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
Urban Planning's Broadway Moment
Elizabeth Vaughan, the lead character in the Broadway musical 'If/Then' may be the most famous urban planner in the United States, thanks to the star power of Idina Menzel and a surprisingly accurate portrayal of the planning field.
NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project
Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.
Keeping Bees Away from Honey? Corruption Cases Expose Flaws in L.A. City’s Land Entitlement Process
Three former Los Angeles public officials share their collective perspective on how best to reform the city of Los Angeles' corrupted land use approval process.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service