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next_to_normalCatching Fire was not the only thing I saw this weekend! I also went to see If/Then, a new musical starring Idina Menzel and written by the guys behind Next to Normal, during its pre-Broadway run at the National Theatre. If you happen to be in DC between now and December 8th, check it out. Otherwise, you'll have to wait until March to see it on Broadway.
The show is, as implied by the title, an examination of "what if?" The concept is Sliding Doors-esque - it's about one woman, Elizabeth, whose life takes two different paths. Having recently returned to New York after 8 unfulfilling years in Phoenix and an unhappy marriage, Elizabeth finds herself in Central Park one day, being pulled in opposite directions by her two friends. Serious, career-driven "Beth" goes off with college friend and political activist Lucas, ends up getting arrested at a protest, but lands a great job as a government city planner. "Liz" decides to stay with Kate, an outgoing kindergarten teacher with a staunch belief in fate, and listen to a street musician, misses the call about the city planning job (which results in her taking a less rigorous teaching job instead), but has a chance encounter with Josh, a doctor and Army reservist, that blossoms into a relationship.
The story follows both versions of Elizabeth as she faces life's big decisions about love, family, career, and friendship, and manages to (mostly) avoid confusion thanks to some lighting tricks and the main character's different nicknames. It's a clever, if not totally original, conceit - though I've never seen it done in theater before - and Idina is certainly capable of handling the hefty workload of the dual role. It's amazing to me that she hasn't been on Broadway in the 10 years since Wicked, but she's all but guaranteed another Tony nomination for this one.
It's also a fun Rent mini-reunion, with Anthony Rapp playing Lucas, who is basically Mark 15 years later. Still homeless and squatting in abandoned buildings, still crusading for various causes, and still letting Idina Menzel drive him nuts, romantically speaking. (Also like Rent, the characters are appropriately diverse in both race and sexual orientation for a show set in New York.)
The story is still a bit rough - there's a whole thing with a plane crash that is wildly unnecessary and too melodramatic for the rest of the show - but the songs are bold and catchy, and if a soundtrack existed, I would totally have bought it as soon as I walked out of the theater. Idina's voice is magic, obviously, but the whole cast is strong, and the emotional core of the show is there, so with a little work, it could be great. Next to Normal was miles better after its DC run, so I wouldn't be surprised to see some changes when it comes to Broadway in the spring.
I'd say let's talk about it, but the Venn diagram of "people who read this journal" and "people who like musicals" and "people who live in DC" is, I think, justlutamira, lol. Oh well. Come back and see me in March and I will say I told you so. :)
The show is, as implied by the title, an examination of "what if?" The concept is Sliding Doors-esque - it's about one woman, Elizabeth, whose life takes two different paths. Having recently returned to New York after 8 unfulfilling years in Phoenix and an unhappy marriage, Elizabeth finds herself in Central Park one day, being pulled in opposite directions by her two friends. Serious, career-driven "Beth" goes off with college friend and political activist Lucas, ends up getting arrested at a protest, but lands a great job as a government city planner. "Liz" decides to stay with Kate, an outgoing kindergarten teacher with a staunch belief in fate, and listen to a street musician, misses the call about the city planning job (which results in her taking a less rigorous teaching job instead), but has a chance encounter with Josh, a doctor and Army reservist, that blossoms into a relationship.
The story follows both versions of Elizabeth as she faces life's big decisions about love, family, career, and friendship, and manages to (mostly) avoid confusion thanks to some lighting tricks and the main character's different nicknames. It's a clever, if not totally original, conceit - though I've never seen it done in theater before - and Idina is certainly capable of handling the hefty workload of the dual role. It's amazing to me that she hasn't been on Broadway in the 10 years since Wicked, but she's all but guaranteed another Tony nomination for this one.
It's also a fun Rent mini-reunion, with Anthony Rapp playing Lucas, who is basically Mark 15 years later. Still homeless and squatting in abandoned buildings, still crusading for various causes, and still letting Idina Menzel drive him nuts, romantically speaking. (Also like Rent, the characters are appropriately diverse in both race and sexual orientation for a show set in New York.)
The story is still a bit rough - there's a whole thing with a plane crash that is wildly unnecessary and too melodramatic for the rest of the show - but the songs are bold and catchy, and if a soundtrack existed, I would totally have bought it as soon as I walked out of the theater. Idina's voice is magic, obviously, but the whole cast is strong, and the emotional core of the show is there, so with a little work, it could be great. Next to Normal was miles better after its DC run, so I wouldn't be surprised to see some changes when it comes to Broadway in the spring.
I'd say let's talk about it, but the Venn diagram of "people who read this journal" and "people who like musicals" and "people who live in DC" is, I think, just
lutamira, lol. Oh well. Come back and see me in March and I will say I told you so. :)
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Date: Nov. 26th, 2013 12:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: Nov. 27th, 2013 06:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: Nov. 27th, 2013 07:54 pm (UTC)