If/Then (Chicago)

Jackie Burns as Elisabeth gave a great performance! The rest of the cast was amazing as well Kinda confused at first, but quickly got into it ! Good songs and some good jokes

I saw this in Cleveland as part of a season ticket package. I loved it so much that I bought tickets for the Chicago production so that my children who live there could see it. I though that it was a "must see".

The thing is, I brought my Chinese wife, and her english is great, but to follow the play was confusing. Even the people behind us talked about what the hell was going on. By far the second half is better than the first. You really need to follow along well or you'll be lost in the story line.

Saw the performance on Saturday night and we had a great time. The lead has an amazing voice and we learned she was the understudy for the original on Broadway. I would recommend it.

The show was amazing and so was being able to meet the actors after. They are all so nice and personable! Wish I could see it again and again before it leaves!

I am an avid playgoer, like all kinds/types. This play was rather cheesy and the story was very discoordinated and disjointed. . It was hard to follow the storyline, partly because it was hard to discern the lyrics being sung. The voices were over amplified, destroying the quality of the voices. I was constantly reading the lines/lyrics on the reader to the right of the stage. Have never done this in a play before. The second act was much better than the first act. Unfortunately several people left at the intermission. I would rank it as one of my least favorite plays I have seen.

Proformers were very good. The play is interesting and it does cause you to reflect back on life.

We loved the music, the story, the performance. It was truly amazing! One of the main characters is from the Broadway show. The show flew by, it was so enjoyable and fast moving. My husband wasn't tracking the various relationships and decisions, but he enjoyed it despite being a bit lost. My daughter and I followed the plot, loved it, and it is a theme to make one pause to consider decisions that seemed trivial that end up making all the difference. I HIGHLY recommend this show! The Oriental Theatre is gorgeous in itself, but the stage was well-done, the music is lovely, and the story is touching.

Overall fantastic show!! The talent is above reproach, the sets were amazing, music is enticing, and the story is heartrenching! This is a must see for all musical theatre lovers! The grandeur of the Oriental Theater added to this impeccable display of talent. **Note- were this a movie, it would be rated R for Language and Adult Content! Be smart- don't bring your children**

Really enjoyed this musical. Makes you think of how the decisions you make and how it can affect others without you knowing it.

The vocal quality of the performers was fantastic and the storyline was quite engaging. My only somewhat negative comment is that the songs were a bit formulaic and almost sounded like one continuous song.

The female voices in If/Then were amazing! While the men were strong, the women really could blow the roof off the Oriental! The story was thought-provoking as to what you believe regarding faith/destiny/choice and even though in some parts it was hard to keep track of which "life" we were seeing, it all came together and became clear. Really enjoyed it - and some great lyrics!

IF the play held my attention, THEN I wouldn't have left after the first act. Energetic, good singing and movement, but the storyline became predictable and tired, and really didn't need to go past the first act.

While very entertaining, it was not memorable. The actors were good (Anthony Rapp is always wonderful) but Jackie Burns took a while to warm up and over sang several songs. Overall it's a good modern musical, but I would not recommend pay the $170/seat in the orchestra.

If/Then is an intellectually stimulating show, asking the question over and over again - what if I had made a different decision one day in my life. Isn't it a question we all ask ourselves at some point? The music is not "catchy", but every piece is appropriate and complex enough to be enjoyed for it's own spot in the show. It is easy to relate to the characters and you find yourself caring about each of them - in whatever iteration they wind up. Without knowing any more about the show than that it was about the "what if's" of life, I found that I was easily transported into the lives of the characters and was entertained to the end.

