I saw the touring cast of Rent recently, and I noticed that the choreography for Mimi while she is dancing on the bars was different particuarly when she pantomimes looking into a make up compact - has anyone else noticed this before? Sorry for the rant but shed some light as to who rocks up on the bars!
Thanks Marquise - I guess my question is - is there standard choreography for this number or is it pretty much do your own thing using these basic elements?
The choreography in RENT isn't "rigid" so I guess it's one of those moves that is either 'done' or 'not done' depending on the individual that's performing in the role.
I must not have been paying attention because I don't remember Krystal Washington or Saycon Sengbloh doing it. Maybe they did.
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Lorraine: That depends on what it is.
Dean: I think you're really really pretty.
Lorraine: (after a pause) Ok, you can tell me that.
"All the while making faces like a baby platypus who forget to take some Beano before eating a chimichanga." FindingNamo in reference to Jessica Simpson's singing.
There are some things that I've seen some Mimis do and others not, like the part where they hit their arm like they're finding a vein to shoot up or whatever.
Like a firework unexploded
Wanting life but never
knowing how
I think the only things that are set in stone as far as choreography for that song are the details on when to move on or off the bars. I would guess that anything else Mimi does is totally up to the actress.
Like from what I heard Simone had some fear of heights and didn't even get ON the bars.
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jcm, the actors do not have the latitude that you think they do with things like this, especially at the Neder. So, no, it isn't "totally up to the actress".
Yeah, I am pretty sure Simone did get on the bars.
I think it is all based on something or other with the theatre and the actor themselves.
...What happened next, was stranger still, a woman breathless and afraid, appeared out of the night, completely dressed in white. She had a secret she would tell, of one who had mistreated her. Her face and frightened gaze, my mind cannot erase...But then she ran from view. She looked so much like you...
I saw RENT not too long ago with Karmine in for Antonique and maybe I was not paying that close attention but I do not remember her doing it- actually I don't rememeber the move really at all, maybe I haven't seen someone do it in a while- what part of the song does she usually do it?
I have seen (slight) variations during all of the numbers depending on the actor and perhaps their mood that day but nothing MAJOR.. I mean it could be that sometimes the actor gets so into the song that they forget / add little things, like the compact thing. I would say that RENT isn't the type of show you should walk in to expecting to see the same exact performance each time- the basics are there and will be similar but I don't think I have ever seen the exact same show twice unless MAYBE it was with the same actors.
Would someone explain what getting in for free has to do with the compact? Is it supposed to emphasize that she makes herself up in such a way that no one would dare to ask her to pay? Even so, I don't get the gesture in the context.
I thought it was mentioned somewhere on the board that Mimi's boots have a specially designed heel that "lock" onto the bars, making it safer than simply climbing up in any old shoes.
"It's not for sissies, contrary to popular belief." - Tommy Tune, on musical theatre.
"I thought it was mentioned somewhere on the board that Mimi's boots have a specially designed heel that "lock" onto the bars, making it safer than simply climbing up in any old shoes."
Doesn't mean it hasn't happend. I know Karmine's done it once, but it was during the part where she has to lay on the bars for the "feline of avenue b" line. Luckily she fell towards the back of the stage.
"jcm, the actors do not have the latitude that you think they do with things like this, especially at the Neder. So, no, it isn't "totally up to the actress""
I really didn't mean it to come off like that, I had originally written about all the specific parts of the dance that I'd seen them all do and realized that it would look like I put far too much time into watching that dance (which is true), so I changed it, haha.
"Who says you can't bend over backwards and eat bugs if you want to? I guess the bugs would probably say you can't do that that, but assuming that they are willing and consenting bugs, then there's no problem. Let's wig out eating bugs."
-RuPaul
Every Mimi I've ever seen (Dominique, Karmine, Krystal, Antonique) has done the compact. I've seen the choreography almost identically the same each time its performed, honestly - even down to the "christ mas da ay" cross.
I have only seen the show twice--both times with Karmine Alers--and she did not do that move. I just watched eight different videos of different people performing that song (Yassmin Alers, Krystal Washington, Dominique Roy, Karmine Alers, Melanie B, Daphne and one other who didn't have a name listed) and half of them did that move while the other half did not. I also noticed countless other differences in their dances. Some subtle, others not. My take is that there seem to be certain key moves that they have to hit and others that are optional. But even the moves that they all seem to do, they all do slightly different. I guess they really allow for interpretation!
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-Elphie, everyday... shower. I mean, who knows? Maybe some of that green is gonna come off!
-Deodorant Elphie. No body likes a stinky witch!
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-Look at your posture. That's no way to be popular!
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~Kristin Chenoweth in her last performance of the song "Popular"