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    Theater Review

    Powerful cast keeps If/Then from getting lost in time

    Alex Bentley
    Jan 28, 2016 | 1:20 pm

    When a musical is successful, it’s usually either because it has an abundance of unforgettable songs or because it has a strong story that just so happens to be propelled by songs. A very special few are able to succeed on both fronts, but those only come along once in a blue moon.

    If/Then, whose national tour will play at Winspear Opera House through January 31, is one of those musicals that works based on the strength of its singers and plot, and not necessarily because you’ll be humming its tunes on the way out.

    Set in New York City in the recent past, it’s a fanciful tale focused on Elizabeth (Jackie Burns), who has recently moved back to the city after a divorce. She meets two friends, one new (Kate, played by Tamyra Gray) and one old (Lucas, played by Anthony Rapp), and the story imagines two different timelines for her depending on whom she follows on one fateful day.

    Follow Kate, and it takes her down a path where she calls herself Liz and she meets perhaps the love of her life, Josh (Matthew Hydzik), but at the expense of a promising job prospect. Follow Lucas, and she calls herself Beth and nabs that job as a city planner, but she also experiences multiple romantic missteps that leave her unfulfilled in her personal life.

    The domino effects of both decisions reverberate in other ways, as the people around her also make different choices in their lives. These choices range from small to large, with the most momentous of them being one character switching sides with his sexuality. That is a curious decision since the other timeline doesn’t even hint at the character being gay. It’s also one of several plot machinations that do harm to the overall production.

    However, the powerful singing of the cast mitigates that harm. Burns, taking over for original star Idina Menzel, is naturally given the majority of the big moments, especially in second act songs like “I Hate You” and “Always Starting Over” that showcase her amazing range.

    But it’s her first act song, “What the Fuck?,” that truly sets the tone for the production, as it marks the point where the split timeline concept finally fully connects. Beth/Liz has encounters with different men at her apartment, and the rotating set, great choreography, and fun yet poignant lyrics of the song combine to realize the emotional stakes of the plot.

    Former American Idol contestant Gray, taking over for original star LaChanze, gives Kate the right amount of spunkiness the character needs as well as the pipes to go toe-to-toe with Burns. Rapp, the lone holdover from the original Broadway production, shows why he’s had such a long theater career, bringing in humor and gravity when needed.

    It’s unlikely that the soundtrack of If/Then will find its way into most people’s musical rotation, but the experience of seeing it performed live and in context makes it memorable as a whole. Don’t let this be a decision you’ll regret; see If/Then if you have the chance.

    Anthony Rapp and Jackie Burns in If/Then.

    Anthony Rapp and Jackie Burns in If/Then
      
    Photo by Joan Marcus
    Anthony Rapp and Jackie Burns in If/Then.
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    Season Announcement

    Big spenders + bigger voices fill Lyric Stage's 2025-26 Dallas season

    Lindsey Wilson
    Jun 18, 2025 | 12:29 pm
    Rocky Horror Picture Show with Tim Curry
    The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
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    For its 2025-26 season, Lyric Stage is pairing a sweet transvestite with Civil War-era sisters, a dance hall hostess with harmonizing ghosts, and a whole bunch of divas with their much-deserved spotlight.

    Now in its 32nd season, the nonprofit Lyric Stage is dedicated to the development and preservation of musicals, having produced more than 125 productions, which include 21 world-premiere musicals and two Off-Broadway shows.

    Under the helm of newish artistic directors Tricia Guenther and Scott Guenther, four of its current shows will take place in its Lyric Studio Space near the Trinity River, with one at Moody Performance Hall in the Dallas Arts District.

    First up (and just in time for Halloween) is The Rocky Horror Show — note the missing "Picture." This is the stage version on which the cult classic movie was later based, but don't worry, audiences are still encouraged to shout at the performers and throw toilet paper and other props.

    Sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.” It runs October 10-26, 2025 at Lyric Stage Studio and is not family-friendly.

    For the holiday season, Forever Plaid - Plaid Tidings brings Francis, Jinx, Smudge, and Sparky back to Earth on the orders of Rosemary Clooney to put a little harmony into a discordant world.

    Stewart Ross' musical is sprinkled with Christmas offerings and audience favorites, like the riotous three-minute-and-eleven-second version of The Ed Sullivan Show, this time, featuring the Rockettes, the Chipmunks, and The Vienna Boys Choir. It runs December 5-21, 2025, at Lyric Stage Studio.

    For one night only, the Dallas Divas return just in time for Valentine’s Day.

    Showcasing some of the most talented voices in Dallas, singing songs ranging from Broadway to pop, the performance is a Lyric Stage tradition. It is February 11, 2026, at Moody Performance Hall.

    Inspired by Federico Fellini’s Night of Cabiria, Sweet Charity explores the turbulent love life of Charity Hope Valentine, a hopelessly romantic but comically unfortunate dance hall hostess in New York City.

    With a tuneful, groovy, mid-1960s score by Cy Coleman, sparkling lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and a hilarious book by Neil Simon, Sweet Charity captures all the energy, humor, and heartbreak of Life in the Big City for an unfortunate but irrepressible optimist. The production is the original 1966 Broadway (not the movie version) with such hit songs as “Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” “I’m a Brass Band,” and “Baby, Dream Your Dream.” It runs April 17-May 3, 2026, at Lyric Stage Studio.

    Closing out the season is Louisa May Alcott's timeless Little Women, with a book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Jason Howland.

    The musical follows the adventures of sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March. Jo is trying to sell her stories for publication, but the publishers are not interested in a woman's creativity. Her friend, Professor Bhaer, tells her that she has to do better and write more from herself. Begrudgingly taking this advice, Jo weaves the story of herself and her sisters and their experience growing up in Civil War America. It runs July 17-August 2, 2026, at Lyric Stage Studio.

    Season tickets, which range from $40-$60, are available beginning July 1. Lyric Stage is located at 1170 Quaker St. in Dallas.

    dallas divasfederico felliniforever plaidlittle womenlyric stagemoody performance hallnight of cabiriarockettesrocky horror showsweet charitysweet transvestitetheatertime warpvienna boys choirmusical theatremusicals
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