If/Then started its national tour in Denver, Colorado, on October 13, 2015.[4] On January 27, 2016, Jackie Burns replaced Idina Menzel as Elizabeth for the remainder of the tour.[5]
Productions
After a developmental lab in April 2013, featuring Idina Menzel and directed by Michael Greif,[6]If/Then staged an out-of-town tryout at the National Theatre, Washington, D.C. from November 5 to December 8, 2013.[7] The musical began previews on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on March 5, 2014, and officially opened on March 30.[8]
A national tour, with Menzel again in the starring role, began in Denver in October 2015.[4]
A South Korean production is set to play in Hongik Daehakro Art Center Grand Theater from December 8, 2022 to February 26, 2023.[9]
Synopsis
38-year-old divorcee Elizabeth moves back to her hometown of New York City to start her life anew. Her kindergarten teacher friend Kate suggests she adopt the nickname Liz and attend a concert, while her activist friend Lucas suggests she return to her college nickname of Beth and join him at a rally. The work switches back and forth between the two possible timelines.
Liz meets an army doctor named Josh, and after a brief hesitation, falls in love with him. Josh introduces Lucas to his friend David, and they too begin a relationship. Liz and Josh have two children, but Josh, having delayed his third tour of duty as long as possible, is deployed and killed in action. Meanwhile, Kate's marriage ends in divorce, and David encourages Liz to confront her loss.
Beth, having brushed off Josh, receives a call from her former classmate Stephen, who offers her a job as a city planner. After an awkward kiss with Stephen, Beth invites Lucas over, and they have sex. Lucas is in love with Beth, but she is not interested in him. Beth learns she is pregnant with Lucas's child, but opts to get an abortion, ruining their friendship. Years pass, and Beth throws herself into work while remaining lonely. After a harrowing near-death experience, Beth urges Kate and Anne to make up and love each other while they can.
Five years after the opening scene, Liz and Beth both meet their friends in the park. Liz reconnects with Stephen, who has a job opportunity for her, while Beth meets Josh, back from his originally scheduled third tour of duty. Both women take the new opportunity and face the future.
Musical numbers
Act I
"Prologue / What If?" - Elizabeth, Busker, Kate, Lucas, Josh and Company
"It's a Sign" – Kate and Passengers
"A Map of New York" – Stephen, Beth, Kate and Company
"You Never Know" – Josh
"Ain't No Man Manhattan" – Lucas and Activists
"What The Fuck?" – Elizabeth
"Here I Go" – Liz and Josh
"You Don't Need to Love Me" – Lucas
"No More Wasted Time" † – Beth, Kate, Anne, Elena
"Surprise" – Company
Act II
"This Day / Walking by a Wedding" – Kate, Anne, Liz, Josh, and Company
"Hey, Kid" – Josh
"Some Other Me" – Beth and Lucas
"Best Worst Mistake" – Lucas and David
"I Hate You" – Liz and Josh
"A Map of New York (Reprise)" – Stephen
"You Learn to Live Without" – Elizabeth
"The Moment Explodes" ‡ – Beth, Architect, Flight Attendant, Passengers
"Love While You Can" * – Beth, Kate, Anne
"What Would You Do?" – David
"Always Starting Over" – Liz
"Finale / What If? (Reprise)" – Company
† In the pre-Broadway production, this song is not performed; instead, "The Story of Dick and Jane", was performed by Kate and company ‡ In the pre-Broadway production, this song is moved and performed between "This Day / Walking By A Wedding" and "Hey Kid" * In the pre-Broadway production, this song is not performed; instead, a different version of "No More Wasted Time", was performed by Kate and Anne
While at the National Theatre, Peter Marks, reviewing for The Washington Post praised Menzel, calling her "an earthy star with heavenly pipes"[10] but said the play makes "it difficult to determine at any given moment which of the stories of Elizabeth's fate we're in".[10] Marks noted that the show has the ingredients that it needs for success: "It's a winning blob, and it provides a lot of engaging elements, from Mark Wendland's becoming minimalist set, with rotating skeletons of city apartments and handsome retractable fire escapes, to Emily Rebholz's sleek and taste-drenched costumes. The score — a far sunnier composition than the songwriters worked out for their Pulitzer Prize-winning musical about mental illness, 'Next to Normal' — gives Tony-winner Menzel the power ballads in which her fans from 'Wicked' and 'Rent' will exult."[10]
