Merle Dandridge
Merle Dandridge
#0Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:41pm
Anyone else love her as Joann as much as I do?? I LOVE HER!!!
Updated On: 8/22/05 at 09:41 PM
ElphieDefiesGravity
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/27/04
#1re: Merle Dandrage
Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:42pmI LOVED her. She made me realize that part wasn't boring.
Wishes come true, not free.
#2Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:44pm
She made me want to PLAY the part. It is officially my goal. But, yes. She's cool beans.
*Merle Dandridge. By..the way..
GirlfriendFromCanada
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/7/03
#4Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:49pmI like her and all, but as far as Joannes go, she's not Danielle Lee Greaves, Kenna Ramsey OR Natalie Venetia Belcon.
#5Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:52pm
Merle is my favorite Joanne.
She was also a FIERCE aida.
"I think it was the Korean tour or something. They were all frickin' asian!" -Zoran912
#6Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 9:55pm
Yeah, she just sings all of her songs really well, and yeah as someone has said before, with her she really makes me like Joanne, unlike with Fredi...
But yeah Merle does other things besides theatre too, like she had her voice in a cideo game.. and thats just cool.
BwayTheatre11
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/03
#7Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:03pm
She's great...there are clips on her site:
http://www.merledandridge.com/
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#8Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:24pm
She was in ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at my theatre back in 1998. I'm glad she's gone on to bigger things!
Other RENT cast members who worked here include Aisha DeHaas and Jacques Smith.
Illinois Theatre Center website
#9Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:26pm
Oh, she was exceptional.
AWESOME Joanne. 
#11Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:27pmShe's KOREAN?! Awesome! Sorry, I got pretty worked up about that. Wow! I had no idea!
GirlfriendFromCanada
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/7/03
#12Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:27pmHey, can I ask who else everyone has seen? I'm a dork but I like to know who actors are being compared to when it's said they are best, etc.
#14Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:31pm
OMG, Aigoo- you're right!
She's part KOREAN!
How awesome.
She's really pretty, too...
#15Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:32pmWell, I saw her as Joanne, and then I saw the Current Joanne in the tour... Merle was SO much better and she is just an AMAZING Aida... she is kinda tied in my book with Heather.
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#16Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:45pm
Maybe it was just the day or something, but she didn't exactly stand out to me or anything. I didn't dislike her. But she didn't wow me like Karmine did.
EDIT: I lied (not intentionally), I actually saw her understudy when I went. Catrice or something. Man, I wish I had seen her.
#17Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:46pm
No one at rent wows me like Caren Lyn (did...) 
"I think it was the Korean tour or something. They were all frickin' asian!" -Zoran912
#18Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:50pmI saw Caren Lyn Manuel as Mimi. She was one wonderful girl. I don't know...what Karmine is like, but I'm sure they're both just phenomenal.
ashley0139
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
#19Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:52pmI had never heard of Karmine before I saw her. I was blown away. She was amazing. Loved her. What a powerhouse!
#20Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/22/05 at 10:57pm
Karmine has a GREAT mimi!
aigoo- caren's mimi is...omg, one of my favorite performances I have ever seen.
"I think it was the Korean tour or something. They were all frickin' asian!" -Zoran912
ZONEACE
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
#21Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/23/05 at 7:59amI have to agree with the mucho Merle love. But I also love Danielle Lee Greaves (just a little more) as Joanne. Krystal Washington was my favorite Mimi, jeremy Kushnier my favorite Roger and Kendra Kassebaum and Maggie Benjamin my favorite maureens.
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#22Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/23/05 at 9:32amShe was Andrea in our production of OOTI- and she was way too good for such a small role!
Me2
Stand-by Joined: 10/23/04
#23Merle Dandridge
Posted: 8/28/05 at 12:37am
Ok, I just found this thread and since i think Merle is one of the most talented people on Broadway i just HAD to say something. The woman is an unbelievable talent and as much as I love RENT, I can't wait for her to go and do something else because she doesn't normally get the credit she deserves. She is just awesome and I really believe that she has the ability to become a big name one day.
/merle love
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