#1
Posted: 11/5/13 at 7:06am
Anyone going?
So Lauren Bacall me, anything goes! *wink*
IF/THEN opening in DC tonight.
#2
Posted: 11/5/13 at 10:06am
First preview is tonight, not "opening." Not going tonight but can't wait to see it.
#3
Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:02am
I'm very excited to hear some feedback about tonight's performance!
#4
Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:19am
Making the road trip to DC on November 30 to see If/Then and Matthew Morrison at the Kennedy Center! Super excited! Hoping to hear great things about If/Then!!!
#5
Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:52am
Me too! Doing exactly the same. Two Matt Morrison shows and one Idina! Not sure which If/Then show to attend though, as I'll be in DC from Nov 27 to Dec 2...
"Mr Sondheim, look: I made a hat, where there never was a hat, it's a Latin hat at that!"
#6
Posted: 11/5/13 at 6:40pm
Check out my reviews with the cast on DCMetroTheatreArts and the $50 tickets for the 13th and 20th matinees.
50 dollar tickets for If Then for November 13th and 20th matinees
50 dollar tickets for If Then for November 13th and 20th matinees
#7
Posted: 11/5/13 at 7:59pm
Have tix for Saturday night. Very excited about this one.
#8
Posted: 11/5/13 at 8:16pm
What does the curtain look like? Where is the stage door? Will she sign my RENT poster? Will Kristin be there?
#9
Posted: 11/5/13 at 8:42pm
Looks JUST like Next To Normal...
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
#11
Posted: 11/5/13 at 9:40pm
So I'm in DC for work and was able to catch just the first act and thought I'd share my take.
First Act 90 minutes with say 7-8 songs (I wasn't working hard to keep direct count).
The songs:
A couple of nice ballads between the leads, one with a hint of country that I could see becoming a standalone song. One clever song I'm guessing is called "What the F*CK?" since that was the punchline of it.
The ensemble numbers were a mess to me. Long-winded,not particularly interesting, and choreography that seemed to mainly consist of walking and turning or spinning every so often. Really lame.
And the first act closing number. My God it needs work.
The Set:
You see the pic of the main set (no curtain) and it is indeed reminiscent of Rent, Next to Normal, and a bit of Les Miz with the runway that cuts across it horizontally on mid-air.
The lower half also periodically features a revolving apartment setting for Idina.
Other than that we get a desk, a table, or a chair now and then. Very minimal. Hard to tell if it is by design or by budget.
One cool feature is a huge mirrored "ceiling" that often is angled over the lower stage so you see things in reflection such as the lame choreography.
Leads are all in decent voice. Poor Anthony Rapp in another role fighting for affordable housing in NYC. Typecast?
My main problem is that book is a mess.
IF your musical's premise is to play out multiple storylines for the leading characters
THEN don't be surprised if those stories feel choppy, underdeveloped, and make it difficult for the audience to get emotionally connected to any of them as they unfold.
I was bored out of my mind. But hey, it's a first preview, right?
That being said, some humorous lines sprinkled throughout, a few are pretty clever and a few are groan-inducing.
The show at this point feels like it is written with a Millennial audience in mind. Those in that age range who were around me seem to be enjoying themselves well enough.
I'm happy to try and answer specific questions if I can.
First Act 90 minutes with say 7-8 songs (I wasn't working hard to keep direct count).
The songs:
A couple of nice ballads between the leads, one with a hint of country that I could see becoming a standalone song. One clever song I'm guessing is called "What the F*CK?" since that was the punchline of it.
The ensemble numbers were a mess to me. Long-winded,not particularly interesting, and choreography that seemed to mainly consist of walking and turning or spinning every so often. Really lame.
And the first act closing number. My God it needs work.
The Set:
You see the pic of the main set (no curtain) and it is indeed reminiscent of Rent, Next to Normal, and a bit of Les Miz with the runway that cuts across it horizontally on mid-air.
The lower half also periodically features a revolving apartment setting for Idina.
Other than that we get a desk, a table, or a chair now and then. Very minimal. Hard to tell if it is by design or by budget.
One cool feature is a huge mirrored "ceiling" that often is angled over the lower stage so you see things in reflection such as the lame choreography.
Leads are all in decent voice. Poor Anthony Rapp in another role fighting for affordable housing in NYC. Typecast?
My main problem is that book is a mess.
IF your musical's premise is to play out multiple storylines for the leading characters
THEN don't be surprised if those stories feel choppy, underdeveloped, and make it difficult for the audience to get emotionally connected to any of them as they unfold.
I was bored out of my mind. But hey, it's a first preview, right?
