If/Then Previews- Page 6

[iWannaBEaSedaris]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:40am

I've slept on it and have some different thoughts on it this morning.

I am the only person in my family from a small southern town to have attended college. I've lived in NYC now for a number of years. When I brought my family up to see N2N, they were deeply moved by seeing characters on the stage that they could relate to. A mother with an abyss of un-dealt with remorse. A father struggling for at least the appearance of normalcy. A daughter searching for her own voice and a way out of the madness created by her parent's issues with Gabe. They were seemingly from an upper middle class milieu, but still had relatable problems.

In IF/THEN, characters can't go 10 minutes without bringing up their Vassar or Brown education. The characters smack of elitism and trade in elitist problems. Phoenix is a punchline more than once, as if any dolt who doesn't live in the city on NY is wasting their life. Characters are laden with the 'bother' of children, or they just kill them off (the unborn children that is). The world of IF/THEN is one of Latte's and Brunches. Jogging Strollers and 'City Park Planning'. Jokes made at cardboard cutout 'Interns' (Although Ryan Redman lands some of the best jokes of the show.)

The world that I come from is one where people take joy in simple things. Phoenix or Oregon are perfectly acceptable places to live. Having a casual chat with a stranger is not a once in a lifetime altering or jarring event, it's a pleasant everyday occurrence. The assumption of IF/THEN is that the audience identifies with it's Northeast upperclass Ivy-league elitist characters. The only character in the piece that I cared for one lick was James Snyder's character of Josh. A man content with talking straight and keeping his word. Idina's 'Elizabeth' is someone I would never befriend… Leaving friends at the drop of a hat, using friends for sex and then abandoning them, making ultimatums that couples should stay together for HER happiness. What a selfish self obsessed woman.

As for the score, it's fine enough, but the only songs that stayed with me after last night were Snyder's address to his unborn child and Anthony Rapp's pleading for connection from an intractable Elizabeth. Snyder infused his lyric with a true sense of love. Not Romantic, but paternal. A real and universal impulse. Rapp was reaching for a real connection while trying to appeal the the selfish needful lust of Elizabeth, also a relatable impulse.

The biggest struggles that the principal character's have is their own transient happiness. Nothing to do with hard won battles for average American Audiences like paying the light bill and getting the aging parents into a suitable living arrangement in their later years. Or simply the struggle of staying in a marriage that doesn't fulfill all your dreams, but staying and working it out, because you vowed a vow. A world where a promise means something. Where a neighbor's concerns are your own and community is valued.

Perhaps more to come later, but after watching last night's preview, my first thought was: Get me out of this cloyingly politically correct insular self obsessed city to a place where people care for each other instead of dwelling on how they can make the happiest life for themselves and themselves alone. Take me to Bridges of Madison County's Iowa, or 110 in the Shade, or even Into The Wood's fairytale world, but away from the swirling ME centered universe of IF/THEN.






Updated On: 3/6/14 at 11:40 AM

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:45am

Except when the girl next to you tries to mashup Defying Gravity with Learn to Live Without.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:50am

Interesting perspective. As a New Yorker, that is the world I live in so I didn't really notice it. But yes, you're right, it may offend people who don't live here. It's a very New York centric and minded show.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:55am

"The world that I come from is one where people take joy in simple things."

Oh, christ. That's more offensive than lattes.

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 11:55 AM

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:05pm

"The world that I come from is one where people take joy in simple things. Phoenix or Oregon are perfectly acceptable places to live. Having a casual chat with a stranger is not a once in a lifetime altering or jarring event, it's a pleasant everyday occurrence. The assumption of IF/THEN is that the audience identifies with it's Northeast upperclass Ivy-league elitist characters."

Doesn't the Richard Rogers make patrons check their baggage?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:08pm

^^ Ha HA! Gay marry me oasis. We'll enjoy simple pleasures.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:16pm

The jokes poke just as much fun at New Yorkers as they do at Phoenix and Portland.

For example, during the prologue Anthony Rapp is sitting at a table in Madison Square Park, minding his own business. LaChanze walks up and says hello, to which he responds, "Oh. You're one of those people who likes to talk to strangers." I definitely related to Rapp's plight, but we are also meant to laugh at him too.

I thought it was very refreshing to see a mostly realistic New York presented on stage. I don't know what you thought was so awful about the characters- I would gladly be friends with them, or perhaps saw myself in them a little too much to ever condemn their actions.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:19pm

Oasis for the win.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:29pm

It's all well and good to show characters who love their city. The thing that's kind of weird and off-putting, as I recall, is that people -- well, mostly Elizabeth, I guess -- would say words like "Phoenix" and "Nebraska" as if they were talking about something they'd stepped in and had to scrape off their shoe. I remember a one-liner that went something like "There's a river in Nebraska?" which was truly not the least bit funny in itself -- it was only Idina's tone and facial expression that sold it.

