If/Then Previews- Page 5

[EvanK]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 1:16am

I will say I think this show will have a huge life and following. One from the Next to Normal crowd, but also from the Wicked crowd. All those Wicked fans who saw Idina in the show originally, all those girls who grew up fascinated by her and her performance will flock to this show. I mean, Wicked itself has been promoting the show and Idina...

[brdway411]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 1:20am

It will be interesting to see the weekly grosses when Idina decides to go on vacation for any length of time.

[oasisjeff]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 1:40am

"Both my BF and I agree, the way it is right now, this is a huge gamble. The selling power is Idina, not the music or the script."

In a show not based on previous source material, this seems unavoidable.

I would argue that the creative team's Rent/N2N lineage is also attracting people to the piece.

It is a sad state of affairs that it is a negative that people are going into a show without any expectation of what they are about to hear or see, only who will be onstage doing and singing those as-yet-unknown things. I think that used to be called the magic and wonder of going to see a new show...

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 01:40 AM

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 3:17am

The biggest problem I had when seeing it in DC was relating to the characters. I feel like as soon as they get too personal, the words become generic. Unlike Next to Normal where you get the brutal honesty that makes you sympathize with the characters as humans. I also got bored both times seeing it. Not the "let's leave right now" bored but the struggling to really engage yourself into it kind of bored.

[AntV]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 7:35am

"I agree that Act One is messy, but my takeaway is that it had emotional power. And I'm not a sucker! Haha.. It felt fresh and contemporary unlike most musicals I've seen lately. I hope they clean this one up.. Would love Act One to move faster and be less dense. There was a song I really liked in the middle of Act One with the 4 women - would love more of that type of energy in Act One. Looking forward to a song list. "

But Act One doesn't begin previews until March 20th. Updated On: 3/6/14 at 07:35 AM

[newintown]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 8:52am

"The lights dimmed in the Richard Rodgers and suddenly a spotlight hits Idina on a second tier runway. She's holding a phone and begins to leave a message. She speaks: Hi, it's me. The audience goes crazy, and just like Liz Taylor conquered all those hearts decades ago, Idina has us with three words.

I don't find that surprising, as at least 85% of the audience for this show's first preview would have been Menzel fans (or worse, fanatics).

I look forward to hearing reports from later performances, in front of more... diverse audiences.

[Claudia Draper]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:02am

The 11:00 number is called "(always)Starting Over".. but she has 3 killer songs in this. In DC - I show it 5x - the show was 3 hours. The only change I read, so far, is that one character has glasses. Song list from wikipedia..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If/Then_(musical)

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 09:02 AM

[carolinaguy]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:07am

For those who saw the first preview--is LaChanze's first-act song "The Story of Jane", sung to her kindergarten class, still in the show? To me that was the song that most needed to go or be replaced.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:07am

Sounds like nothing much has changed from when I saw it: Idina's 11:00 number is still the highlight (and people still go crazy at her first line ), several audience members still find it hard to follow, the point of view is still a little insular (though all that "NEW YORK RULES!!!" stuff probably plays better when it's actually in New York!), and . . .

*SPOILER*
. . . people still hate the plane crash.

I think Michael has a point about how it would be tighter and more focused if the storylines stuck closer to Liz/Beth. Though Idina's already practically running a marathon every night, so I don't know how feasible that is.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:17am

carolinaguy, LaChanze did sing a song to her Kindergarten class, that eventually morphed into a city planning thing and then eventually into a quartet for the four women. (It was a long sequence and perhaps the one song was actually two, but it felt like a cohesive unit to me). Even without a song list, I don't think it was "The Story of Jane." She sang to them about Beth's story, and referred to her as such in the song.

[MCfan2]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:33am

"Even without a song list, I don't think it was 'The Story of Jane.' She sang to them about Beth's story, and referred to her as such in the song."

Oh, she did? That sounds like an improvement. It never really made sense to me that she was making Beth this generic sort of "Jane" figure in the song, and I imagine it would have made even less sense to the kindergarteners she was singing to.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:33am

I liked the show very much, but I am a huge fan of Kitt/Yorkey and Next to Normal. I was very moved.

I was speaking to someone at intermission who said LOTS of changes from DC have been made, especially in the very beginning. I think they have made the storytelling clearer. But again, I didn't see it before so I can't be sure.

LaChanze does have a scene with her kindergarten class but it's very short and not really a song. I think the problematic song people are talking about was cut.

I was able to follow the two stories save for about 10-15 minutes in the middle of act one, when she was on a date with James Snyder and I couldn't figure out whether it was Liz or Beth. But shortly after that, I picked it up again.

I do worry that this show is not very commercial. It's very smart and intimate and I don't know how they well market it for a Broadway audience. But maybe that's why we have Idina and her fans will flock to see it. Lots of young teenage girls who love "eye-dina" were sitting around me.

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 09:33 AM

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:36am

I'm surprised they haven't included a song list.

My biggest issue with the production in DC was Anthony Rapp. I found his character most annoying.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:40am

Kitt and Yorkey don't do song lists. Next to Normal didn't have one either. It spoils the show.

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:40am

^Agreed. Too whiny and in-your-face.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:47am

I really would like to see this and see the changes made, but like with LES MIS, it's the audience that's going to keep me away, at least for a long while.

I just can't stand the screaming that's become acceptable in certain shows.

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:48am

I also hated Rapp. I wish this show the best, but it appears that the problems I had in DC are still in the show. And if the fans were as annoying as they were in DC, count me out.

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 09:48 AM

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:54am

Jordan, Other than the extended entrance applause for Idina the audience was very respectful and attentive.

[Rainbowhigh23]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:54am

I was lucky to be sitting with older and quieter folks farther back in orchestra but the screaming when she first comes out was deafening all over the theater. The show is definitely going to be saved by the star power and Rent lineage. I, too, would love to see the grosses when Idina is on vacation.

I didn't see it in DC but heard it needed lots of work. This show did not have the emotional punch of Next to Normal and had no memorable tunes. The 11 o'lock number was meh, aside from the high notes that Idina hit.

Updated On: 3/6/14 at 09:54 AM

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:56am

"I also hated Rapp."

I thought he was the best one in it.

[newintown]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 9:58am

"I really would like to see this and see the changes made, but like with LES MIS, it's the audience that's going to keep me away, at least for a long while.

I just can't stand the screaming that's become acceptable in certain shows."

Exactly; many previews have become unpleasant experiences because of excessively vocal audiences. We get it, you're a fan, musical theatre is your raison d'être; now let the rest of us hear the end of the song before you start whooping and stomping.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 10:02am

"Exactly; many previews have become unpleasant experiences because of excessively vocal audiences. We get it, you're a fan, musical theatre is your raison d'être; now let the rest of us hear the end of the song before you start whooping and stomping."

And these kids actually think the actors on stage appreciate it, instead of what they really want to do which is jump off the stage and punch them in the jaw to shut them up.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 10:02am

When I saw the show in DC, I don't recall the audience being overly enthusiastic in their responses for both the show and Idina.

[binau]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 10:13am

Different audiences probably.

Great first thoughts people thank you very much!!!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/6/14 at 11:35am

Personally I think it's pretty awesome to have such young people so engaged and eager for theater! I welcome it!