If/Then Tour

[MarkBearSF]

re: Chicago...
As others have mentioned, a lot of factors are in play - most importantly, commitments by the principals. Another factor may be that the SF market has traditionally demanded a 4 week engagement which may not be the case there.

[MarkBearSF]

When I saw it last week, the sound was AGAIN an issue. The Orpheum is, indeed, "the house of mud" acoustically. Again, I heard the usual response (the wrong one), to "up the volume" which increases the aural muck. 

Worst of all - Idina was overmiked. You DO NOT need to overamplify her voice. Added to this is that... well, let me just say that her sense of pitch works great for her. In person. However, overamplified from a barrrage of speakers, when a note is off-key it can be PAINFUL.

[Pootie2]

Ouch. I saw a negative review or two that mentioned that, but maybe if not enough people complain, they don't take it seriously? I wonder if the sound is okay in certain sections.

[4getmenot]

Some tips on the lottery:

I entered 10 shows in a row and won 5 times (exactly once every other day), although I only went once.  

The box office said that there were exactly 15 or 50 lottery winners every show, I couldn't hear exactly.  If it's the former, I assume that he means 15 people times 2 tickets.

It appears the lottery tickets are distributed based on the inventory of seats that have not been sold.  In my case, I saw there was a single unsold Center Orchestra seat about 12 rows back and got exactly that one.  I believe it was one of the premium seats retailing for $210.  I went alone and some of the lottery winners who wanted 2 tickets were in obstructed view Orchestra or Balcony.

Contrary to instructions, you can go pick up your tickets earlier than one hour before the show.  Given the previous insight, this is highly recommended.

Other comments

I agree with the comments re: Idina.  The sound tech needs to sort out the issues.

I am going to lotto again on Idina's next off day.  Does anyone know who the first understudy is?  I love Deedee Magno from Wicked but I thought the actress who plans Anne and also covers Elizabeth was phenomenal.  

I'm surprised that Cliffton Hall is a Luke u/s, it didn't seem like he would be right for the part.

[Pootie2]

The first cover is Janine DaVita, who plays Anne. She already performed 11/17, but I haven't seen any reports about it in comparison to Menzel's performance.

 

Unless Rapp breaks his knee again, it's extremely unlikely that he'd be out; I'm not sure he even gets sick.

[notalwaysontime]

I got a discount ticket on goldstar to see Janine as Elizabeth on 12/1, and I'm really excited. Her voice sounded amazing, and I saw a few people on twitter who saw her 11/17 and they said she killed it, and from the little bit we got of her as Anne, I really don't doubt she'll, at the very least, slay the songs. I'm curious to see how she is all around in the role though, but I"m excited. She was the sweetest at the stage door too, so regardless it's going to be a fun night.

[kade.ivy]

Changing the subject from San Francisco, are there any new details on the rumor that Jackie is taking over from Idina? Also, do we know if the other principals reprising from Broadway will continue on the tour post-Idina? I know when James Snyder made a video for the Broadway.com singing contest, he talked like he would be coming all over the country, "even Canada," he said (:)), which Idina is not currently scheduled to play. 

[MannPhan24601]

I saw something on Tumblr a week or two ago about Anthony Rapp doing some type of Q&A thing in St.Louis in March for the tour .That might confirm an extension from the other leads, 

[Pootie2]

Doubtful. Rapp himself might extend, but that implies nothing about the other leads.

 

Anyway, apparently LaChanze is out today so Deedee Magno Hall went on as Kate for the matinee; I don't know if LaChanze will still be out for tonight's show as well.

[gcal]

I just got back from tonight's performance, won a lotto ticket in Row Y of the center orchestra. A great seat. 

La Chanze was indeed out tonight. I had no trouble hearing, but I couldn't understand a word Idina sang in Act One. 

[notalwaysontime]

So I saw Janine as Elizabeth tonight and she was WONDERFUL! I think if you get the chance to see her on the tour, and you can go, you definitely should! I loved her take on the character, definitely different than Idina; she really made Elizabeth her own. She wasn't quite as big as Idina's version, and she comes off a little more quirky, like with Idina the obsession with odds comes off as being just facts, and that's how things are, and Janine's take on it, the obsession with odds comes off as a quirk. Both are wonderful, but if you love understudies for the different takes on characters like I do, you'll really love what she does with the character. She didn't quite have the same power in her voice as Idina, but she sounded amazing, and has a big, clear, beautiful voice. Her "I Hate You" absolutely broke my heart. I really like how she and James played off each other too, especially in the scene following "What the F--k" (Which I also loved her version of that song as well!)

 

Also the understudy for Anne, Charissa Bertels, was really good, I did get the sense that it might have only been her first or second time going on (I forgot to ask her at the stage door, I'm not sure if she was on for Anne a couple weeks ago, the first time Janine went on as Elizabeth), but she made the character her own as well, and I can tell she'll only get better, the more she's able to perform the part (and by that I don't mean she was bad, but I was sitting 5th row, nearly center, so I had a good view and I just felt I sensed a tiny bit of nerves, like maybe she was holding back a little bit and she did seem to open up more in the second act.)

 

I wish I could have the chance to see more understudies. I would love to hear Deedee's take on Kate as well (and her take on Elizabeth!) but the fact that I got to see the show twice while it's here is good for me...but apparently I'm If/Then trash so I'm going to try lotto for one more visit before it leaves, it's hard not to justify 25 bucks.

