I don't consider him a member of the OBC since that is a specific term, but he definitely got the meaning of the show. It should be pointed out that there isn't a mention or bio for David Driver or Simone (who was an original Mimi/Joanne swing before taking over the role of Mimi in the first national tour of Rent) in the Rent book, but Norbert is there.
In fact, through all the times I saw the show he was easily the best that I saw in the roles of Mark, Roger and Gordon. He really made the Gordon role memorable for me and to this day it would be the part I'd really like to play in the show (while understudying Mark.)
Before I say what I think an actor has to do to capture the spirit of Roger I want to make it clear that different things work for different people. It's really all about the moment and the interpretation of the show. Norbert seemed sincere to me, but in large part I think that was because the role was almost effortless vocally to him. So many Rogers seem to struggle with the notes and that tends to take me out of the moment.
Different people like different things and none of them are really right or wrong. People in this thread have commented on Jeremy Kushnier being very scary because he is so angry. I don't particulary care for a Roger that is just so pissed off that you don't buy the fact that he'd open up to Mimi so quickly, but I also don't want him to be so passive that you don't buy the fact that he didn't kill himself when April did. It's a very fine line acting wise.
Personally, I like Roger to have that fire and anger, but I like it to be clear through his acting choices that it's all a facade to cover the fact that he is terrified of opening up to another person, he is terrified of going out into the world that he feels wronged him and perhaps most importantly he is terrified of being abandoned and left by another person he cares about.
If Roger comes across as angry, it can't be directed at Mimi or Mark directly...he can project it that way, but ultimately I think the actor has to make it clear that his anger is really directed at himself. "Another Day" is a place where this is imperative. I hate it when I see an actor playing Roger singing the "She doesn't see..." portion of that song to the audience directly as if it's an aside or a narration. At this point, Roger should be mad at himself for allowing himself to feel for another person, devastated that life is so unfair that it won't work. Norbert was phenominal at mixing the sorrow, anger and frustration of that number and making it come across on stage.
Even in the case of Benny, I don't think it's just an old friend who they feel sold out, but he's another person that was important in Roger's life that left him. Roger has serious abandonment issues which need to be conveyed or the importance of him abandoning his friends and then overcoming that trend and coming back to New York loses a lot of impact.
If the reason for Roger's anger isn't conveyed properly doesn't come across, it just makes Roger scary - and you are less likely to empathize with that as an audience member which is absolutely mandatory in my opinion.
On the flip side, I think it's important that Roger not be wooden. He has to be passionate in one way or the other. That was my issue with Josh Kobak. He just seemed like he was going through the motions and that doesn't work for me.
Roger is complicated, he has a lot of inner demons. He has self esteem problems. In short, he's screwed up - until we meet Mimi and she puts that fire back into his eye. All through the 2nd Act when Roger is angry at Mimi, I don't think it should be portrayed simply as Roger being afraid of losing another girlfriend, but also that he is afraid of losing that feeling of love and life that he was given when Mimi came into his life.
And the really tough part is that I expect my Roger to do ALL that and not seem as if he's over thinking or over acting it.
Updated On: 12/9/05 at 12:53 PM