The Broadway production received primarily mixed reviews, with the consensus being that the cast shone, but the score and book were still unclear. Ben Brantley of The New York Times gave a mixed review but stated that Idina Menzel "brings an anxious intensity to a featherweight part".[11] Mark Kennedy of ABC News said, "An uneven — maybe not completely finished — show opened Sunday at the Richard Rodgers Theatre with an intriguing, ambitious premise and a leading lady with a shockingly good voice, but a clumsy story and too few impressive songs".[12] Peter Marks of The Washington Post summed up his review with, "If/Then is an enjoyable, beautifully sung, at times deeply touching experience, built on a structure that never completely works."[13] Robert Hofler of The Wrap gave an optimistic review, comparing the show's non-traditional structure to Stephen Sondheim's Company, saying "Today, audiences seeing those classic shows understand perfectly what's going on. Audiences seeing them in the original productions – take it from me – were very confused and exasperated" and that "...it's an intriguing book, but one that Yorkey might tinker with beyond opening night, just as the books of 'Merrily We Roll Along' and 'Follies' went through many revisions after their respective Broadway premieres. In other words, see 'If/Then' now so you can have the fun of making comparisons to its future revivals, of which there will be many".[14] Elysa Gardner of USA Today was positive, writing, "Yorkey's book and lyrics match the probing compassion of Normal without indulging in that show's preciousness. The characters here are more accessible and likable, from James Snyder's rugged but tender Josh to Anthony Rapp's wry Lucas, Elizabeth's longtime friend. LaChanze brings infectious verve to the role of Kate, a lesbian schoolteacher who evolves from a stock comic-buddy type into a compelling individual. As for the leading lady, Menzel seems both grounded and energized by the opportunity to play a grownup who learns that there really are no ever-afters. There is poignance in that discovery, but a sense of liberation as well, and If/Then captures both to moving, invigorating effect."[15]
Despite mixed reviews, the show enjoyed strong box-office returns. During its first full week of performances, the show debuted in the top 10 with $931,268.[16] The show was highlighted by Entertainment Weekly as one of the hits of the 2013–2014 season.[17] By the last week of April the show was playing to over 97% capacity and was noted as one of the two highest-grossing new musicals.[18][19] In May, If/Then was noted by Variety as being one of "the spring openers that have shown box office strength all along," and was still bringing in over a million dollars at the box-office every week.[20] Also in May, Deadline Hollywood highlighted the fact that If/Then was defying the odds as one of the few original musicals to perform strongly in recent years, with most original musicals only lasting around a month. Deadline.com went on to comment on the strength of Menzel's name and fan-base as being behind the show's financial success.[21] Nevertheless, the production likely closed at a loss.[22]
While the show was on Broadway, James Snyder hosted a Broadway.com vlog titled Hey Kid showing what went on backstage. The series was originally expected to run for an eight episode single season, but was extended to 12 episodes due to popularity, before being extended again. It ended up running for three seasons, or 24 episodes, making it one of the longest-running Broadway.com vlogs ever.
Idina Kim Menzel is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in musicals on Broadway, she has been nicknamed the "Queen of Broadway" for her commanding stage presence, powerful mezzo-soprano, and reputation as one of the most influential stage actors of her generation. Having achieved mainstream success across stage, screen, and music, her accolades include a Tony Award and a Daytime Emmy Award. In 2019, Menzel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Anthony Deane Rapp is an American actor and singer who originated the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent. Following his original performance of the role in 1996, he reprised it in the film version of the show and the show's United States tour in 2009. He also performed Charlie Brown in the 1999 Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and originated the role of Lucas in the musical If/Then in 2014. From 2017 to 2024, he played Commander Paul Stamets on the television series Star Trek: Discovery.
