IF/THEN Musical WITH SPOILERS- Page 7

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 12/7/13 at 4:09am

I pretty much agree with WickedRocks, after traveling down to DC to see it Tuesday. There is a really great show in here, and it just needs to be clarified better to make it easier for the audience to follow.

My only other issue was that there was no empathetic vibe with Idina for me. Like if she did A, this life happened. If she did B, this other life happened. But for the most part, you're just watching it happen without any need for emotionally investing in either one? But given the powerhouse of N2N, I have faith the team can find the powerful show in here.

Idina's 11:00 was amazing, I also liked "Best Worst Mistake," which hasn't gotten much love in here.

Anyway, was very happy to see this, and am curious to see what turns up on Broadway. I hope they nail it. As I never read this forum until tonight, since I wanted to go in fresh (a decision I am still mixed about), the earlier reviews don't really describe the show I saw this week, so if they can morph it that much in DC, and have fun before Broadway, and a preview period on Broadway, there should be time to really find the amazing show that is swimming around in there.

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 12/7/13 at 8:41am

Ok so I saw it again last night (after seeing it the very first night it opened back in November). I loved it even more than I did then.

It was a LOT more clearer. Instead of having Idina Menzel (and the other actors) play out the different situations of Liz and Beth right after one another, they put their characters behind a screen so create a silhouette of the different situations being played out (with the appropriate light), that way you didn't have people going "I don't get it, she just said that two minutes ago". They spiced up her wardrobe a LOT (considering she only had a white shirt, jeans, and fancy pants to change into the first time I saw her) adding jackets and such. They tried to make the Kindergarden song more relevant, but I still think they can do without it. The "there is no man in Manhattan" song I feel like was longer and definitely better. Anthony Rapp killed it last night, his voice was amazing.

At intermission there was definitely less talking about what was going on and confusion and more of the happy chatter you hear in theaters.

The only thing that I can see as a problem is the stage set up with the mirror.
I sat in the center orchestra the first time we saw it, so the mirror was BRILLIANT. We couldn't see the actual tube of lights on the stage ground, but reflected in the mirror was absolutely beautiful.

Last night we sat in the right mezzanine and seeing the floor was WONDERFUL. It was so beautiful! I was a little sad because the lights in the mirror were reflected a little strangely to me, and whenever they moved the mirror facing up or towards the audience some flashes of light caught my eye and distracted me some. We also couldn't see the people on the stage (well, they were headless to us) when the top half of the stage design would cut our view in half.

We had three people from the center mezzanine come and sit next to us because they were complaining about not being able to see a part of the stage. I don't think this will be a problem in the Rodgers theatre, however. I think the mezzanine is far enough away to be able to take in the entire set.

You could also tell that there were a LOT of people seeing this show more than once, because right before her "what the f*ck" song I heard a TON of sn*ing from what was about to come. The audience was engaged from beginning to end and they seemed to be eating up all of the humorous quips.

Her 11'oclock number was amazing as usual. Vocally Idina just sounds really really great lately, as does everyone else from the cast. I can't wait to see it on Broadway!

[RW3]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 1:21am

For those who have seen the show, how was the capacity of the theatre? Did it seem to be filled?

[mcsquared]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 1:26am

I ended up going to see it again last night since I was pretty confused the first time though I liked the music.
Thanks to this discussion group I was able to get a lot more from it like the lighting cues and subway map.
I noticed the changes like the phone call/voice mail that the job situation hinged on as well as the boss's hospital bed scene which went back and forth quickly between Liz and Beth. They seemed to give more weight to airplane sequence--maybe adding part of a song? They eliminated the MTA job and it was made clear that the faculty position was a go-nowhere adjunct position rather than real professor which made the two alternatives more of a career vs family option.

It seemed like Kate's divorce paper scene still had too quick transition between Liz and Beth, from one sentence to another. I was also still a little confused about the opening scene--was that was a phone call from the Beth sequence talking to Josh after she meets him in the park in the end where in the repeat of the scene she is talking to herself after he died in Liz sequence? I noticed this time they made a point of saying third tour in one vs second tour as to when they met which was the only difference between the two.

During intermission, talked with several people that were seeing it for first time who seemed almost as confused as I was watching it opening night--someone thought it was flashbacks--so I guess confusion is still there.

To the person asking about the posters, they were selling them in lobby 2 for $20. I was inspired by you all to stand at the stage door and actually got Idina and most of company's autographs.


Updated On: 12/8/13 at 01:26 AM

[PTOPhan]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 1:39am

I saw the show on 12/4, and realized that there were lots of changes, even though I hadn't read this thread. The giveaway to the changes was a few stumbles on the lines. As far as the switches between timelines, I noticed the name change and, sometimes, the lighting, but not the handbag. I've been suggesting a wardrobe difference in comments I made on Facebook -- a scarf, perhaps.

