Liisa Ecola reviews “If/Then”, a new musical that follows the personal and professional paths chosen by professional planners. There's a good chance this will be the first Broadway musical to feature a heroine who has a PhD in city planning.
"I settled in my seat for If/Then, which opened November 5 at Washington’s National Theater, with both anticipation and trepidation," writes Ecola. "By intermission, though, I couldn’t stop babbling about how much I loved it."
"The show’s title reflects the vagaries of chance, and the plotlines follow [actress Idina Menzel] through two possible lives — 'Liz' takes a less ambitious job (disappointingly for this transportation planner, working for the MTA is considered second-class) but finds love, while 'Beth' accepts a position overseeing a high-profile waterfront redevelopment project and goes on to great success, but remains single. Both lives bring joys and sorrows; neither is entirely satisfactory."
"City planning, on the other hand, was presented as unequivocally inspiring."
FULL STORY: “If/Then”: A Review of the Broadway-Bound Musical About City Planning
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