If/Then Previews- Page 13

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 9:15am

I had trouble delineating them regardless of different names, jackets, lighting, etc. Those are very subtle when you are focused on the people on stage. I kept being pulled out of the story by having to readjust to "oh which one is this?"

I also saw Beth as a pretty cold person-she was rather short and curt whereas Liz was more playful. Two different people if you ask me-not just different choices. (It's sad when you long for Constantine putting his hair in a ponytail every other scene in J & H)

I give Idina mad props-she's doing amazing work. The story and music just isn't up to par.

The choreography is as bad as GHOST with the Mia Michaels influences. Didn't fit.

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 9:50am

Wouldn't experiencing various life changing events effect your personality? Isn't that the point of the show? In one of the realities, Elizabeth is an extremely successful career woman, therefore, other parts of her life suffer-- relationship with friends, love life, etc. and it makes her stressed and moody. Haven't we all been there before?

This show is showing two very real instances we all have experienced at some point or another. At some points, we're playful and grounded. At others, we're cold, distant, and selfish.

Granted, not all of the plot devices work, but it's mostly successful at showing the audience something about themselves.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 10:06am

I saw the show and found it generally agreeable but pretty forgettable. I appreciated the attempt at doing a contemporary show by and for adults, certainly, and the production and cast are beyond reproach. The score sounded pretty bland to me, nothing memorable about it at all.

I remember thinking in the first act that the only thing missing was any reason for me to give a damn about anything that was going on. The second act did its best to push emotional buttons, and thanks to the skilled cast they were pushed pretty efficiently, I didn't really feel that I was being too manipulated.

I just can't say I found myself all that interested. I found the double storylines easy enough to follow with a little effort, that wasn't a problem. There's just not a lot going on, for all the belting and switching storylines and stuff.

[jv92]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 12:07pm

Count me as one of the people who found IF/THEN pretty terrific. Is it perfect? No. Messy? Absolutely. Is the "plane" segment of the show completely unnecessary (as people have mentioned)? Probably. But the positives far outweigh the negatives. And I was skeptical going in, too. I've always appreciated Menzel and LaChanze, but never found them over-the-top brilliant talents. They're pretty terrific here, particularly Idina Menzel, who will be giving Kelli O'Hara run for her money come June. (I still think O'Hara gives a better performance, though.) LaChanze is delightful. Anthony Rapp, whose magic I've never understood, is really quite good here, too.

But it's the writing, and the chances this show takes, is ambition-- THAT'S what I admire about it. Kitt and Yorkey are guys who write contemporary, tuneful stuff, but they do have a spectacular sense of surprise in their work-- avant garde without being too weird. Two songs in particular I found very affecting, "Hey, Kid" and Menzel's big soliloquy in Act 2 about dealing with loss. As much as it's a nice idea to keep the audience surprised and NOT list song titles in the program, at the same time, I do like to know what a song I like is called.

Yes, the piece can be hard to follow and a little confusing at times, but by the middle of Act 1, I was pretty immersed in what was going on. My brain didn't hurt from thinking way too much. The piece requires thought, though. It's not for the blue-haired Jerry Herman crowd. It IS messy and strange, but I thought in a totally good way-- inventive, surprising. All things I like in theater.

Loved the set and orchestrations, too. It was nice to hear woodwinds used. In fact, the only completely terrible production element was the choreography which stopped bothering me after a while, but still felt completely unnecessary and bizarre. They may have been going for urban street dancing, but it looked like a rehearsal for middle schoolers trying to do a Bill T. Jones recital.

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 12:46pm

^^I think the Act Two song you're referring to is generally called "You Learn to Live Without". I thought it was quite the prettiest song in the show.

I don't remember much choreography at all in the DC version. Has it been expanded for NY? This is not really a show that needs choreography.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 12:47pm

I think you hit the nail on the head.
Plus, the show is sparking a lot of discussion. I can see where people are having issues with it, but I can also see that at least it has people thinking. Bottom line, and the most important thing to me, is that its a show that requires the audience to pay attention (and no, I'm not implying that those who didn't enjoy the show were not paying attention. The show's message just didn't appeal to them or they thought it was lacking.)
As others have said, I'm pretty stoked at the idea of having two composers bringing in a completely new musical. We don't get that too often. It seems like everything is an adaption of some sort.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 1:10pm

I love a new musical as much as the next person, and I am open to being challenged. However, this is a musical and the music isn't that good. It's like one long unmemorable song, save for one or two standouts.