The plane crash isn't a crash anymore -- it's a near miss. In act II, Beth and Lucas see each other and talk about why they've been apart for more than two years. She complains that he should have called her after her plane almost crashed into the Atlantic. He says she should have told him (presumably about the abortion). The story line leaves ambiguous whether she had an abortion or lost the baby because of the trauma due to the plane accident. Also, even though the plane scene happens right after Liz's wedding to Josh, the dialogue makes clear that Beth is going to London to give a speech on urban planning; her assistant comments on it before she boards, and another passenger wants to talk to her about her work because he's heard of her. Immediately after the scene, when the shocked audience wonders if Beth is dead, the suspense is carried forward because LaChanze's character walks into a bar and says she's lost someone. I really hope they keep the plane scene in because the ensemble number about fear, regret, and sadness is one of the most searing songs I've heard in a musical.

The one part that doesn't make sense to me in the plot(s) is why the LaChanze character and her spouse are happy in one timeline and divorce in the other. It is really obvious why Lucas winds up married to a man in one and single, in the other -- he's bisexual, with a crush on Elizabeth. He sleeps with Beth, gets her pregnant, and shows he's hurt. In the other timeline, Liz finds Josh and Lucas doesn't get involved with her, allowing him to find David.

If/Then does NOT put down women's choices -- it just makes clear that some lead to one thing (but cause us to sacrifice something else) and others can lead to the opposite. The idea is that Liz has a crummy job because she spent time with Josh and showed up a day too late to get the city planning job. Beth has the job because she went to the office to talk to Steven right away instead of staying to talk to Josh. In the end, the timelines cross -- the widowed Liz changes careers and decides to run for office, while Beth, happy in her career, but unable to find love, meets Josh (who is still alive because he didn't delay his deployment and therefore wound up in a less dangerous spot than Liz's Josh).

I really think (and hope) this show will be a hit. I'm just wondering how they'll manage to sing "WTF" on TV for the Tony awards.

[RW3]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 9:00am

What's the running time so far?

[Tina C2]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 10:14am

RW3 - Here are a couple of answers to your questions:

We went on a Saturday night in mid-November during the previews and it was a good crowd - only a few empty seats in the back of the orchestra. Our friends tried to get tickets for last night's show and couldn't get 4 together. We're going back again tonight. (so excited)

When we saw the show it was 2 hours and 45 mins.

[RW3]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 10:29am

TinaC2, If you are going tonight, be safe!

[mcsquared]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 10:58am

PTOPhan, it was Beth that decided to run for office and met Josh--Liz was taking the job with Stephen at the end.

[Amalia Balash]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 11:28am

I saw yesterday's matinee. Went in not knowing much beyond it was Idina in a show about alternate lives done by the creators of Next to Normal. I enjoyed it a lot and would love to see it again when it's on Broadway.

The main cue for me on which life I was seeing was whether the character was called Liz or Beth -- any lighting differences didn't make an impression on me. For the most part I could keep the storylines separate, though the timelines in the second act didn't seem quite as synchronized so I was confused over how much time had elapsed in each at some points. I enjoyed the songs and hope there'll be a cast album. The first act ran so long I almost wondered if it was going to be performed without an intermission.

I'm tempted to see it again before it leaves DC, but will probably wait till after it opens in New York to see the final product. I'd definitely recommend the show.

Updated On: 12/8/13 at 11:28 AM

[hockeynut2]

Posted: 12/8/13 at 4:58pm

Just an update: Although there is supposed to be very icy conditions tonight, the show is still on. Be careful out there.
All the 'If/Then' reviews in one place on DCMTA

[mschwager]

Posted: 12/9/13 at 12:03am

I saw the show again tonight after having seen it during the first week and they are definitely getting things right. After talking to some of the actors at the stage door, they are definitely prepared to start making some more big changes before opening on Broadway. I'm pretty convinced it will be pretty damn perfect by the time it officially opens.

[Tina C2]

Posted: 12/9/13 at 11:23am

We saw the show again last night and are so glad we did. This cast is so good and Idina was simply spectacular. James Snyder gave a much stronger performance than when we saw him last month. And, I simply love LaChanze in her role as Kate (can't wait for the cast recording with "It's a Sign" and the "Story of Jane.")

We really like many of the changes - the transition between Beth and Liz is clearer between the lights and some wardrobe changes (although the elderly man behind me kept whispering to his wife "it's blue" "it's red" throughout the first Act.) I am also glad that the previous plane crash has been changed to a near miss. The show is still just a bit long...maybe they could trim some of the work dialogue or part of a Stephen song.

Now, we have to plan our trip to see this on Broadway!

[matineeidol2591]

Posted: 1/28/14 at 8:53pm

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/186945-EXCLUSIVE-Musical-Preview-of-New-Broadway-Musical-If-Then-Audio?tsrc=hph

Wasn't quite sure where the best place to post this was. But heres a song from If/Then sung by James Snyder. I'm not the only one who things this sounds horrific, I am? And Snyder's vocals? Im so confused.