Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta announced today that tickets for the National Tour of IF/THEN, which was named the "Best Musical of the Year" by New York Magazine, will go on sale Sunday, May 22. IF/THEN will perform a limited one week engagement from August 9-14 at Atlanta's Fox Theatre to close the 2015/2016 Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta Series.
If/Then, a musical from the creators of Next to Normal and the director of Rent, opened last night at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. The show, which was written as a star vehicle for Idina Menzel, is one of the most exhilarating new musicals I've seen in a decade – and mere moments in any concerns that the show lacks something without a celebrity in the lead were put to rest.
The Old Globe welcomes Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, making his musical directing debut with RAIN, a sumptuous world premiere musical by one of the most significant teams working in theatre today: composer and lyricist Michael John LaChiusa and book writer Sybille Pearson. Based on the short story by Somerset Maugham, RAIN will play now through May 1, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. BroadwayWorld has a first look at Eden Espinosa and the company in action below!
You cannot beat the Old Globe Theatre for its audacity in mounting the challenging musical Rain, based on a short story by W. Somerset Maugham. Rain was made into three separate films, a silent in 1928 starring Gloria Swanson, and then in 1932 starring Joan Crawford as Miss Sadie Thompson, and finally in 1953 Rita Hayworth assumed the role of the prostitute stranded on the South Pacific Island of Pago, Pago in 1924. This much anticipated musical version with book by Sybille Pearson and music by Michael John LaChiusa is the second time Rain has been performed onstage, the first being a play in 1922. For the entire cast and creative team in San Diego this enterprise has been enormous. It is truly an outstanding ensemble headed by Eden Espinosa as Sadie, and the set designed by Mark Wendland is by itself worth the price of admission.
The Old Globe welcomes Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, making his musical directing debut with RAIN, a sumptuous world premiere musical by one of the most significant teams working in theatre today: composer and lyricist Michael John LaChiusa and book writer Sybille Pearson. Based on the short story by Somerset Maugham, RAIN will play now through May 1, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is this Friday, April 1. BroadwayWorld has a first look at Eden Espinosa and the company in action below!
The National Tour of IF/THEN, which was named the 'Best Musical of the Year' by New York Magazine, will perform a limited engagement at Detroit's Fisher Theatre, March 29 - April 10, 2016.
The Old Globe welcomes Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, making his musical directing debut with RAIN, a sumptuous world premiere musical by one of the most significant teams working in theatre today: composer and lyricist Michael John LaChiusa (The Wild Party, Giant) and book writer Sybille Pearson (Giant). Based on the short story by Somerset Maugham, RAIN will play tonight, March 24, through May 1, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Friday, April 1 at 8:00 p.m. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the stars in character, plus the full company, below!
The Old Globe welcomes Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, making his musical directing debut with RAIN, a sumptuous world premiere musical by one of the most significant teams working in theatre today: composer and lyricist Michael John LaChiusa and book writer Sybille Pearson. Below, BroadwayWorld presents a first listen to the tune 'Sunshine' from the new musical, sung by star Eden Espinosa!
It's interesting to me that IF/THEN is billed as 'a new musical'. It's the use of the word 'new' that I find puzzling. The concept certainly isn't an original one, having been explored on the big screen in the films Blind Chance (1981) and its sort-of remake, Sliding Doors (1998). And, even though neither of those movies were musicals, they both featured the idea of having their lead traverse optional story lines, with Blind Chance even offering up three different scenarios for its protagonist to experience. But, this show is new in the sense that it explores contemporary trends, with the caveat that some audiences may not find much to identify with, and it features a wonderfully fresh and tuneful score (music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey). All of that just might be enough to make this show worth seeing. Because it does feature a talented cast who have the ability to pull off these roles and the memorable songs provided with considerable conviction. But, the trickery seems a bit cloying at times, and the show does seem to drag at over 2 ½ hours. I guess, like our heroine, Elizabeth, I'm straddling the fence too, at least when it comes to my opinion.
