The Official Greg Jbara Love Thread PART 2!!!! — Page 431

Panda: WoW. Sounds like an amazing night you had. I cannot wait to see those pictures.

Annie: You'll love Adam when you see the RENT movie. I had always been a fan of his voice from listening to the RENT and Aida OBCR's, but it wasn't till I saw him perform in Cabaret did I really fall in love with him. Plus, he's a total sweetheart to boot.

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last night there was a movie on HBO (some sci-fi) I don't really know... my sis came to my room after seeing it and she just looked at your avatar Amanda and she was like "oh, I have just seen him in a movie, he was gorgeous". So Gerard has a new fan!

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Yaay Annie's sister. Ahem, shouldn't my Gerry have *two* new fans?

Ali sure I'll do you that favor...but umm, what original broadway cast are we talking about?

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oh wow..i'm retarded! lol rent...rent original broadway cast...wow. lol sorry about that..

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I'm still confused, Norb wasn't in the OBC he was the first roger replacement...

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Updated On: 11/1/05 at 02:31 PM

Okay...Rent OBC, first Norb explanation

He wasn't in the off-broadway production of Rent, but he was in the OBC as a swing and a Roger understudy, and he did replace Adam. But he didn't actually have a "part" in the cast and as a swing he cannot be heard on the CD. But original cast(just realized this is the original cast of the off-bway run so Norbert isn't included...obviously the leads are the same, there may have been one or two different ensemble members when it opened on Broadway):

Anthony Rapp-Mark Cohen
Adam Pascal-Roger Davis
Taye Diggs-Benjamin Coffin III
Jesse L. Martin-Tom Collins
Wilson Jermaine Heredia-Angel Shunard
Fredi Walker-Joanne Jefferson
Daphne Ruben Vega-Mimi Marquez
Idina Menzel-Maureen Johnson
Gillas Chiasson-Steve, man with squeegee, a waiter, and others
Rodney Hicks-Paul, a cop, and others
Kristin Lee Kelly-Mark's Mom, Alison, and others
Aiko Nakisone-Alexi Darling, Roger's Mom and others
Timothy Britten Parker-Gordon, the man, Mr. Grey, and others
Gwen Stewart-Seasons of Love soloist, Mrs. Jefferson, woman w/ bags, and others
Byron Utley-Christmas caroler, Mr. Jefferson, a pastor, and others

Swings: Yassmin Alers(Karmine's sister!), Darius de Haas, Shelley Dickinson, David Driver, Mark Setlock, Simone

Ali, not that I mind but your information:

www.ibdb.com

Internet Broadway Data Base, type in Rent, that's how I got this info

Hmm, lotsa Sweeney fans on here and I post too much, I'll let someone else answer Annie's question.

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Updated On: 11/1/05 at 02:46 PM

Oh annie say it ain't so don't forsake us...

And Sweeney Synopsis...
http://www.mtishows.com/show_plot.asp?ID=000075

I started to write one but go bored of writing halfway through...

The show has many comedic elements but its primarily a drama...Sondheim intended it to be a social commentary amongst the inequality of the different social classes, focuses on the plight of the common man...well ya know the plight of the common demon barber...

You can actually get the original production on video which is really wunderbar, and if that wasn't amazing enough,they also taped the concert version with Lupone and Hearn as Lovett and Sweeney...

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thanks

ok, I am getting ready for tomorrow's cam day. I'm off to sleep! lol.
'nite.

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Wow ali how old were you when you saw Rent, wasn't he in it in like '98...

I don't "worship Sweeney as the best show ever", but I tend to enjoy sondheim muchly, not sure why...I also saw Sweeney done by my highschool...and they did an amazing job...And of course its the first Sondheim show I've ever seen on Broadway...

And Cerveris and Lupone...can't get better than that...Although come to think of it, I think the much lauded Raul would be unbelievable in the role...

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Ali, you probably saw him when he went on for Adam if it was '96 as an understudy.

Cat, sorry, I didn't mean to like..."diss" the show or the show's fans at all. I guess w/ me it's kinda like how people feel about Wicked fans, I sometimes feel about Sweeney/Sondheim fans...I really like Into the Woods and now I really like Sweeney as well, but I fell asleep 3 times trying to watch Sunday in the Park, fell asleep watching the Passion concert(and there were great performances, etc) I certainly acknowledge that these are(probably for ones I haven't seen) great musicals and deserve recognition, but...I dunno I wish ppl would give more credit to other composers/works as well...like when asked who your fav composer is a "true" theater fan should say Sondheim w/o a doubt.

Like I said, I saw less of the big deal w/ Sweeney seeing it on tape, but I did walk away from this thinking amazing amazing amazing, partially the show, partially the instruments. And I'm learning more about and appreciating the show, but I just mean I'm never gonna be one of those ppl that says Sweeney is the best or Sondheim is my fav composer, that's all.

Ooh, that's awesome that your HS did it--it's one of the top 5 pit/scores I'd love to be in/play. (Has an all clarinet book hehe).

Hmm...Raul as Sweeney...good call.

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Hey all.

School was stressful.

I ate too much lunch, and feel like a pig.

I don't want to go to rehearsal with my mom tonight.

And how are the rest of you?

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Okay first off...Sondheim wrote SOME lyrics to WSS, I can't say how much. What actually happened is he and Bernstein collaborated on the lyrics, and it was initially released with lyrics by both, but for some reason, Sondheim was left off and most ppl just wrote lyrics by Bernstein, so Bernstein wanted Sondheim to get notice, and graciously took his name out of lyrics so now it strictly says lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Not that I'm discrediting Sondheim, WSS is my fav musical...the choreography and score go far behind what I personally feel any musical was ever able to accomplish...those are its two strongest parts, but obviously I do love and feel that book and lyrics are very strong too.

But after stopping to think for a bit, I think I found exactly what I want to say. Sondheim is certainly great, I will agree with that...just sometimes I get a little sick of constantly hearing how great he is, that's all...not to the expense of other composers or anything, just...yeah. He has a lot of fans and it's understandable and I'm not asking anyone to stop saying he's great, just that's personally how I sometimes feel.

But...if you wanna discuss Sondheim-Into the Woods! I loove that show, Joanna and Bernadette were great, I mean what a concept, the first act alone is hilarious taking all the different stories, and then what it's turned into the second act, essentially asking do we really want a happily ever after? and some great songs like No One Is Alone. And though I wouldn't call the score as amazing as I would West Side Story, Sweeney Todd or Les Miz(those also come from an instrumental perspective, those shows have lots more orch members than ITW but that's a part of it) the score fits the show perfectly. Not one song doesn't advance the plot, and they all have the same general sound but are all different.

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Updated On: 11/1/05 at 06:23 PM