First, you need to know I am writing this while wearing the *If/Then" tshirt I bought before the show.....that said..... It was cool that they found an actress that from my seat in the balcony...1) looked like Idina Menzel; 2) talked like Idina Menzel, and most important 3) SANG like Idina Menzel! I believe even a few of the audience members thought they were actually seeing Idina once the play started. I had to give up trying to remember is she playing the "Liz" part of her life, or, the "Beth" portion of her life. Otherwise, my head would have hurt a lot more than it did by the end of the show. I just had to tell myself, "Oh, ok, we are back in this storyline with the girl with glasses (or no glasses....depending on which part of "her" she was portraying at the time). The songs were alright (if you asked me to hum one tune to save my life right now, though, from the show, I couldn't, although I would proud of myself to tell you I KNOW there is a song called, "What the F**K?") The show just went on TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO long! By the end, I didn't care what happened to the characters. I just wanted it to be over. At one point, I thought it WAS coming to an end but the writers decided "NOPE! We need more drama (a/k/a the lesbian couple...will they or won't they get back together?) and more singing! You could almost hear a collective groan from the crowd once we all realized we had more to listen to at that point. I don't know if it was because he was "home" and acting in front of a home-grown crowd or just not feeling it, but Anthony Rapp was a bit stiff in his part (and frankly, he was the character I LEAST liked in the show). THAT being said...... I do attend EVERY Broadway in Chicago show. So I'm not just a cranky one-time theatre goer reviewing a show. I went into this knowing that the Broadway version of this got mixed reviews when it was performed there. But like I said, I'm still wearing my "IF/THEN" tshirt as I write this..... The singing was GREAT and VERY impressive! The lead actress ("Beth/Liz") was in top form as far as singing goes. The actor who played the Military Vet also had an awesome voice. I LOVED that even while the actors were singing, there was always "slow-motion" action happening next to, or behind, them to help with the visualization of what was being sung about at the time. The sets were pretty to look at and the lighting was great and added to the charm (or horror, without spoiling anything in Act 2) It was just..too long and not inspiring

The only negative thing I can say, is when sitting very far back it was hard to "understand" some of the lyrics w/ certain actors. Otherwise, it was amazing & beautiful! The lead was AMAZINGGGGGGGGG! Loved the music.

The actors, especially Jackie Burns, do a great job of expressing the different life options that can happen with a simply decision. I expected to be confused by the story line, but found it very easy to follow. Jackie Burns voice is incredible, and does honor to a role originally performed by Idina Menzel. Anthony Rapp is also believable in his character. The music is forgettable pop, which could have been better had I listened to a cast recording earlier in order to appreciate it. The words were expressive, the score bland. Don't expect to see fancy costuming or much dancing because this is more of a story than a production musical.

From the same director, writer, lyricist, and composer that created Pulitzer and Tony award winning NEXT TO NORMAL (which is my favorite musical) so I had high expectations for this but was a little let down over the confusing plot shifts - this is the Schrödinger's cat of musicals - asking if this reality could be better than that possible reality and what if this had happened instead at that time. The performers are outstanding and the sensational female protagonist changes names (Liz vs. Beth) and costumes to alert you to the shift in the reality scenario and the shift to a new plot possibility.

I left at intermission because I didn't care about the plot or the people. A show about 2 choices a women can make and what will happen in each choice. One choice she has a job she likes but her personal life sucks. Second choice is has a good personal life but has a job she hates. Guess it teaches us that women cant have it all ever.

The cast was excellent in this show but the play itself was confusing. I felt it was about 45 minutes too long since much of the score felt the same and except for a few songs was not exceptional. I lost interest during the second act.

I enjoyed it. Once you figure out how to differentiate between the two stories, it is pretty easy to follow. Good cast, nice score. Second act is a little long, but I really enjoyed it.

Modern, fun, will make you want to go home and hug your loved ones or book that trip to Japan.

Acting, superb. Music, LOVED IT!!! Saw it on opening night in Chicago,

This was as wonderful as I had hoped. The music was absolutely fantastic, non-stop. Very interesting and interweaving of stories of choice and "what if's". Anthony Rapp is a favorite and he didn't disappoint. Love the story and the music. The star's voice is unbelievable.

