything about it was, like, wow factor: The story was fantastic, the acting was superb, the scene changes, the lights, the band,” he said. “I just walked out of it going, ‘How did I not know about it?’ I bought the soundtrack and for six years, seven years now, I’ve wanted to do it.”

The Bend production stars newcomer Cait Ford as the mother Diana, the mother whose prescription normalized her to the point of numbness, thanks to her doctor (Ben Larson).

Katie Bullock plays her daughter, Natalie. Steven Livingston is her son, Gabe. And dear old dad is played by Ryan Klontz, who recently gave a hilarious turn as the imperious Lord Farquaad in “Shrek the Musical.” Finally, John Kish is Natalie’s boyfriend, Henry.

The family is defined, in a sense, by tragedy, but telling you more details would spoil the twist that comes about halfway through the first act.“We’re billing it as a feel-everything musical drama. There are some elements of humor, there are some drama elements. You get everything because you have all these characters feeling so many things and dealing with so many things,” Ruder said. “It’s all about the human state (and the) connections between the characters. To me, it fit 2nd street because it’s more intimate than a big Broadway set. It works that way because it’s all about paying attention to people, what they’re going through and how they’re living their lives.”

Conversely, over at Summit, audiences will be treated to BEAT’s large-scale production of “The Music Man,” boasting such famous tunes as “The Wells Fargo Wagon,” “76 Trombones” and “Gary, Indiana” and a cast topping out at 53 young souls.

Director Angelina Anello-Dennee wouldn’t want it any smaller: “You know what I really like is that the cast is so large. I just like a really big, fun cast that fills up the stage. And I love the storyline,” she said.

If you’re unfamiliar with the 1957 Meredith Willson musical it concerns an ethically challenged salesman named Harold Hill. He sells the good people of River City, Iowa — under threat of a scandalous new pool table in town — on the idea of music lessons to keep their kids out of trouble (really).

“I love that he comes in, and he’s this confident guy that thinks he’s going to swindle a whole town, and actually ends up getting won over by this little librarian — who’s pretty spunky. A lot of these musicals that were written in the ’50s, the leading lady was really boring, kind of a snoozer, not a role you really want to play,” Anello-Dennee said.

Most of the leads are being played by area high schoolers, with smaller roles going to kids in middle and elementary school, she said. And as far as being prepared for tonight’s opening, they’re ahead of the curve.

“Normally, at about two or three weeks out, I’m saying, ‘Oh my goodness, I don’t know if they’re going to make it. They’re all over the place,’” said Anello-Dennee, who has worked with BEAT since 2008. “That has not been the case with this cast. They are just on it. They know when they’re supposed to be on stage, and they’ve had their lines memorized for weeks. They’re just really with it.

“The part that is like herding cats is just that they’re kids. But as far as the show goes, they are just on top of it — I think better than adults are, sometimes,” she said. “I think that’s why I love BEAT. They do a great job of bringing up young actors to be able to be successful at what they do.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0349, djasper@bendbulletin.com