Original Broadway Cast, 2014 (Masterworks Broadway) (2.5 / 5) At the time of its opening, If/Then was hailed as Idina Menzel’s return to the Broadway stage after starring in Wicked almost a decade earlier. Pairing her with writers Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey, only a few years removed from Next to Normal, seemed like a sure bet for success. But, similar to other “sure bets,” If/Then ended up muddled. Kitt’s music and Yorkey’s lyrics are as nebulous and meandering as the show’s title might suggest, and the characters they created sound like ciphers as they travel down one too many narrative side streets in the show’s book, also written by Yorkey. Menzel’s character, known as “Beth” when she chooses one path for her life and as “Liz” when she makes a different choice, is assigned an expected amount of ballads, but the character’s indecisiveness leads to her singing in circles. As a result, listeners may find it difficult to care about Beth/Liz, and may struggle to follow the two separate story lines. All of that said, the cast of If/Then is spectacular, as Menzel is joined by LaChanze in the role of her friend Kate; Jenn Colella as Anne, Kate’s love interest; James Snyder as Josh, the father of Liz’s children; Menzel’s former Rent co-star Anthony Rapp as Lucas, a friend to Liz and more than a friend to Beth; and Jason Tam as David, who becomes Lucas’s boyfriend in one of the story lines. All of these performers’ voices are so distinct that they are instantly recognizable on this recording, in the best way. Unfortunately, their characters’ plotlines are soap-opera-level bad, and even a description of those subplots is difficult because of the show’s dueling realities. The album does end on with a string of memorable cuts: “Love While You Can” is a fascinating song for Menzel, LaChanze, and Colella; “What Would You Do?” is a sweet solo Tam; and the score culminates with a predictable, bloated, but undeniably cathartic “11 o’clock number” for Menzel titled “Always Starting Over.” Don’t be shocked if you find yourself returning to this particular track, if only to hear Menzel push herself to her vocal limit.  —-Forrest  Hutchinson