What a show. I officially have a girl crush. Her name is Idina Menzel although some may know her as Adele Dazeem (if you don't know what I'm talking about google "john travolta at oscars"). Idina's comic timing, incredible raw talent (that voice!) and star sparkle yet girl-next-door approachability make her the type of girl you want to make your BFF. She truly shines at her best in If/Then on Broadway -- you can't help but like her and admire her and maybe (ok let's be honest) want to be her for just a moment.
If you aren't familiar with the show, If/Then centers around Idina Menzel's dual character Liz/Beth, who explores what happens when you make a choice to go down one road (focusing on your job) versus another (choosing love first). Being a 30-something year old woman living in New York City, Idina's dual character -- Liz and Beth -- was incredibly relatable. I wanted to lean over the stage and whisper to her "YOU are ME". The background setting is New York City and the humor, although broad, is appealing to New Yorkers especially during the humorous subway scenes.
The bigger topics of fate and timing and a little bit of luck surrounding the show are all explored in a thought-provoking way in this musical. I left the theater thinking about fate in a different way. Is there such a thing as chance or is it just a matter of numbers and percentages? Do we create our own luck or is it something more magical? I don't have the answers ... but I love that this show has brought up the conversation and has us exploring the questions. My ultimate take-away from the show was to take a risk and go for what you want. We all have that power to create what we most desire, and If/Then is a wonderful reminder of that.
I will definitely be at the very last show on March 22 to applaud loudly for Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, James Snyder, LaChanze and the rest of the cast. Great run, If/Then, we will miss you.