IF/THEN Musical WITH SPOILERS- Page 3

[morosco]

Posted: 11/10/13 at 5:40pm

Are the musicians onstage, offstage, or in the pit?

[rgdave]

Posted: 11/10/13 at 5:49pm

In the pit.

[rgdave]

Posted: 11/10/13 at 6:07pm

Adam, that probably explains why I got a little confused in the second act --- using blue during some "Liz" scenes. And you're right, the hospital scene is tough to get because 1) it's very fast paced and 2) because they use green light, we don't have the benefit of the red/blue cues.

[carolinaguy]

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

Two song questions: The only one I've heard all the way through is "Learn To Live Without", so where does that fall in the show? And what is Idina's 11:00 number?

Seeing this on Dec. 7 and curious to see how much work will have been done by then.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 9:53am

Just...plain...BAD!

I was in DC over the weekend and I bought tickets mainly for Idina. What a waste of time and money. Musically, this felt patched together: as if discarded scraps from other musical efforts had been reconfigured. Plot-wise, I simply didn't care about any of the characters. The chorus jumps in an out of songs in the most laborious manner, as if a song would not be complete without them. And correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought this was a supposed to be a vehicle for Idina, and yet, she's hardly in the first act. Whoever had the brilliant idea of dressing her in a godawful white and black pantsuit combo should be shot: neither flattering nor interesting. Rapp was fine but had the most asinine material to work with…songs about spreadsheets and portfolios, really?

I'll admit, I found this so mediocre that I left just before the end of the first act (my companion left about twenty minutes before me, she hated it so much). I really can't remember the last time I did that. This show is not fit for D.C, much less Broadway. I anticipate scathing reviews out-of-town and will not be shocked when the transfer doesn't occur.

See this show at your peril.

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 10:53am

Two song questions: The only one I've heard all the way through is "Learn To Live Without", so where does that fall in the show?

I think right before or after *SPOILERS* her husband's death *END OF SPOILERS*

[mschwager]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 11:02am

Learn to Live Without comes 2/3 through Act 2, but starts in Beth's story-line as she realizes she is alone and crosses into Liz's story-line. She has another 11 o'clock number (don't know the name) that is her big belty song and comes shortly after Learn to Live Without

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 11:52am

Play Esq. - I don't remember any songs about spreadsheets - maybe we saw different versions of the show? I saw it on thursday eve. - when did you see it? But then, Idina was also in most of the scenes that I saw in the first act (and in the second act also), so i don't know what to think about your review. It sounds very much like we saw different shows just based on those characteristics.


On a separate note, the scene with the subway worker walking through the train might just be my favorite joke that i have ever seen onstage.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 1:04pm

The subway worker joke is so good, but so obvious to go for, it makes you wonder why it hasn't been done before.

[veronicamae]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 8:30pm

So many people judging this show before they've even seen it.

They're continually revising the show - that's what out of town tryouts are for. I saw it its first night (Tuesday), as well as Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and each night they'd changed things to make the story clearer. They dropped a reprise. The entire ensemble sings the opening now instead of one character. They now use pink lighting exclusively for Liz and blue lights exclusively for Beth. Idina's costumes have changed a bit to stick to the color scheme.

I have four favorite moments in the show. Aside from Idina's vocals sounding the best I've ever heard from her.

1) "What the F*CK?" which transitions between Liz deciding to sleep with her boyfriend and Beth kissing her boss and then sleeping with her best friend. Elizabeth gets around lol.
2) "The Moment Explodes" which is a beautifully staged scene and a haunting, powerful song about your life flashing before your eyes. I love it, though some have said it needs to tie a bit stronger to the main plot because it's a pretty significant event occurring.
3) "I Hate You," which is an emotional number about being torn from your significant other.
4) "[Always] Starting Over" which is Idina's 11:00 number - an amazing power ballad of acceptance and resolve.

p.s. There are no songs about spreadsheets and Idina is on stage probably 95% of the show. And Idina in a pantsuit is hot. So believe Play Esq.'s review at your own peril.

Updated On: 11/11/13 at 08:30 PM

[RW3]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 9:09pm

I had read that their wasn't a song list in the playbill. Has that changed?

[veronicamae]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 9:14pm

"I had read that their wasn't a song list in the playbill. Has that changed?"

They probably won't have a song list in the DC Playbill at all, given that it could change from day to day. A reprise - one that Idina sings, even - was cut after the first night or two.

