If/Then Tour

[Clyde15]

Anyone seeing If/Then in Denver soon? Curious to hear about what changes they make and if it's worth seeing again in Seattle

[haterobics]

Aside from changes to make it a touring show (projections, no mirror, etc., covered elsewhere), the point is to present the show that was presented on Broadway. So, I wouldn't expect any other major changes...

[steven22]

Who's the Elizabeth cover? 

[asmith0307]

There is no listed standby. Jeanine DaVita and Deedee Magno Hall are listed as the understudies.

 

http://issuu.com/pubhouse/docs/app2_wrap-ifthen_web

Page 25

[delongpre]

Thanks for posting the showbill!

[TFMH18]

Anywhere there tonight? So curious how this went!

[wyo2ny]

Seeing it Friday night. I skipped it when in the city in summer '14, but thought I should catch this when the leads were announced. I'll report back. 

[Pootie2]

There was finally some publicity, too. http://www.denvercenter.org/blog-posts/news-center/2015/10/13/if-then-producer-on-denver's-rise-among-elite-touring-cities

I'm very curious how effective the projection screen is and how they handle the scenes that made particular use of the mirrors.

 

[Pootie2]

Here is someone's report on changes: http://colkc.tumblr.com/post/131219721605/stage-door-pics-of-idina-from-the-last-two-days

[Pootie2]

http://www.thebalancingact.com/broadway-balances-america-series-what-is-ntm-lung-disease-and-who-is-susceptible/

(Strange topic pairing in an episode, but anyway.) I think this is as close an official announcement for Jackie Burns as we're getting now.

[JBC2]

Looks good for those of us who are Jackie Burns fans. I saw If/Then 3 times in NY...twice with Idina and once with Jackie (flew up from FL specifically to see Jackie in the role), and I believe those who aren't able to see the show with Idina will not be disappointed with Jackie. Glad there's a FL stop on the tour!

[Auggie27]

The Denver review was odd. Not terribly savvy, no real discussion of the score, just a perfunctory dismissal of the "confusing" double story and the usual comments on Menzel taking the roof off (she does, but it's a cliche at this point without much potency as analysis). The show is smart, skillful, nuanced, and deserves better.

[notalwaysontime]

If the show were to come back to the Bay Area with Jackie, I would probably see it again, I've always wanted to see her live. 

[elpielovesblackfish2]

Does anyone know if Idina is coming out of the stage door after matinees on the tour? I don't know if she did in New York, but any chance she is now? 

[NYfanfromCA]

I'm going to see this next month in San Francisco!  I'll be interested to see how it is compared to when I saw it in New York last October !

[GoblinKing2]

Long time lurker, first time poster, not a PR person, just a middle aged white collar dude, but did want to leave comment on this thread.

 

I travel occasionally on my job and saw the show in Denver Thursday night, and I had seen the show last September in New York.

 

Although Idina started out a little rough in the first couple of songs, it seemed that the entire show was much more enjoyable here than in New York.  The principal cast, including Idina after that start, just seemed more dynamic and into the show and having fun with it, with some of the dialogue seeming a little more nuanced (don't ask me to explain, just gut feeling stuff).  Maybe it was that I first saw it after nearly a year of them working it in DC and New York, and by this time they had a several month break from it.  LaChanze was on fire.  Having Rapp in the show made a difference because although Curtis Holbrook did a terrific job filling in as Lucas in NY, Rapp clearly being Idina's contemporary and yes, a little more whiny and weary like I would expect a poor, middle aged activist for whom life had not always worked out as he had hoped would be.  As clichéd as this sounds, Idina blew the roof off with the end of "What the F*CK" and "Always Starting Over."  Snyder is always fun to watch and I'm surprised he isn't a bigger star, as the ladies I've overheard just love him.  From what I understand, the show has sold very well, with the only vacancies usually in the upper rows of the upper balcony and the Denver crowd was very enthusiastic. 

 

I keep hearing about how confusing the show is, but it never seemed confusing to me.  That being said...this is such a personality driven show (a lot hinging on whether or not you like Idina) with the outsized personalities of Menzel, Rapp, Snyder, and LaChanze, that I have a hard time seeing this do well on the road without them.  The book is really not that good.  I like what I've seen of Jackie Burns on You Tube, but there was no chemistry between her and Snyder's understudy in the clip I saw.  The second half of the show in particular sags as for story related reasons LaChanze's character is far more somber and Snyder is absent for a large part of it and it misses their personalities.  The part of Steven is just so uninteresting for such a major character that even though the two actors I've seen play him are very good, you can't wait for him to leave the stage.  He's just a plot device.  And really, Josh is a very boring character.  He's too nice and too calm and too good to be true, but it's Snyder's endearing goofiness and chemistry with Idina that sells the character.  Like David Stone said, if Idina doesn't launch the tour, there is no tour.     