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is a loose adaptation of the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which in turn is based on L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its 1939 film adaptation. The musical is told from the perspective of two witches, Elphaba and Galinda, before and after Dorothy's arrival in Oz. The story explores the complex friendship between Elphaba and Galinda. Their relationship is tested by their contrasting personalities, conflicting viewpoints, shared love interest, reactions to the corrupt rule of the Wonderful Wizard, and ultimately, Elphaba's tragic fall.
Megan Kathleen Hilty is an American actress and singer. She rose to prominence for her roles in Broadway musicals, including her performance as Glinda in Wicked, Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5: The Musical, and her Tony Award–nominated role as Brooke Ashton in Noises Off. She also starred as Ivy Lynn on the musical-drama series Smash, on which she sang the Grammy Award-nominated "Let Me Be Your Star", and portrayed Liz on the sitcom Sean Saves the World.
Stephanie Janette Block is an American actress and singer, best known for her work on the Broadway stage.
Aaron Lohr is an American actor.
Kelli Christine O'Hara is an American actress and singer, most known for her work on the Broadway and opera stages.
Next to Normal is a 2008 American rock musical with book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and music by Tom Kitt. The story centers on a mother who struggles with worsening bipolar disorder and the effects that managing her illness has on her family. The musical addresses grief, depression, suicide, drug abuse, ethics in modern psychiatry, and the underbelly of suburban life.
Brian d'Arcy James is an American actor and musician. He is known primarily for his Broadway roles, including Shrek in Shrek the Musical, Nick Bottom in Something Rotten!, King George III in Hamilton, and The Baker in Into the Woods. He has received five Tony Award nominations for his work. On-screen, he is known for his recurring role as Andy Baker on the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, Officer Krupke in West Side Story, and reporter Matt Carroll in Spotlight.
Jeffrey Finn is a Tony-Award winning American theatrical producer. He is the Vice President of Theater Producing and Programming at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Artistic Director of Broadway Center Stage. He received the Commercial Theater Institute's 2013 Robert Whitehead Award for outstanding achievement in commercial theatre producing. Finn is the President of Jeffrey Finn Productions and Hot On Broadway. He attended Connecticut College, where he received his bachelor's degree in 1992. He attended Beaver Country Day School from 1984 to 1988. Finn is a executive member of The Broadway League and The Independent Presenters Network.
Thomas Robert Kitt is an American composer, conductor, orchestrator, and musician. For his score for the musical Next to Normal, he shared the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama with Brian Yorkey. He has also won two Tony Awards and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Next to Normal, as well as Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations for If/Then and SpongeBob SquarePants. He has been nominated for eight Drama Desk Awards, winning one, and he won a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for Jagged Little Pill in 2021.
Brian Yorkey is an American playwright and lyricist. His works often explore dark and controversial subject matter such as mental illness, grief, the underbelly of suburbia, and ethics in both psychiatry and public education.
Jackie Burns is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theatre.
James Randall Snyder is an American actor and singer. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the USC School of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, where he was a member of the SoCal VoCals, USC's premiere a cappella group.
Ryann Kirby Redmond is an American actress and singer known for originating the role of Bridget in Bring It On: The Musical. She performed on Broadway in the musical If/Then, which closed on March 22, 2015, and became the first female actor to portray Olaf in Frozen on Broadway, in 2019.
Janet Krupin is an American actress, singer, writer, and producer. She is best known as a Broadway performer and the original host of the popular web-series "The Click Clique." On Broadway, she originated the role of Kylar in Bring It On: The Musical, and was a swing in the musical If/Then on Broadway. As a musician, released her debut EP, Aurora EP, as part of the musical duo Trillium, and is currently performing as a founding member of The Jackson Massive.
Janine DiVita is an American actress best known for her roles on Broadway and in musical theater.
Gabriella Grace Pizzolo is an American actress and singer. She first made her breakthrough on Broadway for her portrayal as Matilda in Matilda the Musical (2013) and Small Alison in Fun Home (2015). In 2019, she received widespread recognition for her role as Suzie Bingham in Stranger Things.
Idina Menzel is an American actress of stage, film, and television. She rose to prominence for playing Maureen Johnson in the Broadway production of Rent. She also originated the role of Elphaba in Wicked.
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