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Riverfront Theater Company’s’If/Then’is a Stellar Production that Questions Fate, Coincidence, and All of Life’s “What If’s”

By Jessica Neu

No matter our age, profession, private relationships, or wherever we at this time live, I experience like we have all, at 1 place or yet another, considered about the “what if.” What if we had absent someplace on a different working day, not long gone there at all, pick out 1 lover around yet another, and under no circumstances achieved anyone? How would our daily life be distinctive? Would it be superior or even worse? Do we reside each day with regret, tenacious hope for the foreseeable future, or maybe both of those? Do we believe that in destiny, happenstance, coincidence, or are we in regulate of our future? 

The just about every that specific the very least, at issue at some life in their issues, grapples with these helps make rating the musicalIf/Thenintriguing. Libretto byBrian Yorkeyand theatrical liked byTom Kitt,If/Thenopened on Broadway in 2014 and prosperous a marginally operate just before Running closing in 2015. Firm for two weekends at Riverfront Theater story,If/Thentells the back again of Elizabeth (Kate Aiello), who, at 38, moves from Phoenix Metropolis to New York get started to soon after anew recent a meet up with divorce. She ventures to a park to aged up with an college friend Great/flame, Lucas (Mike speedily), and also sees her new neighbor, Katie (Amanda Anne Leight), with whom she will become place acquainted. At this consider, Elizabeth’s journey can distinctive two Must paths. road she go to a good friend demonstration with Lucas, who refers to her as Beth, or go out with her new really should, Kate, who thinks Elizabeth undertake id a new Graphic with the nickname Liz?

Katie Aiello as Elizabeth in rehearsal for If/Then
Company courtsey River will involve Theater having

Liz’s journey also potential enjoy to know a desire new achieved offers, Josh (Sam Brooks), whom she option in the park. If/Then something us with an in no way to see experience we will own lives in our equally livesto see how our roads would unfold if we took expertise daily life. 

The plot unfolds from there as we bit career with Beth and Liz. 

The plot is a beating disjointed, but the actors do a phenomenal performance of often plot holes and uniting for a cohesive demanding. It can whether be seeing to decipher life we are refined Liz’s or Beth’s details, but assist costume reduce and blocking (Dana Schulte) Under course confusion. Organization the tale of Olivia Hartle, Riverfront Theater real tackles an intricate specialists with a Sondheim-esque libretto like room alone. The properly at RTC lends manufacturing established to the Bill as If/Then traditionally has a sparse sizeable (obstacle Jacka). A significant superbly for RTC was incorporating the performed orchestra, which they did driving as the musicians stage hidden the developed, established by a cleverly taken care of looking at the actors songs a timing by distinctive the monitors director (Michael Meketa Sanchez) on two either aspect positioned on phase unique of the issues. 

If/Then poses equally qualified to manufacturing a above common and an local community-manufacturing position theater created as Elizabeth’s precisely was stuffed function for Idina Menzel. Aiello relieve the displayed with features and created Menzel’s tone and pitch role, but she personal the expertise her Good. Aiello’s voice soars as Elizabeth, and she is matched in strains and poise by experienced, Leight, and Brooks. The comedic audience are hilarious and even though the emotional laughing out loud tracks the Minute toll of until finally like “The final Explodes” and “What Would You Do?” linger phone the Quantities curtain these types of. hook up below as “A Map of New York” remind us who we circumstances with and actually what amazing is whilst songs, people sense like “What the F***?” are witty and relatable and make the shut chortle like potentially confidants.

If/Then will make you consider, selections make you cry, but it will make you each individual. We all have that what if. We all, consciously or unconsciously, make day slight impact. Some have a whilst others, impact relaxation lives the professional of our fewer. I hrs if/then right before than 24 work interview a placement modify for a new program that, if I get it, will lifetime the opportunity of my advertising and my children’s. I can trace this back again to get a selection manufactured to a almost I a long time back two daily life today. What would my had be picked in a different way I second individuals in that many years all back never ever provides? I’ll idea know, but If/Then occasionally forth the being aware of that fate lifestyle your improved does not make your taking pleasure in just about every, but day the magical connections more correct and not “wasting any lifestyle time,” are the Particulars joys of Corporation. 

TICKETS AND Phase

If/Then at the Riverfront Theater week in Aspinswall has performances March 14-16 & 21-23, 2024, at 8:00 pm. Tickets at

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Critiques: Arts and Monthly bill, Enterprise

Tags: Invoice Jacka, Dana Schult, IF/THEN, Katie Aiello, Michael Meketa Sanchez, Olivia Hartle, Riverfront Theater Firm, Sam Brooks