If/Then Previews- Page 8

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/8/14 at 6:38pm

For those who have seen the show, how is Tamika Lawrence? Does she have a solo at any point? Love her voice.

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 3/8/14 at 6:55pm

She does get to sing a bit, and actually has a nice sized role. Her solos are AMAZING, her voice is sick.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/8/14 at 7:01pm

Have gotten to know her a bit and her "Seasons of Love" solo in the revival gave me goosebumps.

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 3/8/14 at 7:09pm

I saw it this afternoon with a lottery win. I pretty much thought all the voices (and the orchestra) were particularly strong.

I liked the show more than I thought I would..but it's still a preview and feels like it at times, and my understanding is that the first act is still being fixed. I was able to follow most of it..but I got a little muddled in the middle of act 1, when their seemed to be a 3rd storyline. There wasn't..but I couldn't quite figure out which one those scenes belonged to.

I thought Idina was amazing..and I am not sure I expected that either. And the audience gave her a huge round of applause after her first line..but then settled into a regular audience mode. I think this particular audience was appreciate of a good moment, no matter if it came from Idina or general cast member. But a lot of the material is quiet and personal and Idina does that very well and she was very very touching at times (sitting in the first row did not hurt with emotions and expressions).

I read mixed feelings about this in this thread but I thought the ending was perfect..you saw two versions of her life but then the actual ending is basically a third one so - like in real life, you experience life as it comes..you can't predict what's going to happen.

I would probably like to see it again in a couple of months when the show is set and settled.

This is a huge role for Adina's character. I think she is off stage for maybe 2 minutes during the long first act. The idea of doing this 8 shows a week seems daunting.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/8/14 at 7:14pm

Seeing it on the 19th.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/8/14 at 8:23pm

So I saw the show for the first time since D.C. last night and I think they've done some really strong work in enhancing the show. The delineation between each storyline is much clearer since D.C., although a few people around me were still confused by intermission.

Noticable changes:
-The opening number seemed different, and the moment in which Elizabeth has to decide between Lucas or Kate is much clearer. The diverging storylines make much more sense thanks to this clarification. It really seems like the creative team almost over-complicated trying to explain the premise in D.C., as they've stripped it back to the bare essentials and restructured a lot of the opening moments.
-"The Story of Jane" is gone and replaced with a song that turns into a quartet, in which all four ladies belt their heads off.
-There was a scene in D.C. where Elizabeth's boss has a heart attack (?) and she's talking to him as he's being pulled around on a stretcher. I believe this moment happened in the "Liz" storyline, but I'm unsure. Anyway, that sequence is gone.
-The sequence where Liz tries to convince Anne and Kate to stay together now takes place in a library as the two are researching the proper divorce protocol. It used to take place in a bar. It also seemed reworked, and there is definitely some singing in that scene now. Don't think there was in D.C.
-"The Moment Explodes" happens later in the second act.
-Some new lyrics in "Always Starting Over."
-If memory serves, there was no turntable in D.C. It works exceptionally well here and is used very minimally, but effectively.

I really thought they did some strong work since D.C. Act Two is still superior to Act One, which is almost impossible to avoid considering how the logistics of the structure needs to be clarified in the first act. The second act is where the characters and storylines really have room to breathe. The set is, obviously, much larger and more elaborate than it was in D.C. And it's still a really stunning design. Idina is doing incredible work...even better than she was in D.C., which I didn't think was possible. I have to throw out a mention to James Snyder, who is managed to get me choked up yet again during "Hey Kid."

I've made a lot of my comments on the score and book in the D.C. thread ( https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=1066247&page=6#4489850 ), so I won't repeat them here. The book is still not as good as the score, which is fantastic. That's not to say that the book is bad, because it isn't. It's definitely been strengthened since out of town.

I'm seeing the show again tomorrow and I will do my best to post some more thoughts then. As it stands though, I still stand by my original statement that IF/THEN is an ambitious, noteworthy, and strong entry in the canon of original musicals. Updated On: 3/9/14 at 08:23 PM

[veronicamae]

Posted: 3/8/14 at 8:44pm

FYI, there was most definitely a turntable in DC. Strange thing to not have noticed! lol (maybe it wasn't working when you saw it?)

I'm so excited to see the show.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/8/14 at 8:52pm

Was there really?! Wow. If there was, totally my bad. Last night it was most blatantly used during the opening, so maybe I was just too busy trying to focus on the storyline delineation when I saw it in DC. Whoops!

Updated On: 3/8/14 at 08:52 PM

[adam.peterson44]

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

They didn't use the turntable during the opening in DC, but they used it during the scenes in Elizabeth's apartment to rotate between her living room, bedroom, bathroom, and entryway during WTF.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/9/14 at 3:57am

Okay, right...now I remember it being used in D.C. during those scenes for sure. It's used so fluidly, effectively, and minimally that it's hardly noticeable.

[Sophiia]

Posted: 3/9/14 at 6:55pm

Great comments, WiCkEDrOcKS and qolbinau. I saw the show in DC (towards the end of the run) and again yesterday and feel it has improved immensely (although subtly). I think the story lines are a lot clearer but I still heard some people in the audience at intermission saying "I'm so confused - I think there might be two different stories?" which, maybe there's just no helping those people. I've been trying my hardest to remember the melody and lyrics of "Always Starting Over" because it's so beautiful and epic. Can't wait for a cast album!

