If/Then is a contemporary new musical that follows two distinct story lines in the life of Elizabeth, a city planner who moves back to New York to restart her life in this city of infinite possibilities. When her carefully designed plans collide with the whims of fate, Elizabeth's life splits into two parallel paths. If/Then follows both stories simultaneously as this modern woman faces the intersection of choice and chance.
If/Then is an original musical written by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning creators of Next to Normal, and starring Idina Menzel in her much-anticipated return to Broadway after her Tony Award-winning performance in Wicked.
If/Then also stars Tony Award winner LaChanze (The Color Purple) and reunites Idina Menzel with her original Rent co-star, Anthony Rapp.
As one of the few new musicals not based on a familiar film or pop song catalog (or anything else for that matter), 'If/Then' certainly is a breath of fresh air. And despite nagging issues with its overall concept and divided story lines, it is a smart, romantic piece with a well-crafted soft rock score and great performances all around...Stylishly directed by Michael Greif on a sleek set containing a massive tilting mirror, 'If/Then' may not be a triumph but it is contemplative, heartfelt and fashionable in a sanitized sort of way. And in light of Menzel's growing fan base, it could be a hit.
We are meant to feel a bit off-balance, a little disoriented, maybe even confused in parts of 'If/Then' -- and that's the sharp point. In this intelligent, surprising, altogether original new musical, the main character is a 39-year-old divorced woman, Elizabeth, who returns to New York after 12 years as a wife in Phoenix. This is a fork-in-the-road show, a back-to-the-future entertainment in which we briefly see the consequences of different roads taken...Greif's gleaming, inventive production has lots of moving parts, including double-decker sets by Mark Wendland that add more levels with a mirror that adds layers of ceiling and sky. Disorienting? Indeed, but in attractive, unpredictable ways.
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