[Pootie2]

Thanks for the report, notalwaysontime. I was curious how she "made" the role her own since it's such a big role. That was indeed Charissa Bertels' second time as Anne. I'm still curious how DeeDee Hall's Kate differed from LaChanze's, but I don't recall seeing much specific chatter about it.

[notalwaysontime]

Pootie2 said: "Thanks for the report, notalwaysontime. I was curious how she "made" the role her own since it's such a big role. That was indeed Charissa Bertels' second time as Anne. I'm still curious how DeeDee Hall's Kate differed from LaChanze's, but I don't recall seeing much specific chatter about it."

 

I knew some people were wondering! And I hate to use the word stiff, because it sounds negative and I don't mean it that way, but Idina's Elizabeth has that kind of stiffness to her and Janine's doesn't, it's almost like Janine's Elizabeth is a bit more apologetic in body language for being the way she is with being closed off and getting angry. It's just enough of a difference that she's still playing the character, but you know she's not trying to be Idina. I'm really curious about Deedee's take on Kate as well, I haven't ever heard or seen anyone but LaChanze play her, and I feel like Deedee could probably bring a really different take on her. I think that's one of those things that excites me most about theater, and why I love understudies so much, the show can be different every time with different people.

 

And thank you for the confirmation about Charissa! I wish I could see her farther down the line after she's gotten a few more plays of the character under her belt. but was such a sweetheart at the stage door and you could tell she was excited about getting to go on. It was sweet both she and Janine had people there last night and I was the first person Janine walked up to at the stage door but before she signed she was like "Oh! Hold on a second, my mom's here!" and I was like go go, it was so sweet to whitness such a special moment like that. After a minute her mom was like "Go, there's people who want to meet you!"

[Pootie2]

Maybe "guarded" instead of stiff?

How was attendance? I wonder how the subscription aspect helps when performers are out of specific shows, or maybe it doesn't and a lot of people ended up switching out.

[notalwaysontime]

Pootie2 said: "Maybe "guarded" instead of stiff? How was attendance? I wonder how the subscription aspect helps when performers are out of specific shows, or maybe it doesn't and a lot of people ended up switching out."

 

Yeah, that's a good way to put it! And that's the part that made me really sad, the attendance was really low. At most the theater was half full. I couldn't see up into the Mezz and Balcony but the orchestra was pitiful, it was only full up to 20 rows at most. BUT what of a crowd was there, was super responsive to Janine and the show as a whole and gave her the loudest applause they could, and when she came out the stage door everyone who was waiting cheered for her as well, which seemed to take her completely by surprise.

[broadwaysfguy]

thanks notalwaysontime

love to hear reviews on understudies and this sounded like a great performance

I saw jackie in new york when idina had the flu and she totally rocked the role, too...

I saw idina twice last month up close in row b,,,shes a force of nature of course and grateful she toured with this production....

[Pootie2]

Jackie Burns as expected, Anthony Rapp as suspected.

[notalwaysontime]

Oh Tamyra Gray will make a wonderful Kate! Super excited about Jackie, even though we all saw that coming, but I hope the Tour comes back somewhere near me now. I would love love love to see Jackie live, and my new love affair with Janine DiVita means I want to see her again as well. And as a whole, it would be really fun to see all the different dynamics that will be created. Love that Anthony is staying, he's so good in the role and there was the teenager inside me dying that I was finally getting to see him perform live. Wonder how much longer he'll stay.

[Call_me_jorge]

What will happen with Anthony rapp at Broadway con.

[haterobics]

Call_me_jorge said: "What will happen with Anthony rapp at Broadway con."

 

He's already said he will be there.

[steven22]

I am very excited for this to come to the east coast this summer! I miss it on Broadway. Jackie is excellent as Elizabeth!

[ACL2006]

I'm giving the producers of this tour credit that they think the tour can run for 7 more months without Menzel in it. We'll see how sales are after Idina leaves & if there's a chance the tour closes early.

[haterobics]

ACL2006 said: "I'm giving the producers of this tour credit that they think the tour can run for 7 more months without Menzel in it. We'll see how sales are after Idina leaves & if there's a chance the tour closes early."

 

Haven't we covered this before? The tour mainly plays in subscription houses, so a good chunk of tickets are sold based on it coming to their town, no?

[TFMH18]

Am I the only one quite surprised that Anthony is remaining with the tour? It just seems like such an unlikely move for him to continue on without the rest of the principles. I'd also argue that, next to Idina of course, he is the "biggest star" of the four. Great news nonetheless!  

[JoseLee_]

I noticed that the playbill for this LA run is the same logo from Broadway and not the new two Idina faces logo. So excited for this. Going friday :)  http://www.hollywoodpantages.com/_px/_pdf/_files/IfThenPlaybill.pdf 

[Pootie2]

TFMH18 said: "Am I the only one quite surprised that Anthony is remaining with the tour? It just seems like such an unlikely move for him to continue on without the rest of the principles. I'd also argue that, next to Idina of course, he is the "biggest star" of the four. Great news nonetheless!  "

 

Rapp's continued involvement is actually the least surprising to me. He doesn't have a dependent family to worry about and has gone on multiple tours (including international) before. Menzel, LaChanze, and Snyder being involved at all surprised me the most. Rapp has his one-man show, so scheduling and staging that is much more flexible than other show commitments, I imagine.