I don't recall seeing this in the thread yet but what are everyone's thoughts on Jerry Dixon? I originally thought I had a problem with his character but I think it's just him that I disliked so intensely. His line delivery is very awkward and unnatural and he stumbled over a few lines. I remember thinking this in DC, too. And his singing voice was fine, but not so good to justify the other deficiencies... and I'm pretty sure someone mentioned that he's the one who had to have a line read to him from a stage manager in one of the first previews... Why oh why must he remain in the show? The rest of the cast is so great. I would have recast that role after DC for sure.

But other than that, a really delightful show :) I think James Snyder seemed much more solid now. And "Hey Kid" is the sweetest thing.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 3/9/14 at 7:24pm

I liked him as her boss, he didn't have the best delivery but he was pretty good. Does anyone think they will significantly change any story lines at this point? I think that's why they had the try out out of town, and they have obviously made several changes. I was just curious of anyone's thoughts on this.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 3/9/14 at 7:27pm

No.

[AHLiebross]

Posted: 3/9/14 at 9:27pm

I am glad that most of the folks seeing the New York previews seem to be impressed with the show. I saw it in DC and I REALLY want it to be a hit. What a massive amount of energy -- both physical and emotional -- Idina Menzel must put into her performances! Break a leg, Idina, and everyone else in the cast, as well.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/10/14 at 9:05am

Saw the first preview here and was wondering if anyone has noticed if they made any changes since then?

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 3/10/14 at 9:17am

WickedRocks--

**SPOILER**

Is "The Moment Explodes" the airplane scene/song? Does that mean, timing-wise, it lines up more with Josh's death? That would definitely make more sense structurally. Both life-alternating moments would then occur at around the same time in the show. (I only saw the show once in DC so I'm trying to remember the placement of everything.)

[Sophiia]

Posted: 3/10/14 at 10:07am

LYLS3637 - yes, that's exactly it. Structurally, it works a lot better and while I thought the scene should be cut after seeing it in DC, I actually think it works now.

[mamaleh]

Posted: 3/10/14 at 10:26am

Not sure how I feel about the show, which I saw yesterday. The second act feels too long, and like BRIDGES, it doesn't seem to know how/when to end. I thought the performances (especially Idina's) outshone the material, although I do appreciate an original book (what a concept!). It was intriguing; I just wish the score were stronger. This was my first complete hearing, so future listenings might lead to a different conclusion, but for now, I found the songs bland and unmemorable--a disappointment inasmuch as I really liked NEXT TO NORMAL.

By the way, I sat in the rear orch and had to bend my head down a few times to catch a few scenes on the upper tier. Not a big deal; only slightly annoying. Well worth the "Lottery Losers" price.



Updated On: 3/10/14 at 10:26 AM

[BwayTday]

Posted: 3/10/14 at 2:07pm

***Spoilers

I thought the show was more interesting than engaging. The concept was very interesting, but it seemed to me that the creative team cared more about the themes and the structure than about the characters and the narrative. It never felt like the stakes were high enough most of the time. And in the few moments where the show really started getting exhilarating, the storyline switched. I cared a lot more about Liz's story than I did about Beth's, which is definitely a problem.

The performances were all really great. A very tight (if over-choreographed) ensemble and great leading performances. LaChanze, Colella, Rapp, Synder, and Tam were all very lively and present in their supporting roles, but this is obviously Idina's show. She is still learning how to navigate the score properly (lots of shaky flips into a mix) but she'll get there. She isn't a perfect performer, but when she's really allowed to shine she is electrifying. "Always Starting Over" was far and away the best moment of the show.

Okay, also, I had a major issue with the plane crash. The staging was stunning, but I thought it affected nothing. It felt like they really wanted some trauma for Beth, but it didn't really amount to anything. It was like "Yeah! I was in a plane crash and almost died but can we move on to keeping the lesbians together?" (If that was Beth who did that, I can't even remember). To that same affect, I thought the momentum of Liz's dealing with the death to be way off. At first it felt like she didn't even care, but maybe that's because it moved on to Beth right away.

I definitely want to see it again so I can spend time just watching it rather than trying to break it down and figure it out at every instance.

Side note, don't sit partial view for this if you can help it.

Updated On: 3/10/14 at 02:07 PM

[idinafan4]

Posted: 3/12/14 at 3:36am

If you don't mind me asking, how much/what was missed with the partial view seats? Thanks!

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 3/12/14 at 8:07am

My friend sat way up in the balcony and had a hard time seeing anything on the top tier of the stage. He had to keep bending over to see. Plus the balcony is pretty far away from the stage - heck the mezz is pretty far from the stage too. It overhangs the very rear of the orchestra seating.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 3/12/14 at 8:36am

^ Just to clarify, the Rodgers is an orchestra and a mezz. There's no balcony/third level. I sat in the second row of the "rear" mezz and I thought it was a great seat. But to each their own, I guess.

[CoreyRyan3]

Posted: 3/12/14 at 8:44am

I sat in row M of the orchestra, 3 seats off the middle aisle on the side. My row was about the 3rd row after the orchestra begins to rake. NO legroom, like possibly the worst I've encountered and I am 6'3, so it was extra uncomfortable. But I had a great view, so I didn't mind as much.

[Up In One]

Posted: 3/12/14 at 9:10am

"I thought the show was more interesting than engaging. The concept was very interesting, but it seemed to me that the creative team cared more about the themes and the structure than about the characters and the narrative. It never felt like the stakes were high enough most of the time."

Sounds like the criticisms leveled at early Sondheim shows like Company and Follies by the reviewers in the press back then. - Pre ATC

[rorschach37]

Posted: 3/12/14 at 9:21am

Can anyone specify where the lottery seats are located at the Rodgers? I usually don't mind partial view, but the view I had in DC with the lottery seats was positively dreadful.