Usually it’s New York that snags the reputation as being the one-stop destination for great theatre. But from November 5 through December 8, Washington, D.C. has something that Broadway doesn’t.
A new musical starring Wicked’s Idina Menzel and Rent favorite Anthony Rapp come together in the new show If / Then that shows how getting a second chance to start over isn’t always easy.
Set in Manhattan, the show follows Menzel’s character, Elizabeth, who post-divorce is eager to have a fresh start in the city of dreams. The show opens with Elizabeth, an urban planner, meeting her friends Kate and Lucas (played by Rapp) in the park. While Kate urges Elizabeth to try new experiences and be more outgoing (nicknaming her Liz), Lucas wants Elizabeth to return to her college nickname “Beth” and start searching for professional connections in the city. What unfolds is a dichotomy between the two different lives Elizabeth could step into and the different identities she could have.
Created by composer Tom Kitt and playwright Brian Yorkey (the same duo that gave us Next to Normal!), If / Then features a minimalist contemporary set, using lighting and silhouette to create its powerful aesthetic appeal. The show’s tempo is fast paced in both plotline and humor. Its modern design and accelerated momentum mirrors the energy of New York City, paying homage to it while using it as the backdrop of the show. If / Then explores both the uncertainty as well as the optimism the future can hold. Its a theatre experience that confronts the prospect of the unkown and the ways in which “if” can be both a miracle and a curse.
After its run in D.C., the show is set to open on Broadway in March of 2014, but for now, it brings a slice of the big apple to Washington’s own National Theatre. Don’t miss an opportunity to see Idina Menzel defy gravity once again!!
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