A total disappointment from the N2N creators.

[WayTooBroadway]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 1:26pm

I feel like a handful have come and will see the show, looking for "the next Next to Normal.

WHY?

[theatre-is-life]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 1:46pm

A lot of people have been saying the score is disappointing but I actually think the score is pretty great from what I have heard so far. I haven't actually seen the show yet but all the audio clips I have heard have been great. This might change when I actually see it in May, but what I have heard so far is really good. And I have heard more than one or two good songs.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 1:54pm

I think the stakes are raised because of the previous work. I wasn't expecting N2N, but I was expecting the same quality of gorgeous, articulate and emotional writing. That was missing in droves. The people around me and my companions all had the same complaint-the songs all sounded the same and were generic except for a few.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 1:58pm

I thought it was an improvement over NEXT TO NORMAL, which always struck me as just a bunch of over-worked dysfunctional family cliches with a cheesy rock score. IF/THEN at least has some moments of real warmth and wit, it never devolves into self-pitying whining the way NEXT TO NORMAL does.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 2:21pm

I didnt see or hear any warmth or wit in this show.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/27/14 at 2:39pm

It is not uncommon for shows to have polarizing audience reactions, such as Once. But If/Then seems to uniquely have split the audience, but the positives and negatives all have unique, conflicting reasons for those opinions. Whereas Once, people either related to the characters and the intimacy and pace... or just thought it was boring and nothing happened.

I'm glad I've gone and enjoyed it, and am going again post-opening to see the final locked-in version. But, I do think there is concern that people who didn't see, and read threads like this to sort out whether they should buy tickets... I have no idea what their takeaway would be.

We'll see how the critics weigh in on Sunday, but otherwise... How would you know if you were going to be on the positive or negative side of the audience reaction for this show?

Was any other show so all over the place as far as reaction, and I'm just not remembering it?

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 3/28/14 at 1:49am

Okay, I'll weigh in.This is the kind of show where I can read a great deal of the negative feedback it's getting and agree with it on some level, but the truth is when I was sitting in the theater watching it, I was moved. For me, it was mostly an instant connection to the subject matter and the Liz/Beth character...I agree she was a strange, flawed, sometimes unlikable, and often neurotic character but I found that because of that, I could--for better or worse--see a lot of myself in her. I agree that Liz and Beth sometimes almost seemed like different people, but I think that added something for me...that the choices we make affect the person we become.

The score is pleasant but not enthralling, and to me the most memorable songs were "What the F*CK," "Learn to Live Without," and "Always Starting Over." I happen to like those better than a great deal of Next to Normal's score, which--even though I love the show--I actually think is mostly forgettable save just a few songs as well.

LaChanze is delightful pretty much every moment she's on stage, and Anthony Rapp is fine (personally I always find him to be a little dull, but I can't put my finger on why). But I felt too much time was wasted on their story lines. I think the show would find more clarity and focus if it really just honed in on Liz/Beth. The show reminds me a bit of Company in that there is a central character representing a struggle with an overall concept, and all the other characters' stories are only important to the theme if they affect the central character directly in some way. But I guess Idina needs to leave the stage to change costumes and maybe drink a sip of water every now and then.

Speaking of Idina, I am obviously a huge huge fan, and I admit up front that to me, she pretty much can do no wrong. That being said, as objectively as I can view it, I think she may be doing some of the best work of her theater career. Her voice sounded spectacular when I saw it, and she approached the material with a command and ease that actually surprised me a bit. She brings out humor where I'm not sure I would have seen it myself, and though in the past she's often made a mark by being loud and electrifying, here she seems to relax into a place of deep vulnerability and natural charisma (though she certainly gets her signature Idina moment with her 11 o'clock number). It's a distinctly more mature performance for her, and I'm anxious to see how she does when reviews come out and at the Tonys.