The entire cast was amazing, loved Jackie Burns' performance as she brought the character to life. There were moments of laughter and tearing up. I think the musical in general was very relatable and the way each character brought the story to life and really owned their plots was great. I'm not a big fan of musicals, but this is one I loved and think even the non-musical lovers would like it.

Compelling and original. A delight for all audiences.

If/Then was a life changing show!!!! Jackie Burns was amazing as Elizabeth!!! I would highly recommend If/Then to everyone!! The songs are so moving and the acting was wonderful!

This show was fantastic. I highly recommend reading about it prior to watching it, as the plot could be hard to follow if you did not. The lead if absolutely fantastic with beautiful voice. It has a small cast, so you feel like you really get to now their characters. I down loaded the sound track to my phone and plan to listen to it often.

Can't get better than that!! Saw this show last year in NYC and it was very similar here even with different performers! AMAZING. And the Oriental Theater is incredible!!

My group understood that this was supposed to be a modern musical; however, we did not expect so many (shock effect) expletives to be used, especially as the chorus of a song. The storyline had promise, but it seemed like the audience around us was disappointed and shocked as well with the language and content. I had not been to a musical in ten years and was so disappointed.

Jackie Burns was outstanding!! On par with Idina Menzel. The rest of the cast are all past performers in If/Then on Broadway as well, and it shows. I would have given it 5 stars except the elderly matinee crowd takes away from the excitement due to a certain lack of enthusiasm. Also, I was somewhat distracted by someone sitting directly behind me who could not follow the storyline and didn't hesitate to make it known to her friend. I'm swearing off matinees!!

If/Then was excellent! It moved me to tears several times.

sorry to say but I would have left right after intermission, could not make out what time period was being played out.

First of all, I love the Oriental Theatre in Chicago! The venue is gorgeous and the seats are all good. This show was best seen on the orchestra level as there wasn't many scenes above stage level. The set is minimal and there isn't any spectacular stunts like Mary Poppins or Wicked. This is set in present day NYC so there was nothing special about the costumes either. I enjoyed the plot, but wouldn't recommend this show to those that don't have tolerance to liberal views or for anyone under 18 as there is a lot of adult language. It truly is a modern show with music that is more updated than traditional broadway shows. There are many different relationships depicted (bisexual, heterosexual, homosexual) as well as different lifestyles (single, married, divorced, remarried). If you ever find yourself thinking "what if", then this show is right up your alley. Acting was good, but some of the actors were stretching their range of singing and often seemed a little off pitch. My husband and I noticed this especially during the female duet. All in all, it is a good show to see once, but I can't see anyone going to this show over and over like Wicked, Mary Poppins, Lion King, etc. We bought discounted tickets using HOTTIX and probably would not have paid ticket value to see this show. If there had been more Broadway shows available to see, I would not pick this one.

I loved the singing, the laughing, and the dancing!

Story line and musical score boring, not creative. Coreography very plain. Cast members did a great job with what little they had to perform. Lots of talent on stage. Modern urban- do you have to use profanity?

I went into this show not really expecting much; I was only going because my roommate wanted to go and the tickets were reasonably priced. In the end I was pleasantly surprised! The story is a bit dense and at times a little hard to follow. But overall, I really enjoyed it! Jackie Burns is an incredible actress and I fell in love with Matthew Hydzik. The way the show moved from scene to scene was very impressive and I thought they did a very nice job of telling such a complex story. This isn't your typical peppy musical with big numbers and a large cast. But I think it's a musical that can definitely compete with the others.

Excellent dialogue, singing and a top notch show. The way the two lives of the main character were intertwined was well done. I would highly recommend.

My son and I saw the show on February 25th and loved it so much we came back on March 3rd. The cast and story was fabulous. Just a little disappointed that both nights we were there Anthony Rapp never excited through the stage door. A number of his fans, ourselves included had come to see him. We are from Naperville which is near his hometown. We met and talked to other cast members all of whom were very nice and appreciated the fans. My son is in musical theater and it was an excellent show to see. I'm sorry that Anthony Rapp didn't have the opportunity to meet my son!

