Anyone else love her as Joann as much as I do?? I LOVE HER!!!
Updated On: 8/22/05 at 09:41 PM
I LOVED her. She made me realize that part wasn't boring.
She made me want to PLAY the part. It is officially my goal. But, yes. She's cool beans.
*Merle Dandridge. By..the way..
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/7/03
I like her and all, but as far as Joannes go, she's not Danielle Lee Greaves, Kenna Ramsey OR Natalie Venetia Belcon.
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
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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/25/03
She's great...there are clips on her site:
http://www.merledandridge.com/
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
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
Oh, she was exceptional.
AWESOME Joanne.
She's KOREAN?! Awesome! Sorry, I got pretty worked up about that. Wow! I had no idea!
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/7/03
Hey, 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.
OMG, Aigoo- you're right!
She's part KOREAN!
How awesome.
She's really pretty, too...
Well, 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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
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.
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
I 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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/3/05
I had never heard of Karmine before I saw her. I was blown away. She was amazing. Loved her. What a powerhouse!
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/10/05
I 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.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
She was Andrea in our production of OOTI- and she was way too good for such a small role!
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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