I copied and saved a lot of the reviews posted on that thread, if anyone wants them. This will be pretty long...
bwaylover86
WOW (RENT benefit performance)
Posted On: 4/24/06 at 10:25 PM
Just got back- it was insane and amazing!!! I am sure others will post more but I have to pack a bag so I can drive my sister out of nyc and back to Jersey. But it was amazing- like 98% full performance with slight changes but all the dancing and movement for the most part just not a lot of costumes. They took out a bit here and there but it was pretty much a whole show- Wilson got in drag for "Today 4 U" and Anthony had his scarf and jacket.. that was pretty much it unless I missed something- little bits of costume here and there but mostly their own clothes.
So funny- they were sittin on stage mostly and had books but there were a few times were someone would go "oh **** whats my line??" it was great, very funny and SO worth the money!!!!
Okay I will say more later but I need to go- everyone came out after btw except Jesse and Adam unless I really missed them. It was great! Idina ran off right away but everyone else was REALLY nice. I saw people in like sweats it was so inappropriate but whatever we looked pretty lol talk to you guys later!
------------------------------------------------------------------
re: WOW (RENT benefit performance)
Posted On: 4/25/06 at 12:13 AM
I had a $500 ticket so I couldn't go to the party although they weren't really checking.
There were baracades EVERYWHERE- it was insane- walking in on a red carpet (sooo cool) and then the mayor and a senator and Jon Tisch and Mr. Nederlander (and ah someone else can't remember I was too excited for the show) spoke. They did "Season's of Love" (just the OBC) first then Anthony sang "How did we get here..." till "Christmas eve last year..." from Halloween and then they did the voicemails sorta out of order and then went into "RENT".
It was SO cool because honestly, I think they wanted the performance to be a surprise and kept saying concert- even the ushers as they sat us said it was a concert. Costumes were limited but the staging was pretty much all there (Yes Daphne sp? got on the bars!!!!) They took out little bits like some voicemails and just a few lines were missing. It was amazing.
Idina (as much as I love her) was a bit off and seemed well not all there and forgot her lines and did not know the movements to "La Vie Boheme" at all and was looking to Freddi the whole time to copy her.
Jesse and Wilson were ADORABLE together- Wilson got in drag for "Today 4 U" and was partially dressed as Pussy Galore- just the wig and dress (over his jeans) with no makeup, but he jumped up on the table and hit all of the high notes. It was so cute.
They messed up a few times and during "Contact" they were all looking at the script. But the mistakes were hilarious. First Adam missed "How do you start a fire..." because he was reading the posters they were throwing into the trash can and got distracted lol it was so cute he looked up and was like "oh **** what's my lyric??" then started to sing the wrong thing and then the rest of the cast corrected him just in time for him to sing "in your flue" lol it was funny.
Ah there is SO much to tell- there were all sitting on the sides of the stage for the most part but it was pretty much a full out performance and unbelieveable and unforgettable!!! okay this is wayyy too long but there is so much more!!
------------------------------------------------------------------
re: WOW (RENT benefit performance)
Posted On: 4/25/06 at 12:25 AM
Okay I am trying to wrap this up but I know you guys want all the juicy details lol. Oh btw- the people in the show were walking out with a DVD that said RENT 10 on it-- not sure what exactly it was I mean could they make them THAT fast?? But something to look foward to!
Oh what else what else...
The end was amazing! First OBC sang "Season's of Love" then I guess about half way through they went up the stairs to the balcony and the current cast came out to sing some then they went up to where "Life Support" takes place and a ton of RENT alumni came out- Constantine was definitly there and Scary Spice lol Not sure who else I am so sorry but the guy in front of me was SO tall and it was very overwhelming lol.
After my sister and I started to just leave but thank god we stuck around- it was nuts. One girl should have been commited she was insane. I know RENT is huge but I did not think it would be that carried away. There were guards everywhere- you could not go from 7th ave to 8th down 41st it was all blocked off and you couldn't get near the theater without a ticket, people were being like held back by baracades- I saw this one girl who looked like 12-16 and like a hooker lol who got shooed away lol. Anthony came out first and was SO nice though looked very tired and then Taye, Idina, Fredi and Wilson came out. I never saw Jesse or Adam, I don't know if they went out another way or what. Taye was a bit short to us and said he would sign "but quickly" and Idina ran off right away like I said earlier. I mean we stood off to the side a bit because around the door it was crazy- screaming crying girls everywhere.
Fredi was SO nice and chit-chatting with everyone and even asked the girl next to us to hold her drink for her at one point lol.
