Best Roger?- Page 2

[MissElphie]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 9:34pm

triple post. Geez. Updated On: 12/8/05 at 09:34 PM

[Benzy92]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 9:35pm

Out of who I've *seen* live, def. Joshua Kobak, who gave a flawless acting performance, even if his vocals left something to be desired.

[SirLiir]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:00pm

Well just to add, I have seen and heard three (and counting):

Adam Pascal
Norbert Leo Butz
Jay Wilkonson

I hope to see Joshua and Will (if the rumors are true) very soon as well.

Though I am biased to Norbert, all three bring their own quirks and styles to the role and I enjoy all three very much. You can't lose with these choices.

[Angelbabe]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:07pm

Adam and Cary....Gotta love them!

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:34pm

Jeremy. Kushnier.

After that, and a close second is Adam Pascal...and my third is Kevin Spencer.. (omg I think thats his name..He was my first. hehe)

[JACXR71]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:40pm

I actually haven't been fond of the Rogers I've seen. The first time was Sebastian Arcelus..I think it was his first week, and he just hadn't "gotten" the role yet. He also struggled with a lot of the higher notes. From what I've heard, he got better though.

The other two times I saw Jeremy K as Roger. I know it's a pretty unpopular opinion, but I didn't really enjoy his Roger either. I liked his interpretation of the role, but I did not care for his singing...very nasal and sharp, IMO. I do agree with whoever said he was "scary" - in Goodbye Love, I thought he was going to attack Mimi.

I know this is a thread about best Rogers, so I'll have to say Adam...love him on the OBCR and the movie. Shame I never got to see him on stage.

Updated On: 12/8/05 at 10:40 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:43pm

Oh, I forgot Sebastian. *adds him*

[AngelofAvenueB]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:46pm

I've seen all of three Rogers (including Adam in the movie), and here's my list:

-Adam Pascal
-Dan Rosenbaum
-Cary Shields

I loved all three of them, but Adam's the original and Dan was my first. Not that Cary wasn't good, of course. :)

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 10:46pm

Yes! Sebastian.

He's very nice, too.

[FabalaYero85]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 11:35pm

Adam was the first Roger I grew accustomed to through the OBCR. sadly I never saw him on Broadway in that role. Cary Shields was my first Roger. his Roger showed goofiness, vulnerability and sadness. and he always had really good chemistry with his Mimi. (when I saw him it was always with Karmine Alers...they were amazing together) He had an understanding of the role and took it very seriously and portrayed the character very well. umm and I have an emotional attachment to Shields and his portrayal of Roger. I've seen Jay Wilkison a few times and his Angry!Roger reminded me alot of Jeremey Kushnier's. And Josh Koback who I saw on Karmine's last. was alot better than I expected. but I really dont remember him

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 12/8/05 at 11:46pm

I would love to see Josh Kobak in the Role. Unfortuately it won't be this go around. But Josh was great when I saw him as Mark and when we saw him as "the man" (which we actually were lucky wnough to get front row lotto seats) He kept trying to get my friend to bvuy drugs off him. It was so much fun!

[anne3]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:47am

ugh, I'm usually not one to tell people that their opinions are wrong, I just don't understand what people see in Cary at all. Him being in the cast made me not want to see the show. He has a pretty face and a nice voice, I'll give him that. But I found his voice all wrong for the role. And I think he is a terrible actor. People complain that Matt hamms it up, but I found Cary to be ten times worse. I'd love to see him in something else because I know he is talented, I just can't stand him in the role.

I feel like I have never see a Roger that has it all. I wish I had seen Jeremy, cause I love him otherwise. But somehow I had the bad luck of always missing him whenever I saw the show when he was in the cast. I always managed to catch understudies.

However my favorite does have to be Josh. Again I don't think he is the be all and end all of Rogers, but I enjoyed his performance the most of those I have seen. Again I don't think his voice is best suited for this role, and I don't realy think he looks the part either. However his acting blew me away. I saw him opposite Karmine and they had amazing chemistry.

I also realy enjoyed Colin and Jay's performances. However, Josh has to sit on top for me.

[ThereisnoMOinTHEATRE]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 1:18am

Definatly, Anthony Rapp! He is way hot!

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 1:28am

Before anyone wastes time reacting, just ignore the above poster.

Posted: 12/9/05 at 1:51am

never saw adam, but if i had, i know he'd be my fave.
i've seen cary, joshua, and jay, and none of them stood out to me, although all of them were very good.

[ZONEACE]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 3:03am

Ranking the Rogers which (I remember) I've seen

1. Jeremy Kushnier
2. Dan Rosenbaum
3. Sebastian Arcelus
4. Josh Kobak
5. Cary Shields

and then there is Manley Pope, whom i can not stand. I think, of everyone I have ever seen in Rent, excluding Stunt Casting (mainly just Mel B.) he is the absolute worst. He's not a good actor, an ok singer, and just a generally unpleasent person.

[nicole neumann2]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 9:50am

mine are :
1.cary Shields
2.adam pascal-In The Movie (he was great)
3.mamley pope
4.jeremy kushnier

i never knew that Norbert leo butz was in RENT. (when was he in RENT)

[Patronus]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:04am

Norbert joined the company a few months after it opened as a swing after they producers fired the dreadful David Driver.

He was a swing from May of 1996 to November 1997 and covered the roles of Roger, Mark, Gordon & Steve.

In November 1997, when Adam Pascal left the show, Norbert took over as Roger. He played that role until December of 1998 when he left to do the National Tour of Cabaret.

Norbert returned to Rent breifly in August of 2000 for a short stint (less than a month) as Roger.

He is in the Rent coffee table book which I recommend if you are a fan of the show.


Updated On: 12/9/05 at 10:04 AM

[Feathah]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:36am

Adam - always!

Followed by Tony Vincent.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 10:45am

Adam's Rodger is definitive to me. No one will ever sound like Adam, or have his raw sexuality. BUT, I enjoyed Cary Shields on the tour a lot too!

[VivaBohemia]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 11:38am

Manley Pope scares the hell out of me. Now, I've never seen him live, so people that enjoyed him probably got something out of the live performance...however, my extremely obsessed Joey Fatone fan friend has a bootleg. (hates Rent, but loves Joey.grr...) Manley was Roger, Karmine as Mimi, Jai Rodriguez as Angel and obvioiusly Joey was Mark...

It was the worst performance I have ever seen. Manley seemed drunk, reminded me of a DRUNK Jack Sparrow...imagine that one... And his voice was awful. Acting skills were non existant..I had to tell my friend to turn it off around La Vie Boheme. I'm surprised I lasted that long.

[SirLiir]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:15pm

Patronus, why was David Driver fired? How bad was he?

[Patronus]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:22pm

No one knew exactly why he was fired. Back then, we just all assumed it was because he was horrible.

To my knowledge, he went on one time in July of 1996 as Roger. Trust me, it was something that didn't EVER need to be repeated.

[SirLiir]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:29pm

Oh, you actually saw him?

[Patronus]

Posted: 12/9/05 at 12:33pm

Actually, no. I've heard him though. I'm told from friends that saw him that legendary night that absolutely nothing was added with the visual.