Best Maureen from RENT- Page 3

[perfectliar]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 3:45pm

I've seen a total of six different Maureens, and my favorite is Maggie Benjamin. She always looked the role, even in the background when she was just sitting there and reacting. She embodied Maureen the best for me.

Cristina Fadale was alright, but her voice annoyed me. It sounded very nasal on "TMOLM." Kelly Karbacz was good, Caren Lyn Manuel was excellent. The other two were very forgettable... and I actually have forgotten them (though I remember one was African American and the other was Leslie something).

[Alix]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:30pm

Idina is the best, but second for me is Kendra Kassebaum.

[greenifyed]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:33pm

Caren Lyn Manuel BY A MILE is the best Maureen, in my opinion.

She's actually a lot of a cross between Idina and Sherie, although I have only seen a "crappy bootleg" of Idina. I did see Sherie. A lot of people DIDN'T like Sherie is because she's very sarcastic, dead pan humour. Her Maureen was much different than that of Idina. Idina was raunchy, in your face.

But Caren wins by a mile. She takes the role seriously enough to make you wonder what kind of crack she's on. And she's sexy and dirty and even skanky at times -- but you still love every minute of it. Not to mention her voice. DAMN.

And this is coming from "Kelly Karbacz girl" as most people know me.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 4:42pm

greenifyed- I could NOT agree with you more about Caren's Maureen.

[KMEP05]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 5:35pm

Hands down, Maggie Benjamin. I've seen, I believe, eight Maureens and she totally stuck out as the best.

[zoran912]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 5:41pm

MAGGIE!!!

[MarkCohen]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 5:43pm

An African American Maureen? I can't say I've ever heard about that. That could be interesting, what was her name?

[MissElphie]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 6:40pm

IDINA!!!!

[Blair]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 7:22pm

I've seen the show 5 times and 4 of those times Maggie Benjamin was on as Maureen. The other time was a tour and Caissie Levy was on, though I don't really remember her.

I LOVED Maggie the first time I saw her. I though she was the best part of the show. But the last time I saw her, she had gotten way to over the top, and I didn't believe that her Maureen was really taking the performance art seriously. Just playing for laughs. Which is a shame, because I really did think she was fantastic.

[Amneris]

Posted: 6/12/05 at 8:38pm

I was lucky enough to see the obc over 20 times and I still say Idina rules because she was the original with the hot curls and the whiney voice... but, KLK was HYSTERICAL.. and towards the end of Ant Rapps ending in RENT, her voice got even better,,

[QueenMuppet]

Posted: 6/13/05 at 2:49am

'I've only seen one actress play the role live...'

Thank you, you just confirmed my point. I think it's absolutely ridiculous to say 'this person was my favorite' when you have actually never seen her live or have one person to compare her with.

And as erinrebecca said, there is no way you can or should judge someone by a 'crappy bootleg'... and let's face it, the Rent bootlegs of the OBC going around are more than just a bit crappy.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand the fact when people say Idina is the best Maureen when they they have actually seen her live in the role and have some other Maureens to compare her to but my point was that most 'kiddies' insist on Idina being the ultimate Maureen when they just know her from the Cast Recording and have seen one other Maureen. I don't think they have a valid opinion.

QM

[sassypanz]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 4:39pm

Updated On: 3/13/12 at 04:39 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 4:44pm

She could still be your favorite, even if she sings incorrectly.
Simple clarification, I guess.

[Aigoo]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 4:47pm

Idina may not use the "proper" technique, but she's just got that raw sound that just works. She can just belt the dickens out of a song.

[dancingthrulife04]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 6:16pm

I never actually saw either one of them, and as much as I love Idina's voice on the OBCR, I'm going to say Kelly Karbacz.

[ReNtHeAd04]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 6:21pm

i used to think christina fadale was my favorite. i've seen quite a few maureens, including maggie, but it wasn't until recently when i was watching something (lol) that i realized how hysterical she was. so i think i change my answer to maggie! lol

Updated On: 8/2/05 at 06:21 PM

[sassypanz]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 7:46pm

Updated On: 3/13/12 at 07:46 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 7:57pm

When Kristen Lee Kelly played Maureen while Idina was on vacation, they dyed her hair blond.

When she actually took over the part, her hair was dark, almost black.

[Katecab99]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 8:04pm

idina, hands down...although maggie benjamin was my second favorite

[idinarocksmysocks!510]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 8:42pm

I saw Rent last Christmas 03. I saw Kelly Karbacz do it. She was great! I've heard from others though who've seen the obc that Menzel had Maureen not quite as ditzy as others but I don't know. But once again, I'm caught being bias to Dee.

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 8:47pm

I've seen:
Idina Menzel
Sherie Rene Scott
Carla Bianco
Tamara Podemski
Leigh Hetherington
Hallie Bulleit
Anika Larsen
Erin Kearney
Courtney Corey

Of those, I'd say Idina is #1 just by default.

After Idina, I'd rank them:
Hallie Bulleit
Tamara Podemski
Carla Bianco
Sherie Rene Scott
Leigh Hetherington
Anika Larsen
Erin Kearney
Courtney Corey

[idinarocksmysocks!510]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 8:58pm

lucky you got to see RENT a ton of times!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Patronus]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 9:00pm

Yeah, my wife and I were Rent Heads back in the late 90s.

I've seen the show 51 times and she's seen it over 80.

Misguided youth.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 8/2/05 at 9:03pm

"Thank you, you just confirmed my point. I think it's absolutely ridiculous to say 'this person was my favorite' when you have actually never seen her live or have one person to compare her with.

And as erinrebecca said, there is no way you can or should judge someone by a 'crappy bootleg'... and let's face it, the Rent bootlegs of the OBC going around are more than just a bit crappy."

No, you just confirmed MY point. The actress I think was the best IS the one I saw on a crappy bootleg and NOT live, so if, in fact she was better live, and I didn't get the full effect of how good her performance was, then that's irrelevent because she's the best for me...even on a crappy old video. You can't even try to tell me a live performance would make her appear to be worse.

My opinion IS valid. I'm not going to pretend I've seen every woman who's played Maureen, and Idina tops them all. I'm saying of the three I've seen, she is by far the best. I've heard audio of many others and seen a few other in Bryant Park, and they don't seem to match up, but, as you said, judging by that alone would hardly be fair. I'm simply stating what I've observed.

sassypanz...I don't know why, but Idina seems to sound like crap on recordings. It's that way with both Wicked and Rent. Neither recording gives her live performance any justice.