Daphne came out last and by that time it was somewhat chaotic- there was plastic out like a tent and someone ripped through it and there was a whole crowd and a guard like dragged Daphne away they were almost breaking through.
Oh yeah another funny thing- During "Cover You" when they spin around Jesse said "Oh Sh*t I forgot you were this fast" as they were running around- they were just all so cute and looked like they were having a blast.
Okay I'm exhausted- anything else I should add? I think I am done lol
------------------------------------------------------------------
Jimbo2
re: WOW (RENT benefit performance)
Posted On: 4/24/06 at 10:42 PM
A magical night at the Nederlander....I walked in with Fredi Walker's hubby and was talking to Mayor Bloomberg and walked out saying hello to Jessica Sarah Parker and Matthew Broderick.
Every former and current cast member you can think of was there tonight (I went to the pre-party with them)...Gilles Chiasson was not present as his wife gave birth early today (announced by Anthony during the show).
Messing up the lines had to be the best but the performances were over the top...Anthony's projector didn't work the first time but when it was fixed there was a loud roar from the audience...I haven't been back since Anthony left the show-because for me, there's nothing like the Original Broadway cast.
WOW, what a great night-I'm still kind of speachless. (and the Easter Bonnett competition was going on across the street at the Amsterdam).
Who was around for the lottery? Constantine and Frenchie drew the names...it was mobbed!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok so I just got back from NYC. I wasn't one of the lucky ones that got to go inside :o( --- but I hung around throughout the whole thing anyway, as I posted I would earlier today.
After the show got to meet a bunch of people! I was actually able to get onto the red carpet when the OBC was coming out (amazing, because nobody was really supposed to be over there except people with tickets...but there was one really cool security guy) and I first met Jesse and Adam, I gave them both big hugs and....wow, they both smelled like booze big time, especially Adam. But they were both sweethearts. I got a picture with Jesse (yay!) He was adorable.
After that I talked to Fredi for about 5 minutes...we were talking about this forum! She was saying she missed everyone here and intends on posting soon. I also asked her about the movie date thing and she was saying how much that sucked that it had to get cancelled. She said something about how Neil (i don't know who that is?) was asking for her on here. --- So she misses you all, and she sends everyone love!
I talked to Anthony after and he remembered me from talking to me a few weeks ago at his book signing. I told him congratulations and aw, he smooched Rodney which I must say was completely adorable. They seem very happy together. Anthony was a sweetheart as always.
Briefly said hi to Taye, Idina, and Wilson...they all looked fabulous. Idina especially looked great.
So that's the story on my end kids....didn't get to go inside but still had a blast.
Peace out.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bdwyguy30
re: WOW (RENT benefit performance)
Posted On: 4/25/06 at 12:13 PM
Great review by the way. I will post this on the public board as well. But the ONLY reason they had books in the CONTACT number I was told ws because not all of them sang that song originally. The people who were dancing on the wall like Aiko, Rodney, Byron, Taye and Kristen were told to carry books and if they people who did do it didn't remember it they could look off of there books. Michael Greif actually told them to take the books with them in that number. So that's why contact was partially on book. And they only rehearsed that day from like ten in the morning and spent the entire day doing the blocking that was going to be done for the evening's performance. It was truly supposed to be a concert with mikes and astand but some where along the way costumes began to get added and the books were soon departing and the show was happening again. But because of the cuts which their were quite a bit sequence wise for them the books were needed. And the beginning of life support was screwed up because since Gilles wasn't there no one was able to say "Steve" which leads it off. So the counting got messed up. Although seven hours seems like a long time it FLEW by. And they didn't have any musical rehearsal for the most part. Seasons of Love at 7pm was the first time they all sang that together since the five year reunion concert. So we were all very amazed they remembered not only the words but the harmonies. And they all took it like champions and even joked about how "this was supposed to be a concert version and now we are doing the whole show". But it was all in jest because they threw themselves into it during the reherasals and of coures the performance that evening. I didn't know any of them before this or see them ten years ago so to watch them interact was a treat they all are really close. you would have thought it was family renuion as opposed to a show reunion. There was nothing "show business" about them. They just all were everyday people and very friendly and gracious! It was an incredible day!
Updated On: 4/26/06 at 07:11 PM
I really wanted to post to people to stop asking for a nonexistent video, etc, but...I didn't feel right being the one to say that having gone, so people would say I don't need/want the video as much as them or something. 
.jpg?format=auto&width=300)