Will that have any effect on the tourist trade? Not much, I expect. People who want to see the show and/or Idina will go regardless of how her character talks about Phoenix. It's just a little jarring, I think.

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:32pm

Well, it doesn't sound like an awful lot of changes have been made since DC. The bottom line is that the central story is never allowed to be that compelling. I'm guessing this is one of those shows that will live best as an OBCR.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:33pm

^ Did you expect them to change the entire show?

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 12:40pm

Really can't wait to see this show, and this thread makes me even more excited.

I'm enthused that After Eight hated it as I'm now fairly certain I will really enjoy it!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 2:37pm

"The assumption of IF/THEN is that the audience identifies with it's Northeast upperclass Ivy-league elitist characters."

Most people can relate to characters who have real life problems. All of these characters do. A lot of people identity with the Northeast upper class elitist thing, as theater slowly becomes a luxury item, they are the ones who can afford tickets to a Broadway show. There is nothing wrong with that.

"The biggest struggles that the principal character's have is their own transient happiness. Nothing to do with hard won battles for average American Audiences like paying the light bill and getting the aging parents into a suitable living arrangement in their later years. Or simply the struggle of staying in a marriage that doesn't fulfill all your dreams, but staying and working it out, because you vowed a vow."

I can't imagine people wanting to see mundane, daily, depressing sh!t on a night out at the theater. Also, I figured a few people would take issue with the abortion thing, I just wonder once word gets around, if that will actually affect sales. Doubtful.

[idinafan4]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:12pm

Did anyone go tonight?

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:19pm

How was Adela tonight?

[binau]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:28pm

There was a hilarious flub tonight. When Idina invites her lover into the apartment for '70-85 minutes' there were guys playing with the light because it was falling over. Idina had this great impro: "I know it's unusual I have other men in my apartment". The audience went wild. Then the light fell again and someone shouted from behind "take the light off the stage". The audience went wild again - they started the scene again.

A line also had to be called for the town planner boss guy (sorry I'm terrible with names).

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:52pm

Saw the second preview tonight, and also saw the show (and loved it) in its DC previews. For those interested in what changes have occurred: they've done a TON of work. From what I can tell from the old Wikipedia song list: "If I Told You," "The Story of Jane," and "The First Of Forever" have been cut. "No More Wasted Time" now appears in act one, smartly repurposed as an all-female quartet. "The Moment Explodes" comes much, much later in act two. And there are two entirely new songs where "The First Of Forever" and the original "No More Wasted Time" once were -- unsure of their names, but both are highlights. The opening number, as far as I can recall, has been entirely rewritten.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 12:01am

Did you think the changes were for the best, walkedthroughmany?

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 12:04am

I was there tonight, and I'd just like to throw out some love for Jenn Colella. She doesn't have much to do at all, but there was such seasoned quality to her every time she was onstage, even amongst arguably bigger "stars." My eye went to her every time.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 12:10am

I was there tonight. Idina sounded AMAZING! There were some hilarious mistakes during the show. One actor forgot his line, and the stage manager got on the mic and fed it to him. A few scenes later, actors struggled with a scene transition, and were in what was established as Elizabeth's house, and Idina says, "what are these two men doing in my house?" A few seconds later the lamp in Elizabeth's apartment kept falling, and someone got on the mic and demanded that it be taken off stage at once, and restart the scene.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 12:49am

To whoever said audiences laughed/took offense to places mentioned like Phoenix and Nebraska-In a Dame Edna show-whenever she asked an audience member where they were from,no matter where they said,the Dame would roll her eyes and audiences would ALWAYS laugh as if there must be something funny about that place and we were all in on the joke[and glad we didn't live there].We had no idea why we were actually laughing-we just did.

[SweetLips]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 12:54am

Oops sorry--repeated myself[it wasn't THAT interesting to read TWICE !].

Updated On: 3/7/14 at 12:54 AM

[walkedthroughmany]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 1:03am

WiCkEDrOcKS: absolutely, the changes were for the best. I can't get over this team's ability to kill good songs and good scenes that simply aren't serving the story (remember "Costco"?), and I hate that that's a rarity among show creators these days. Though streamlined and simplified, If/Then still manages to make you think and keep you guessing -- but most important, you're now allowed to do so with an undistracted emotional investment. The final 30 minutes were a complete out-of-body experience for me, and I suspect that will be true for many others.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 1:14am

What is the new opening number like?

[mschwager]

Posted: 3/7/14 at 2:41am

Please tell me the melody of "there's a moment when everything changes..." in the opening is still there. That tune was a highlight for me