If/Then is an amazing show. Having seen it both in New York and Chicago, I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Great musical on just life in general and the choices you could or couldn't have made. I think everyone can relate to this story.

The musical is not lacking talent from its lead singer, Liz/Beth. The show has some great numbers, but does not make up for the confusion of the show itself. The story line is what if the main character did this or that, what would the outcome be. Well, they intertwine the two and at times can be confused to which character is being portrayed. The first half was way better than the second half. If you like modern musicals and can follow the plot, see this musical. If you don't, then you'll save yourself some money.

My friend and I both found the storyline confusing, and used intermission to try and sort it out. Maybe a synopsis of the show in the playbill would have been helpful. The lead actress was incredible!

We saw it on 2/28 from the very front row center. The show was awesome and the singing was very strong, but the power and range of Jackie Burn's "Elizabeth / Beth / Liz" voice was truly incredible. You can easily see her being picked to backup Idina Menzel. We really enjoyed the whole show so much that we jumped on pretty good seats via HotTix and are going again next Sunday!

What a nice idea, sort of. And with a quality lead performed who succeeded Idina. She was a pleasure to listen to. But to sit through 2 1/2 hours of a muddled play, trying to figure out which of the parallel tracks were playing in front of you. What a complete waste of time. Watching the toilet-water swirl around would be more exciting....................

Story was interesting and thought provoking, though it was hard to keep track of which person the main character was playing. Songs were forgettable, especially when foul language is used in the title of a song. The cast was great overall.

Amazing cast, great vocals, thought provoking! I would watch it again & again

I really enjoyed the musical. Often have thoughts of what if's, so it was a great storyline. The woman in the lead has a wonderful voice and enjoyed the ease of change between sets.

Honestly, a very disappointing production; the music was just so-so, the dancing ridiculously basic and the storyline really benign and even irritating. The ONLY highlight was the AMAZING voice of Jackie Burns. That girl sang the hell-out-of every tune and almost sounded identical to the role's original player, Idina Menzel.

Great performance, story line and singing! It was funny and touching, quite relatable to me. I do think Josh should have had a bigger role. Lucas kind of out-shined Josh. Overall, a musical not to be missed!!

A great cast takes on some memorable songs mixed in with quite a few forgettable ones. Most of the show is singing, which is fine with me, but my companion was less than thrilled. The lead actors have great voices (some of the more minor roles could definitely use a revamp). The concept was very cool, and I was definitely intrigued, but the storyline easily gets muddled and sometimes which path is being taken can be unclear and takes a bit of work to figure out, so be ready to be involved. Also, I'm a little disappointed I still don't know which storyline was the one she really took? Maybe people like the ambiguity, but I am not one of those people. The wardrobes were great and the minimalist set was okay. Overall, I would recommend, but not for anyone under 17 or so.

If/Then used a unique formula of flashback that hinged on the path choices we make in life. The plot was engaging, but the musical numbers were not on a par with the greats. The music seemed unconnected t times, and the performance was a little forced with staccato assaults commanding every song to the point it was redundant.

Great story line ... can be a little confusing as there is two of them so pay attention! Some strong language (I think the patrons behind us were a little surprised!) but I thought it fit in well with the story. Would definitely recommend.

Talent was A+, story line B-. Second act was too long and dragged on. Overall very enjoyable since talent on stage was so high caliber.

The musical was wonderful, entertaining loved the story line. Beth's voice was heavenly. Hate to do this but have to express my feelings on the seats and the group that sat across the isle from us. They came in late and were loud and silly and they took up 3 rows so it just wasnt a few. Had to be 15 or more. They kept their phones on and talked most of the time. They didn't care about people around them, they kept changing seats and got louder and louder. I wish there is a redo button and we could enjoy those seats another time for the play. Forgot to mention that these ladies werent school kids either. They didnt care about us. and i really feel sorry for the 2 ladies in front.