 

I too tend to think the delay in announcing the cast in the post-Idina run (other than it would seem a little hasty to announce the replacement cast when the tour is just getting started) is that the producers are trying to talk her into doing more.  Obviously there is no way she does much, if any, of the rest of it, she's too in demand, wants to do normal things like take her son to school, has a new house she's renovating and a new man, and has already traveled all summer.  But I could see them throwing some cash at her and the other three to do the Chicago and Toronto stops considering their prominent theater communities and the fact that the Toronto stop is the longest on the tour outside of California, I believe.

[BwayinVan]

So I saw the show last night-its last night in Seattle. I saw it during previews so it was nice to finally see the finished product. My brother saw it on Saturday and during her Broadway cares speech Idina explained that she was battling the flu. You could hear it in her speaking last night but she still killed all the songs. Even when sick she is amazing. She still seems to be enjoying the show and the chemistry among the principles was really good. 

 

Like on broadway Lachanze killed it. I thought she had a better chemistry with Jenn but the relationship between Kate and Anne was still as heartwarming and heart breaking. Marc Dela Cruz reminded me a lot of Jason Tam to the point I had to double check it wasn't him. 

I would say overall the ensemble on Broadway was stronger but it was still a great night of theatre. One thing that did bug me was the fact they cut a bunch of Map of New York. That was one of my favourite songs and with the cuts they made it was a bit of s clunky song. 

If it comes to your town, with or without Idina go see it. It is still a great night of theatre. 

[Pootie2]

Thanks for the reviews. They did make minor adjustments to fit the non-NYC venues, but specific lines weren't changed: Mets being adorable losers wouldn't have changed, according to Rapp, because it would always be true in the "recent past" setting of the show. I had a second example but completely forgot it (oops).

 

GoblinKing2 said: " But I could see them throwing some cash at her and the other three to do the Chicago and Toronto stops considering their prominent theater communities and the fact that the Toronto stop is the longest on the tour outside of California, I believe."

 

I rather doubt cash will be a convincing factor with the other projects on her plate. Otherwise, all hints have been pointing to Jackie Burns even though there hasn't been an announcement yet.

 

I'm really glad that less known talent like LaChanze and Snyder are getting a lot more attention thanks to this tour, though. A lot of profiles were raised on Broadway simply due to Menzel's attachment, and it seems to still be happening now.

[GoblinKing2]

Oh, I fully agree that it will be Jackie for the remainder of the tour.  I was just suggesting that if there was a chance of the producers enticing Idina to do any more, and that chance is pretty slim, Chicago and Toronto would be the likely candidates, and probably the only ones.     

[Pootie2]

I suppose that's...possible. I mean, I never thought Menzel would actually go on a show tour at this point in her career and life, never mind the Broadway leads as well.

[broadwaysfguy]

Arrrgh! feel better Idina and rest today and tomorrow!

(i have tix wed night for the sf opener)

im also surprised she is touring with If/Then and  guess she made this commitment before Frozen had fully launched into the stratosphere and she may also have a piece of the gross or net from tour sales even?(you guys inside the industry would better know this)

In either case san francisco is VERY happy to be hosting her back in SF for the first time for a musical since Wicked in summer of 2003 (and filming of much of the rent movie in 2005)!!!!!!

.

[broadwaysfguy]

woo hoo

changes to load in schedule cancelled the tuesday nov 10th performance 

so idina gets 2.5 days rest before going on wednesday afternoon or maybe she gives jackie the afternoon

and opens wed night for press night

jackie is terrific in the role, i saw her on bway, so looking forward to idina!

[Pootie2]

Burns isn't traveling with them right now. Menzel has two understudies in the current cast.

If Menzel had agreed to the show tour before Frozen's peak popularity in 2014, that means she would have agreed in 2013; I find that quite unlikely.

[JoseLee_]

Does anyone know if they sell a windowcard (poster) in their merch? If not I need to by it online before I see it cause I want to stage door. Thanks for whoever answers my question. Beyond excited!

[Pootie2]

https://twitter.com/shnsf/status/663862003690160128

Menzel won't be performing on 11/17 or 12/1 (both Tuesdays). I think that means Janine DiVita will be on.

 

JoseLee_ said: "Does anyone know if they sell a windowcard (poster) in their merch? If not I need to by it online before I see it cause I want to stage door. Thanks for whoever answers my question. Beyond excited!"

I remember seeing on Twitter news of BC/EFA collections with signed vinyl records and I believe posters too. But if anyone is hoping to see Menzel at stage door, that's very hit or miss (as usual).

[adamgreer]

In the interview playbill did with a bunch of former Elphabas in honor of Wicked's 5000th performance recently, they asked all of them what was on the horizon in terms of future projects. Burns alluded to "something exciting soon" that she wasn't allowed to talk about just yet. 

 

It would seem a safe bet she's referring to If/Then.