I admit I had to keep reminding myself which things happened in which story, and I didn't even notice the change in colors to differentiate stories. It seems something more was needed to clarify the two narratives, but I can't say I have a clear solution as to what that would be. Overall I found the themes of the show to be potent for me personally and for our times, and appreciated the great ambition of creating such a musical, but I wish they had gone through some more cuts and rewrites before bringing it to Broadway. Right now, it seems like a piece of great but not fully realized potential. I think it's an entertaining and moving theater experience with Idina in it, and would urge people to see the show to watch such a heavy hitter in her prime, but I can't see the show having much of a life beyond it being a vehicle for her.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/28/14 at 8:45pm

Some changes I noticed from early previews:

- New lyrics to most of the opening number. Staging remains more or less identical.
-Minor line change in Idina's opening lines. Something about "you know that's what I do...I think about the what if's?"
-Very minor lyric change in "Always Starting Over."
-New staging/lyrics/lines before the verse in "Ain't No Man Manhattan" when Lucas is talking to Josh at the Mets game.
-New staging/book moment from Beth interviewing Elena through the final verse of "No More Wasted Time." (Kate now meets Elena right after Beth hires her; gives her gifts from kindergarteners then as well.)
-Cut second half of "The Moment Explodes;" staging where one of the actresses was held in the air as the turntable rotated, etc, is gone.
-New short scene after "The Moment Explodes" where Beth calls Lucas and says they should be in each other's lives.
-Line tweaks leading up to "Love Wherever and Whenever." (Not even sure if that's what that song is called.)

I think the show is in really good shape. I hope the critics are kind to it. The second act is so moving and Idina sounded more amazing than she did in early previews, which was crazy to me. Updated On: 3/28/14 at 08:45 PM

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/28/14 at 8:55pm

Thanks for the update, Wicked. I didn't make it back for a second round during previews, plus with the show frozen now, it didn't seem like it would matter catching it right before opening. Can't wait to see it again in like 2 weeks, to see the final product!

[VotePeron]

Posted: 3/28/14 at 9:01pm

Not in a race to see this one again, but I am glad to hear they made changes during previews. An above poster who said the show left them cold is exactly how i've been describing it.

[idinafan4]

Posted: 3/30/14 at 1:25am

This might be a stupid question but does idina wear a wig in the show? Or is it just her natural hair?

[brdway411]

Posted: 3/30/14 at 1:43am

I'm with VotePeron, I will wait to see this one again. I was not blown away by the first preview, in fact, I think I would have rather watch paint dry. I was so bored. It's basically the Menzel, Rapp and LaChanze show to see who can sing the loudest (Menzel wins). The book is boring, the score is forgettable. It was so disappointing to see this show come from the same team that brought us one of my favorite and moving show, N2N. I just didn't connect with any of the characters or their situations. That said, I did not go to the show to see any of the stars. I went to see If/Then, by the people who wrote N2N. I am not knocking any of the performers, only the show.

[haterobics]

Posted: 3/30/14 at 2:03am

I'm I losing my mind, brdway411, or are you just reposting your old review again?

[brdway411]

Posted: 3/30/14 at 2:10am

I posted it in a different thread.
so no" I'm I losing my mind," I sort of reposted it in the If/Then thread.

[nicnyc]

Posted: 3/30/14 at 2:25am

I'll weigh in - It was good - strong book (i didn't have trouble following it), insane vocals from Idina (who is given many opportunities to sing the power ballad-type numbers fans love to hear from her); LaChanze & Anthony Rapp were both outstanding & LaChanze's characters had some hilarious one liners; My two complaints were the male love interest (played by James Snyder) seemed to miss a lot of the humor in the role & the score (which didn't benefit from my just having seen "Bridges of Madison County" with a Jason Robert Brown score that was out of this world - and a performance from Stephen Pasquale that was so mind-blowing that I still haven't stopped thinking about it). The score had a couple standouts but, as a whole, I wasn't thrilled with it. If you were going to see one musical in NYC right now, I'd recommend Bridges or Rocky (for pure spectacle and entertainment value) over If/Then. It wasn't unenjoyable - it just wasn't all that memorable...


Updated On: 3/30/14 at 02:25 AM

[indytallguy]

Posted: 3/30/14 at 6:56am

Went with a group of 4 who like me had all seen the show in DC. General consensus "It was OK." None of us are huge Idina fans, but like her well enough. Cuts and rewrites definitely have tightened things up a bit, but it still was a bit of a meh experience. Glad we went, have no need to do it again, won't be recommending this one very heavily.

[Littleshopofcarrie]

Posted: 3/30/14 at 9:08am

Always Starting Over