Idina Menzel & Anthony Rapp Still Got It! - If/Then Review

Every once in a while a broadway show opens that I have to see ASAP no matter what I have to pay... If/Then was one of those shows!  I've been excited about this since I first read about it last summer.  Well I didn't waste any time and got tickets for the first Saturday night performance of previews.

First of all I think Idina Menzel is one of the most talented broadway performers out there.  She could be in the most boring show and I would still be impressed.   Then there's Anthony Rapp... one of my absolute favorite broadway performers of all time!  I have a thing for nerdy guys and when you combine his nerdy appearance with his amazing voice and his terrible but cute dance moves you've basically made my perfect man (yes yes I know he's gay, but I can still admire him).  To add to the Rent alumni list Michael Greif, former director of Rent, is also directing If/Then.

I have to admit that after Adele Nazeem... I mean Idina's performance at the Oscar's a couple weeks ago I was a little worried that her voice might be fading.  That is 100% not true, she was as funny, inspiring and sassy as she was almost 2 decades ago when she began in Rent and her voice was so strong!  I actually remember her belting out this giant note at the end of a song that felt like it blew me back in my seat.  The note went on for so long I could feel the whole audience gaping in silent admiration.  Of course the audience exploded for her after.  I'm a sucker for those moments in shows.  Idina has still got it!

LaChanze playing Kate and Anthony Rapp playing Lucas

Idina's role in this show is supposedly similar to what is happening in her personal life right now.  (Her and Taye Diggs recently split after 10 years of marriage.  I know... so sad!  I always liked to think they were the perfect super talented couple.)  Idina plays Elizabeth, a recently divorced woman in her late 30's who just moved back to NYC to start her life over again.  When she gets there she meets up with her bi roommate from college Lucas (Anthony Rapp) and makes friends with her apartment neighbor Kate (LaChanze).  Throughout the show you see how choices that Elizabeth makes change her life.

The theme of the show is a brilliant idea.  Everyday we make decisions and each one leads our life in a different direction, sometimes in small ways sometimes in big ways.  You don't think about how something as small as choosing to go out to bar with a new friend or something as big as choosing to switch jobs can change the entire course of your life.  You don't think about it because it would drive you insane, but it was still interesting as a story theme.

Oh and by the way one of Elizabeth's "life paths" has a lot to do with a very sexy man, the character Josh played by James Snyder.  I love Anthony Rapp but I found myself drooling over James throughout the show!

Idina Menzel as Elizabeth and James Snyder as Josh

If/Then is a musical by the Next to Normal creators Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey.  The music was definitely similar, I found myself singing Next to Normal songs during intermission and then remembering it was by the same talented duo.  My favorite song was "What the fuck?" haha not only was it awesomely funny it presented a situation that I think everyone can relate to.  That moment when you've gone further than you planned and you're saying to yourself "what the fuck am I doing???" And you decide to just go for it.  I've been in that situation and the next morning you're either really excited that this might turn into something great or really beating yourself up because you know you shouldn't have done that.  It's the same for Elizabeth in the show.

Overall I really liked If/Then, although if not for the presence of Idina Menzel and Anthony Rapp I don't think it would have the same appeal.  I liked the story of If/Then but the deep emotion of Next to Normal just wasn't there.  Nor was the cool personality and catchy songs of Rent.  In fact other than "What the fuck" I actually have a hard time remembering any of the other songs...  I didn't dislike any of them but none of the other songs had that "stick in your head, I have to download this song!" presence.  I plan to see it again once the popularity dies down a bit in a few months to see how I feel about it the second time.  For right now I don't think it would be in my top 5 shows (which Rent and Next Normal are in!).

True to its Rent origins If/Then has a lottery for tickets.  It comes as no surprise that the lottery has been insanely crowded since it began.  I was happy to shell out the $75 it cost me for rear mezzanine tickets so that I didn't have to go through the crazy lottery just to probably not win tickets at the end.  But if you have more patience and optimism than me and would like to try the lottery, names are pulled 90 minutes before every showtime and tickets are $25 cash only.

After the show I waited stage door to get autographs (which I don't do for very many shows I see), the crowd was insane!  But I did get my playbill signed by Idina and Anthony and got a couple pictures, although they weren't very good thanks to me being so short.

Idina signing autographs after If/Then

PS - I'm absolutely in love with the cover photo of Idina Menzel on Billboard today!  She looks beautiful I can only pray that when I'm in my 40s I look as amazing as she does and my life is half as inspiring.  Enjoy the video of her photo shoot below!






If/Then is playing at the Richard Rogers Theatre on 46th (between 7th & 8th).  It is currently in previews and officially opens on Thursday, March 27th.