Anyone want to discuss how amazing Will Chase is?

[Myhusband1024]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:41pm

I have seen him in a few things, I finally met him the other night and I think he is just amazing. Just wanted to see if anyone else out there felt the same way.

[Drunk Chita Rivera]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:42pm

Talent wise he was my favorite Roger in Rent.

I LOVE Tim Howar's personality though.

[Myhusband1024]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:46pm

I have gotten in so many fights over the Roger thing. I agree I think he was by far the best Roger, he really got the roll. It seems though that if you say this to someone they get all crazy over Adam Pascal.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:47pm

I've only seen him (live) in Lennon, but I thought he was great.

[Myhusband1024]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:50pm

I was so upset that I never got to see him in Lennon. I love the Beatles and I wanted to see that show only because of them. It really had such a short run on Broadway.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:51pm

I think he's great. I've seen him in a handful of shows, and have loved him every time. He's so talented. And I was so thrilled that he was the final Roger.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:52pm

I saw it in San Francisco twice. The entire cast was fantastic, but out of everyone, Will had the Lennon voice down pat.

[Myhusband1024]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:55pm

It's funny I have only heard good reviews about Lennon yet it kicked to the curb so fast!

I agree they could not have found a better final Roger.

I'm acutally going to see him again in Billy Elliot on Wednesday, his performace in the show is so good. His part isn't too big but he still gives it his all.

I think I mentioned how amazing he was about 400 times, I babbled and cried like an idiot. But he was so nice about me being a crazy person.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:56pm

Lennon was, objectively speaking, a total mess. But I loved it anyway. I saw it twice. And what a cast!

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 10:59pm

Will was an awesome Roger. Adam was my favorite (vocally, acting not so much) until I saw Will. Loved him in Story, regardless of what everyone else thought of the show itself, I thought he was fantastic. I'm finally seeing him in Billy Elliot on Sunday, thanks to him. He is amazingly talented and has become a friend.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:08pm

He was incredible in Aida and The Story of My Life.

[CSonBroadway]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:08pm

I don't even think it is funny how amazing and chilling his vocals are on Rent Filmed Live.

[Myhusband1024]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:13pm

I never got to see story of my life but I did download the soundtrak. I have to say I think it's pretty good. It has a very 'old musical' feeling to it, kind of like Danm Yankees in a way... if you have any idea what i'm saying.

The one thing I don't get is what does Tom do to Alvin that is supposed to be so horrible. I have listened to the whole soundtrack a few times over and I can't figure it out.

I think it's funny because he literally changed the path of my life. I saw him as Roger and realized that theater was what I wanted and needed to be doing. So now I gave up any chance of a real job to comit my life to getting a part in a play. My goal is to play in a show that he's in... however I don't know that, that will happen.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:19pm

They've been drifting for a long time; Tom has gotten engulfed in his work and busy with his girlfriend. When he moved away, he very literally left Alvin behind, but as time passes, it gets to the point that Alvin really feels left behind -- as though Tom's life is moving ahead and his is just staying where it is, heading nowhere. The straw that breaks the camel's back is that Alvin is supposed to visit, and Tom helps him plan it and everything, but then at the last minute tells him not to come at all, and it breaks Alvin's heart.

[lstbutifulgrl2]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:20pm

yeah, ^ is pretty accurate. Alvin feels he has been left behind by Tom who has used their childhood as the content for his stories.

[Myhusband1024]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:21pm

Thank you, the whole soundtrack acutally makes a lot more sence now. I always knew he told Alvin not to come see him in NY but I did't realize it was supposed to be sort of the climax of the play. Its sort of hard to tell through the music.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 9/17/09 at 11:49pm

I only saw him in High Fidelity in Boston. Got a picture with him after the show.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 9/18/09 at 12:11am

I've seen him in a few things and have always loved his work. He just cannot catch a break in a new show. It's ridiculous - he's so talented, but Lennon, HiFi, Story of My Life. It's so sad.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 9/18/09 at 12:20am

I've never seen him give a bad performance. Reading this thread made me think about his performance in Lennon, and- just wow. It was very wonderful. Also loved him in Story of My Life, Burnt Part Boys, Rent, Aida, High Fidelity, Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature!

Wow. This thread is making me want to go back and see Billy Elliot just for him.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 9/18/09 at 12:26am

I really thought he deserved a Tony nom for best actor for The Story of My Life. The show wasn't that bad! It just needed some marketing and an orchestra that sounded "live." I thought the story was kind of interesting. But yeah, I thought he acting and singing were stellar in that show.

[InfiniteTheaterFrenzy]

Posted: 9/18/09 at 12:43am

RentBoy86, you know Story of My Life wasn't eligible for Tony noms, right? It's not like Will was snubbed for his performance.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/18/09 at 7:53am

I don't remember what was said exactly, but there was an interview with Will at the beginning of his run in Billy Elliot on Broadway.com. It spoke, in one section, about how they have right by the stage doors all the old playbills of shows that did play there in the past including High Fidelity. They asked Will how he was able to handle seeing his picture on that playbill of a show that was supposed to be his star turn. And, he was very mature about them talking about a sore subject.

[iflip4musicals]

Posted: 9/18/09 at 8:17am

I thought he was great as Roger, and in Kiss of the Spider Woman at Signature, VA.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 9/18/09 at 8:19am

Will's best performance, in my opinion, was when he was in Miss Saigon. Most of his fans didn't jump on the Will Chase bandwagon until much later, though. I enjoyed his Roger but he's not my favorite, or even in the top two or three.

[yeomansden]

Posted: 9/18/09 at 11:48am

Saw Will Chase twice in The Story of My Life, and he was amazing. he was also one of the NICEST people I have ever talked to at the stage door. (Right up there with Susan Blackwell and Hunter Bell.) Would go to see him in just about anything.

As for what Tom did to Alvin in The Story of My Life, what you don't really hear on the cast album is that Tom is supposed to do the eulogy for Alvin's father. Alvin asks to hear it, and Tom recites it to him, and all it is is a quote from someone else. Alvin wanted Tom to actually write something original. He gets angry that Tom would be so unfeeling as to use someone else's words, and tells him that he'll do it himself. Tom sneaks into the balcony to watch Alvin do it. Alvin starts with, "Let me tell you a story about my father." And he tells the stories. And it was good. Tom realizes that Alvin is the real talent behind him, and I think it sort of freaks him out. He leaves without even saying goodbye, and a week later, Alvin ends up in the river on Christmas Eve.

While the trip thing was a major event, it certainly wasn't the last straw, as it was several years after that before the end (You're Amazing, Tom shows Alvin sending cards to Tom over the course of several Christmases...)

"And now I'm embarrassed. I just met y'all, and I'm way too talky..."