Music by Tom Kitt
Book & Lyrics by Brian Yorkey
Directed by Derek Critzer
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If/Then follows two possible story lines of its main character Elizabeth who has just moved to New York City leaving a loveless marriage behind and starting her life over.
Theater West End is the first theater in the central Florida area brave enough to put on this production. This was a victory for the entire community of Central Florida performers. This production executed the back-and-forth of the narrative exceptionally well with beautiful light changes, a pair of glasses and most importantly the brilliant casting and directing . The actors were focused. So much so that during the switch in the universes, you can almost see the lives each character had lived change right before your eyes. I can’t applaud this cast enough as well as Derek Critzer the director for leading this victory. There’s a reason no other theater has done this in our community. It takes a an incredibly intelligent director to make this happen.
Quinn Roberts - I can’t write this review without congratulating Quinn on his debut performance at his own theater. What a perfect show to make it happen. I’ve only ever seen Quinn front of house being charming with his patrons so it was truly a delight to see him come out and sing the first lyric of the show. Ya boy’s got a voice!
Danielle Harris as Elena. You BETTA SANG!!! Anything and everything you want to sing, I will buy it and an extra copy for when that one wears out. Besides having a lovely voice, Danielle has a stage presence that is undeniable. She breathed beautiful life into a supporting character who could have faded into the background with subtlety and grace.
Kristen Sheola as Anne. After seeing Kristen in Wild Party earlier this year, I was super stoked to watch her perform again. She leads a show and supports a show with the same energy. Kristen understands the importance of the give and take relationship which should exist on stage. While she has this inner light that shines she knows how to shine it onto her fellow actors so they can tell their piece of the story. Teach this to people, girl!
Lillie Eliza Thomas as Kate. Watching Lillie made me appreciate the story telling performers have an obligation to. She almost felt like a guide through these two worlds. If anyone was the facilitator of the transitions, it was Lillie. While the execution was done well in this production, the book can confuse the audience easily which has always been the biggest complaint about this show. Kate was the character to look to in order to solidify which universe we were in. Lillie is a phenomenal singer and actress. In this one show I could see several characters I want to watch her perform. DM me for my Lillie dream role list.
Bradley D. Gale as Josh. Bradley was the saving grace for a show I wasn’t thrilled with recently. I was surprised to see him billed as this straight-man when in the previous show he portrayed a more animated character. Bradley is a lovely man to watch on stage and easy to fall in love with. He executed his version of Josh perfectly, showcasing his broad range as an actor. Bradley has a very distinct voice which for others could pigeonhole them as character actors but it is his ability as an actor which sets him apart and leaves him open to receive any character that comes his way. I can’t wait to see his next production.
David Kotary as Lucas. This is my favorite character in this show. Lucas is a man at war with himself all the time. He doesn’t trust himself but he is loyal and full of love which he doesn’t know how to direct properly. It takes a skilled actor to make this come across authentically and David more than stepped up to this challenge. He delivered a vulnerable mess of a creature so beautifully it was easy to let go of the version of Lucas I had created and see this man appear in front of me with all his complexities and uncertainties. More of this please, David!
Ashley Marie Lewis as Elizabeth. I have seen few actors who truthfully know their characters the way Ashley knows Elizabeth. Her focus and attention to the details of this character’s stories were undeniable. Ashley has a naturally endearing persona which made her version of Elizabeth captivating even when the character herself made choices I wasn’t particularly fond of. This is what makes a great character. A real person who makes mistakes or bad choices yet you actually care about them either way because you as a person understand this is a reflection of you. Ashley made me think deeply about myself as she played this role. I hesitate to say she is a naturally gifted singer because as a singer myself, I understand the work it takes but Ashley performed this vocal arrangement with what I call perceptive intelligence. She was in complete control of how these songs told the story and affected her audience.
The show was not without its faults such as wardrobe mishaps, a few stammers through lines and even what I believe was a breaker outage. None of that mattered. This was a strong cast with smart direction and I enjoyed it all.
Bravo to the cast and crew of this show and to Theater West End as a whole for an awesome first season. I am super stoked for the next.
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