Jackie Burns as Elizabeth

[Judith84]

Posted: 8/3/14 at 7:32pm

I was wondering if anyone had seen Jackie in the show, and how you thought she was? I personally would love to see her in the role!!

[phan24]

Posted: 8/3/14 at 7:41pm

There are some clips of her in the show on the Tube, as much as I liked her in Wicked, she does not compare at all to Idina in this role, but that's just from those clips and me seeing Idina live twice, so take it with a grain of salt.

[steven22]

Posted: 8/3/14 at 8:15pm

From what I've heard, jackie sounds great as Elizabeth. I've seen Idina in the role 3 times and loved her performance. I've been a jackie fan since she was in hair. Really enjoyed her Elphaba in wicked. Hoping she gets more opportunities to go on as Elizabeth in the near future....I'm not counting on it though, as idina being out has/would cause a mad house at the box office...

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/3/14 at 8:42pm

The clips are very persuasive. Her vocals are in the same mode, but with slightly less edge -- the Menzel trademark. Having seen the show, I'd say she's giving a remarkable replica of Menzel's performance. She looks quite a bit like her on stage, and again, her voice seems (to my ears) effortlessly right for the range. I suspect she'll get a Menzel vacation at some point, when box office plummets (think Glenn Close absent, replaced by Karen Mason).

Updated On: 8/3/14 at 08:42 PM

[VotePeron]

Posted: 8/3/14 at 11:16pm

I saw her first full run as Elizabeth, and she is truly incredible. Her acting was top notch, and her vocals were through the roof. She made the character more 3D than Idina does, IMO.

I'm curious to see if they'll ever come to a point, like they do with so many star shows, where the standby goes on once a week. Once word gets out about how amazing Jackie is, I dont think they'll take too big of a hit only having Idina on 7x a week. However, this is all wishful thinking and Idina may perform 8x a week until March. Who knows.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/3/14 at 11:41pm

How exactly is "word" going to get out? Menzel has only missed one weekend due to illness, and when she did, there was a line down the street to get refunds. The producers aren't going to give Menzel one night off a week in hopes that "word" will get out about Jackie Burns. Burns is a great performer (haven't seen her in this show, though), but Menzel's name is the only reason this show is still running. When she decides to leave, unless they can convince Kelly Clarkson to replace her, the show is going to close.

Updated On: 8/4/14 at 11:41 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 9:05am

Yes. This is not EVITA with Terri Klausner. (I loved the Klausner Eva, by the way.) It's Menzel's show, period. To me that's fine; it was created for her. But they'll have to find a star almost as must-see, with the same vocal strengths, who can sing it 8 times a week. All of which strikes me as unlikely. 1500 people will not pay $129 to see Jackie Burns, once a week. That's not a put down; it's Broadway in 2014.

[gstrus2]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 9:31am

adamgreer- is Kelly Clarkson who they are hoping to replace Idina?

[Auggie27]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 9:45am

Clarkson hasn't been mentioned. And she isn't an actor, temperamentally all wrong. Katherine McPhee* maybe, though she's young. Would she sell Menzel-weight tickets? Doubtful.

*or Adam Lambert, in a revisal; he'd take the roof off with the solos. "Elizabeth and the Angry If"

Updated On: 8/4/14 at 09:45 AM

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 10:52am

Oof Katharine McPhee would be painful. I do like her voice, but her stage presence is nonexistent. At least Clarkson is a dynamic personality and owns whatever stage she's standing on.

[broadwayfan1995]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 3:39pm

Jackie's amazing, but if they can prevent Idina from missing a show then they will. They cancelled a performance a few weeks when Idina sang at the All Star Game since they had enough notice. Instead, they put two performances on the Sunday of that week. The only way Jackie's going to go on is if Idina becomes ill.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 3:41pm

Doesn't Jenn Colella understudy Elizabeth? I know she probably won't ever get to go on, but I'd love to hear her sing this score.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 7:28pm

Clarkson, to my knowledge, has never been approached about being in If/Then. She's currently selling out arenas. I would guarantee she's has no interest in being a replacement.

She was just the most hyperbolic example I could think of last night.

[TFMH18]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 8:07pm

I think it's been said in one of these threads before, but I would venture to guess that no one will replace Idina. I truly don't believe there's a star big enough who could carry that score to bring in the audience that Idina is bringing in (I would estimate she is quite literally responsible for close to 100% of ticket sales). Assuming she does not want to extend her contract when it is up in March, I'd say the show will close with her in the lead--and presumably most, if not all, of the rest of the original cast.

[haterobics]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 8:17pm

Assuming it makes it past that first weekend in January that takes out so many shows...

[steven22]

Posted: 8/4/14 at 8:26pm

Jenn does cover Elizabeth. However, I think she is an emergency cover. So it seems like Jackie will rarely go on, which means Jenn will never go on, unfortunately. I would love to see both Jackie and Jenn's take on Elizabeth.