If/Then Tour Changes

[nightnic001]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 8:07pm

I just watched the load in video for the If/Then tour and noticed a few changes.

No tree backdrop, Its now a projection screen.

The fire escape is now a bridge and the steps are either tracked or pushed on.

No mirror

They kept the turntable.

I am intersted in hearing what use the projection screen serves, hopefully its used tastefully. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 9:40pm

The bridge was always a separate piece that joined to form the fire escape, as several scenes it was used standalone. And there were always projections at the back, although it does appear to have extended up in lieu of the mirror. But the lower 8 feet or somesuch was always a projection, used to switch between oranges and blues to highlight which story was being told.

[nightnic001]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 9:46pm

I thought the back wall of the Broadway set was just a cyc with with lighting, not projection. I could be wrong though. 

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 10:02pm

Can you post a link to this video?

[asmith0307]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 10:04pm

Call_me_jorge said: "Can you post a link to this video?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI2UPNKedZA&index=414&list=WL

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 11:07pm

The huge mirror did seem a little...stupid. So glad they got rid of that. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 11:32pm

Agreed. I won't miss the mirror.

[asmith0307]

Posted: 10/4/15 at 11:48pm

Touring with that thing would have been a nightmare.

[TFMH18]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 12:16am

I hated that mirror. The last thing I needed to see was my dumb face behind Idina Menzel as she belted. I did love during Always Starting Over when it would sorta open up allowing for her to appear as if she was immersed completely in a sea of stars but I'm sure they'll find another way to recreate a similar effect.

[gleek4114]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 1:01am

I actually really loved the mirror! Especially during The Moment Explodes and Always Starting Over.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 8:35am

I liked the mirror. Especially during Always Starting Over.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 8:55am

Wasn't the mirror also a major player in the entire Ain't No Man Manhattan scene? But between that and the turntable, it makes sense to shed the mirror for cost. It's not enough to keep it for the primary effect in Always Starting Over, though I do wonder if the projection screen will have a same "floaty" effect.

[neonlightsxo]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 9:40am

Goodbye, good riddance to that damn mirror.

[Cupid Boy2]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 9:51am

I liked the mirror and how it extended the "parallel universe" concept even further symbolically in addition to the effects for which it was used. Based on that video alone, the new set looks a little cheap. I'm hoping the first production shots will be more promising. 

[Pootie2]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 10:10am

Cupid Boy2 said: "I liked the mirror and how it extended the "parallel universe" concept even further symbolically in addition to the effects for which it was used. Based on that video alone, the new set looks a little cheap. I'm hoping the first production shots will be more promising. 

"

The IF/THEN set was accused of being too sparse and cheap already, so missing a mirror isn't going to make that much of a difference, I think. I appreciated its metaphorical use as well, but I think it went over most people's heads. As I remembered the cool subway map reflection, though, the mirror was actually a partner of those in-stage embedded lights; without those lights, the mirror is hardly effective. That's another saved cost, I suppose.

[bdn223]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 10:30am

I will disagree with the set being to sparse, but instead say that it was too "industrial" for the production. I saw the show twice and only remember the mirror used during Ain't No Man Manhattan, which was used to show the orchestra the deck which replicated a NY Subway system map. Was this necessary? No, but that lighting effect brought life to an otherwise lifeless industrial set. 

[ChrisTyler12882]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 12:16pm

Is anybody on here in Denver and going to see it next week?

[BroadwayFan12]

Posted: 10/5/15 at 6:52pm

bwayphreak234 said: "I liked the mirror. Especially during Always Starting Over."

 

Same.

Updated On: 10/6/15 at 06:52 PM

[RippedMan]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 12:34am

I just thought the set was rather unimaginative. But, granted, the show is a little confusing and "hokey," so maybe the designer struggled with figuring it out. 

It all just felt like a very white-washed version of NYC. 

[Pootie2]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 8:16am

RippedMan said: "I just thought the set was rather unimaginative. But, granted, the show is a little confusing and "hokey," so maybe the designer struggled with figuring it out. 

 

It all just felt like a very white-washed version of NYC. 

 

"  The mirror was a complete metaphor besides a prop, but I don't expect everyone to have figured that out. I'm sorry you were confused by the show.

 

[JeffDaEgg2]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 1:36pm

It's Michael Greif.  He pretty much wanks to the thought of metal stairs, whether they're appropriate for the show or not.

[Pootie2]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 5:46pm

Denver load-in in detail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6idKcMNvQr0

 

"We previously showed you our time-lapse video showing how crews over four days installed the set for the launch of the national touring production of ''If/Then' at The Buell Theatre in Denver. Here Production Technical Supervisor Jake Bell talks about the particular challenges of readying the set not only for Denver, but for theatres of various sizes throughout the country. One thing that is new to this particular production is a wall of video that is used in the show. "We did not use the video element in New York," Bell said."

[nightnic001]

Posted: 10/6/15 at 7:30pm

Im very interested in seeing how they use the new screens. It looks like a higher quality LED screen on the bottom 8 or so feet and then the larger projection surface the remaining height. 

[Pootie2]

Posted: 2/20/16 at 10:02am

No one has shared specifics about how the LED screen works with the show yet, but there was an article about the technology: http://www.etnow.com/news/2016/2/pixelflex-hits-all-targets-on-the-if-then-tour-video-design

 

A fan listed very specific details about tour changes on Tumblr:

 

*The biggest addition is the projection screen taking the place of the mirrors/trees. They have pics of various spots in the city and maps showing NYC locations. There is some video/movement on the screen at times that is really effective too.

 

*There are blocking changes. Most noteworthy is when Elizabeth enters at the beginning for "What If" she doesn’t walk directly to center stage and start singing, but instead sits at a table for the first couple of lines. Later, right before "I Hate You" she sits at the table after finding out Josh is leaving.

 

*"Meeting a man in the subway is like doing your Christmas shopping at Port Authority" has changed to "Seven Eleven" instead of Port Authority.

 

*A bench warrant is now called a summons.

 

* Beth sings new lines in Map of NYC after asking Stephen if she can have time to think about it. The part of Map of NYC that begins "22 Reade a building, sidewalk, shade…now a memory that for Beth will never fade…" has all been cut and skips to "Put a sticker on the map.." I asked James about this and if I understood him correctly, the change was made because they cut an ensemble role so didn’t have all of the characters to sing each specific line in the song.

 

* When Beth is keeping Elena’s baby for her there is a quick reprise sung by Elena of "No More Wasted Time"

 

* Kate’s lyrics in her verse are changed during "Love While You Can"

 

*choreography/blocking at the end of Ain’t No Man Manhattan. Josh used to walk off stage to get the glasses he and Liz drink out of but now they are sitting on the table in her apartment.

 

*When the mayor comes out to talk to Beth about her inviting the NYCC to the ground breaking he says, "Beth, woman you are working my last nerve!" This line was not in the show in NYC.

 

*When Kate is coming into her "classroom" to talk about American heroes, they’ve added audio that sounds like children playing in the background.

 

*The delivery/reactions of some lines has changed for Beth/Liz. I don’t remember her laughing at the line "Beth lives alone with cats" before but she is now. Also when she tells Lucas "This is the first time that particular thing has happened" there is now a noticeable pause before she continues with "since I’ve been back".