Broadway | If/Then with Idina Menzel

This past weekend I had the opportunity to see the new Broadway musical If/Then starring Idina Menzel. My friend and I entered the lottery, and though we lost out for $30 tickets we were able to get $50 seats in the front mezzanine. I knew nothing about the show, but thought anything with Idina and fellow RENT alum Anthony Rapp would be amazing. Luckily, I was quite right.

If/Then is truly a new musical. Idina is our protagonist, Elizabeth, and the show follows her life as she moves back to New York after leaving her first marriage. Elizabeth meets up with two friends, Lucas and Kate, who each invite her to join them on separate adventures. Instead of choosing just one path, If/Then shows Elizabeth's life from two points of view – we get Beth, who chooses to join Lucas at his protest, and Liz, who decides to hang out with Kate. The musical evolves into these two story lines, and the audience gets to see how each choice in Elizabeth's life, whether seemingly big or small, plays an important role in her destiny.

If you're confused by my If/Then summary, that's okay. I was definitely confused when the show first started, but slowly began to see the separate lives that Beth and Liz lead. While the show is certainly funny at parts, be aware that If/Then deals with serious topics (I highly recommend you bring tissues). The story is absolutely beautiful, and I say it is truly a new musical because it represents our society as it is today. The choices that Elizabeth must make, and the people she interacts with, are the people of 21st century America. For example, this is the first Broadway show I've seen that portrays homosexual couples as normal, everyday people, and not as over-the-top drag queens (not to bash those that do – you all know I loved Priscilla). I'm very impressed with If/Then being able to change the status quo of Broadway while using familiar Broadway faces to get the message across.

My Stage Door experience for If/Then was unfortunately a bit of a downer. Despite the beautiful weather we'd been experiencing, it was pouring rain when we exited the theatre. Many thanks to Anthony, James, and Jason, who still signed our Playbills in the rain. I know Idina does come out to sign autographs at the show, but we weren't so lucky. As with any Stage Door experience, hope for good weather!

Overall, if you're in New York, then you should see If/Then. The cast is brilliant, and it was such a privilege to hear Idina sing live. Keep in mind that this show is recommended for ages 12 and up, as it deals with some adult themes and the F-word makes several appearances. More information about the ticket lottery and If/Then can be found on the show's official website HERE. It is currently playing at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

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