The Old Globe welcomes Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, making his musical directing debut with RAIN, a sumptuous world premiere musical by one of the most significant teams working in theatre today: composer and lyricist Michael John LaChiusa (The Wild Party, Giant) and book writer Sybille Pearson (Giant). Based on the short story by Somerset Maugham, RAIN will play March 24 - May 1, 2016 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Previews run March 24 - 31. Opening night is Friday, April 1 at 8:00 p.m. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the stars in character, plus the full company, below!
I cannot remember when a play has touched me as strongly as the West Coast premiere of Barcelona by Bess Wohl, currently onstage at the Geffen through March 5. From the moment I entered the Gil Cates Theater and looked onstage at the attic apartment in Barcelona, with its dark, haunting, discombobulated appearance, I was thrillingly manipulated to examine it more fully... and I couldn't wait for the action of the play to begin. When it did, on the darkly lit set, two people (Carlos Leal, Betty Gilpin) entered the room fumbling to get each.
I happened to be in D.C. on November 5, 2013 when IF/THEN opened its preview run. I was fortunate enough to get tickets to opening night.
IF/THEN begins well enough with a compelling musical number. The song 'What If?' weaves a tapestry of tight harmonies and interesting staging. It immediately establishes the premise: a woman paralyzed by the song's title question proceeds to live out two possible life paths for the audience. Think 'Sliding Doors,' but with more supporting characters and a lot more songs. Unfortunately, this ambitious multi-layered premise proves too much for the authors, and the show ultimately loses its way.
The National Tour of IF/THEN, which was named the 'Best Musical of the Year' by New York Magazine, will perform a limited engagement at Detroit's Fisher Theatre, March 29 - April 10, 2016.
Lynne Meadow (Artistic Director) and Barry Grove (Executive Producer) just announced that Manhattan Theatre Club's acclaimed world premiere production of Heisenberg, the new play by Tony Award and two-time Olivier Award winner Simon Stephens, directed by Drama Desk Award winner Mark Brokaw, will transfer to the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street), MTC's home on Broadway, this fall starring original cast members Denis Arndt and Tony and Emmy Award winner Mary-Louise Parker.
Original Broadway Cast member Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Tamyra Gray (American Idol Season One Finalist, Rent), and Matthew Hydzik (Side Show, West Side Story, Grease), will join Original Broadway Cast member Anthony Rapp (Rent, Six Degrees of Separation, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and the rest of the previously announced cast in the National Tour of IF/THEN, playing at the Fabulous Fox Theatre March 15 - 27.
Original Broadway Cast member Jackie Burns (If/Then, Wicked, Hair), Tamyra Gray(American Idol Season One Finalist, Rent), and Matthew Hydzik (Side Show, West Side Story, Grease), will join Original Broadway Cast member Anthony Rapp (Rent, Six Degrees of Separation, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) and the rest of the previously announced cast in the National Tour of IF/THEN, starting tomorrow,Wednesday, January 27 at the Winspear Opera House in Dallas.
In addition to Idina Menzel's predictably powerhouse vocals, IF/THEN features a stellar performance by LaChanze. She is a non-stop engine of energy, delivering one knockout song after another and acting up a storm. Janine DiVita stands out as well as a talent to watch.
Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today that tickets for the Minneapolis debut of the national tour of If/Then, named the "Best Musical of the Year" by New York Magazine, will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016.
As expected, Tony Award winner and Broadway superstar Idina Menzel drew thunderous applause a mere second into the the start of IF/THEN's opening night performance at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre last Wednesday night. It's no stretch then to say that her mere existence in this very same role she herself originated in the original Broadway production seems, above everything else, to be the immediate draw to the recently launched national tour now on stage at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood for a four week engagement through January 3, 2016. The bonus? She is joined onstage by her original co-stars LaChanze, Anthony Rapp, and James Snyder!
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