That being said, some humorous lines sprinkled throughout, a few are pretty clever and a few are groan-inducing.
The show at this point feels like it is written with a Millennial audience in mind. Those in that age range who were around me seem to be enjoying themselves well enough.
I'm happy to try and answer specific questions if I can.
Updated On: 11/5/13 at 09:40 PM
#12
Posted: 11/5/13 at 9:48pm
What's wrong with the closing for Act 1?
#13
Posted: 11/5/13 at 9:54pm
It's a very disjointed number that introduces a major plot surprise (that really seems extraneous, but maybe is better developed in the second act). That surprise has to then be played out through the multiple IF/THEN storylines in a fairly short period of time. This is all being done in what is supposed to be a big climax number hoping to leave us on a musical high so it of course involves the entire ensemble whose members are often dashing to and fro on the fire escape. It just is trying to do way too much for far too little payoff.
Updated On: 11/5/13 at 09:54 PM
#14
Posted: 11/5/13 at 10:27pm
That set is really a little too familiar.
#15
Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:38pm
My friend really liked the show. She said everyone came to the stage door afterwards, but Idina and LaChanze [LaChanze is a source from someone else] only signed a few before leaving.
Updated On: 11/5/13 at 11:38 PM
#16
Posted: 11/5/13 at 11:47pm
jv92, Mark Wendland (who designed the set) tends to use the same exact aesthetic in every single one of his designs. I've always found it rather jarring.
Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.
#17
Posted: 11/6/13 at 12:06am
From what I've heard before tonight, LaChanze has the likely potential to pretty much steal the show.
#18
Posted: 11/6/13 at 12:59am
^Definitely not. LaChanze has a good song or two, but nowhere near enough to steal the show. The character isn't that developed or interesting enough and the songs aren't showstoppers. I like her as an actress and all, but completely disagree with whoever suggested that.
I'm not going to say too much now because it's late, I'm tired and I already spent an hour dissecting it with a friend, but I was soooo mixed at intermission. I called it Sliding Doors: The Musical and felt kind of offended at the heavy-handedness of a woman choosing to get married and have a family was being pushed as the "right" path over having a career. But I really liked how they wrapped up both storylines in the end. It wasn't as predictable as I anticipated it being.
Idina sounds the best I've heard her in 10 years.
I'm not going to say too much now because it's late, I'm tired and I already spent an hour dissecting it with a friend, but I was soooo mixed at intermission. I called it Sliding Doors: The Musical and felt kind of offended at the heavy-handedness of a woman choosing to get married and have a family was being pushed as the "right" path over having a career. But I really liked how they wrapped up both storylines in the end. It wasn't as predictable as I anticipated it being.
Idina sounds the best I've heard her in 10 years.
Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never knowing how
Wanting life but never knowing how
#19
Posted: 11/6/13 at 1:06am
Can we please be mindful about spoilers :)?
Give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch.
#21
Posted: 11/6/13 at 2:58am
Even though it is probably an obvious plot direction, I think that "heavy-handedness of a woman choosing to get married and have a family was being pushed as the "right" path over having a career" is a spoiler because it reveals one of the ideas of the show.
I personally would prefer any spoilers to have a warning, but I can't speak on behalf of everyone.
I personally would prefer any spoilers to have a warning, but I can't speak on behalf of everyone.
Give me claws and a hunch, just away from this bunch.
#23
Posted: 11/6/13 at 6:49am
I wonder if they stop and thought instead of Broadway why don't we try off Broadway after this run. I just wonder why there are so much rush of new musicals to go to Broadway instead of being coherent
#24
Posted: 11/6/13 at 6:53am
LaChanze is the sassy one and sing the sassy songs. I don't think it gives her much potential to steal the show even though she gets off some of the more entertaining lines.
#25
Posted: 11/6/13 at 8:49am
How are you supposed to talk about a new musical with no spoilers? "Oh, there was a really good song I can't tell you anything about because it reveals anything about the plot."
If you don't want to read any sort of vague spoilers, don't read threads about it. I avoided Sweeney Todd threads for years until I finally saw it and I managed to stay unspoiled.
And, yeah, I also clearly said "IT WASN'T AS PREDICTABLE AS I ANTICIPATED IT BEING!", which kind of negates my comment ruining the ending.
If you don't want to read any sort of vague spoilers, don't read threads about it. I avoided Sweeney Todd threads for years until I finally saw it and I managed to stay unspoiled.
And, yeah, I also clearly said "IT WASN'T AS PREDICTABLE AS I ANTICIPATED IT BEING!", which kind of negates my comment ruining the ending.
Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never knowing how
Wanting life but never knowing how
Updated On: 11/6/13 at 08:49 AM
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