Gabriel Goodman

Gabriel "Gabe" Goodman is a character in Next to Normal, originally played by Aaron Tveit on Broadway. He is the son of Diana and Dan, and is depicted as a hallucination induced by Diana's psychotic symptoms.

In the Musical
Act 1

Gabe is introduced as being late for his curfew. He asks his mother why his father hates him before exiting. In the morning, while the family prepares for the day, Gabe is depicted singing about his desire to have "power," more specifically the influence that his presence has over his mother Diana's life. (Just Another Day)

When his mother, Mrs Goodman, decides to abandon her medication, he supports her, insisting that what his father Dan doesn't know won't hurt him. (I Miss The Mountains)

He helps his mother prepare for dinner while Dan Goodman grills Henry, Natalie's new boyfriend. The dinner is off to a very promising start (It's Gonna Be Good), up until Diana enters with a cake, saying "It's someone's birthday!"

Dan stands up and Natalie looks devestated. Henry, completely clueless, asks about whose birthday it is. When Natalie tells him, he says, "I didn't know you had a brother". Natalie responds with the line that puts the beginning of the musical into perspective: "I don't. He died before I was born."

Dan tells Diana about their son's untimely death (He's Not Here). He tells her that he loves her and is there for her, and he's close to succeeding when Gabe re-enters, trying to get his father to notice him and managing to win his mother's affections. (I Am The One)

Later, as Natalie complains about being second in the family to Gabe, he teases her from where she can't see him. (Superboy and the Invisible Girl).

Diana talks with her new doctor about her son while he tries to assert his presence over her. (I'm Alive).

As Diana comes to the realization that she needs to let him go, Gabe begs to differ, saying to his mother "Catch me, I'm falling" while simultaniously taunting Natalie with the fact that Diana didn't go to her concert. "She's not there". Diana is told by doctor Madden that she needs to let Gabe go. (Make Up Your Mind/Catch Me I'm Falling)

While cleaning out Gabe's room, Diana finds a music box and plays it, causing Gabe to enter in a tuxedo. The two dance while Diana sings about missing her son and what he could have been. (I Dreamed a Dance) Gabe then tells his mother to join him in death, that it will be much better than life. (There's a World)

When Diana gets accepted into the hopsital, Dan is ruined and sings about having to help her while Gabe taunts him by singing along. (I've Been)

In the meantime, Diana's doctor tries to convince her to do ECT to cure her condition. She responds vehementaly upon hearing some of the side effects, including memory loss. Gabe tries to dissuade her from the prospect even more by saying things like, "How do you know how much memory you've lost if you've lost it?". (Didn't I See This Movie?)

Act 2

Diana comes out of the treatment having forgotten 19 years of her life, including Gabe and Natalie. Dan only tells her about Natalie, completely leaving Gabe out of the picture. (Song of Forgetting) Dr. Madden agrees to a certain extent, telling Dan to keep Gabe a secret until Diana is ready.

Natalie, however, is slightly uncomfortable with it. When she looks through the pictures that Dan has set aside for reminding Diana about her life, she comments, "Missing a few pictures, aren't we, Dad?" (Better Than Before)

While the Goodman trio helps revitalizeDiana's memory, Gabe sits unseen and muses about how the treatment won't last and how he'll always have a part in their lives. Diana also comments about feeling like something is missing when she looks through pictures and keepsakes. (Aftershocks)

Gabe puts a box of his stuff in Diana's way one day, and she discovers the music box. Dan tries to take it from her, but it's too late, and the both of them remember Gabe's death. (How Could I Ever Forget?)

Gabe then appears, taunting his father and re-asserting his presense. (I'm Alive [reprise])

Diana leaves Dan in an attempt to clear her thoughts, leaving Dan heartbroken and insecure. Gabe appears, telling Dan that he will never leave. The two of them sing about watching the other die in respective ways until Dan finally looks over to Gabe and says his name for the first time. "Gabe, Gabriel." (I Am the One [reprise])

As the show comes to a close, all the family members have found a closure of sorts, all while Gabe watches over them. (Light)

Solos
I'm Alive - Act 1

There's A World - Act 1

Aftershocks - Act 2

I'm Alive (Reprise) - Act 2

Solos (In a Duet)
I Dreamed A Dance (Diana) - Act 1

I've Been (Dan)- Act 1

I Am the One (Reprise) (Dan) - Act 2

Solos (In a Group Number)
Just Another Day (Diana, Natalie and Dan) - Act 1

I Am The One (Diana, Dan)- Act 1

Superboy and the Invisible Girl (Natalie and Diana) - Act 1

Light (Diana, Dan, Natalie, Dr. Fine, Henry) - Act 2

Trivia

 * In Just Another Day, Gabriel takes a pack of cigarettes out of his bag, looks at it, then tosses it back in.