[indytallguy]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 9:39pm

"So many people judging this show before they've even seen it. "

And many people offering opinions who have.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 11:31pm

Just to clarify: Rapp's mundane first act BIG number with chorus is the aforementioned "spreadsheet song." If he didn't actually sing the word, then my apologies: but it's still a bad song (like most of the material in the first act),

As for Idina's presence on stage, I refer to her actually having solos in the first act that utilize her talents (which I greatly respect). Her 95% presence, as you refer, is mostly walk on walk off.

And thank you indytallguy: I did see this show (as much as I could stomach...) and gave a qualified assessment (please look up "qualified" before berating me, Wicked-lovers). I give out-of-town tryouts the deference they deserve, but will make a point if I think something is not salvageable. I believe that is the case with this show.

Not to make too fine a point: but I really am not in the habit of spending in excess of $250 for tickets, only to leave in the first act. That said, my rule is that life is too short for bad theater (and opera).

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 11/11/13 at 11:41pm

"They probably won't have a song list in the DC Playbill at all, given that it could change from day to day. A reprise - one that Idina sings, even - was cut after the first night or two."

Double checked my Playbill and no song list.

[veronicamae]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 9:01am

It's a bummer you left before Act II, Play Esq. - it's stronger than the first act, and also packs in essentially five Idina solos. If you chose to spend $250 on a premium ticket to a show you knew nothing about and then leave because you had better things to do with that hour, well...that's on you.

I enjoyed "Mad Manhattan," the "spreadsheet song" as it has now been clarified - a song about how everything is connected a la the butterfly effect. However, it runs (including interspersed dialogue) something like 10 minutes and could stand to be pared down. You're accurate that she doesn't have any real solos in Act I until the end of it - they're busy setting up her story lines with the supporting characters. But, this isn't a one-actor show; as much as I personally would love it, if Idina was the only one that sang the entire show...well...

I do think they'll tighten everything up before it opens on Broadway - I look forward to the final result.

Interesting how different opinions can be!

[newintown]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 9:07am

The way everyone describes this story, it sounds as turgid and ludicrous as a Ryan Murphy TV show. (Which is sort of how I felt about the juvenile, humorless, self-important Next To Normal).

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 11:29am

Don't you pretty much hate everything that comes to Broadway? Or is that after eight? Or both?

[newintown]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 11:37am

If you were paying attention, rather than just looking for opportunities to insult people, you would have read about the many shows that I've praised here, including Matilda, The Snow Geese, and Vanya, Sonia, Masha and Spike in recent months.

Of course, that would require a reasonable and adult outlook...

[holdyourbatboy]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 1:45pm

Haha, "adult outlook". Have a little perspective.

Look, these are the first few weeks of previews for the out of town tryout. You should read up on what many of the out of town tryouts were like for some of the musicals most people consider classics.

It just seems foolish for you to pretend like you can give a legitimate review of a show you only saw part of the first act for.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 8:32pm

Haha oh the fact that YOU'RE telling me I need an "adult outlook" is hysterical.

I'm curious about the plane crash. I understand it is mean to serve a purpose, however as others have said it doesn't make as much sense as a taxi crash would.

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 9:17pm

Yeah the plane crash didn't sit well with me either. They were traveling to London for a business project (which I guess makes sense...seeing another city and all), but I think a car crash would have been a lot more believable of someone (or two people) surviving. Especially on a plane to London... you know, the ocean and everything.

And whoever said that pantsuit was not looking good on her, ALL LIES! She looked DAMN good throughout the musical!

[veronicamae]

Posted: 11/12/13 at 9:25pm

I had the same thought re: plane crash survival, but a friend actually looked it up with the...flight stats organization and survival in plane crashes is actually surprisingly high?? Doesn't seem like it should be but I guess...

I LOVE that song ("The Moment Explodes") and the way it's staged - I hope they keep it and just tie it to the plot better.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 12:21am

I just looked that stat up. I guess the statistic is high. But what qualifies as a "plane crash"? I mean, if a plane is landing without its gears down and it has a VERY rough landing and that's considered a "crash" than that might make the statistic jump up because that probably happens A LOT more than full on plane crashes.
I have no idea why I just dug into that as much but alas, I'm avoiding homework and this thread is providing me with a lot of procrastination.
Either way, I wanna see this show. Sounds like a lot of their issues are being fixed.

[newintown]

Posted: 11/13/13 at 7:46am

"Haha oh the fact that YOU'RE telling me I need an "adult outlook" is hysterical."

Couldn't prove my point any better than that...