PLAYBILL: "Rent to Close if Movie Doesn't Boost Sales" — Page 2

^ ditto

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insomniak...the exceptional performance was Caren Lyn Manuel's. She was Mimi and, ironically and understudy. Kendra Kassebaum was Maureen...she was adequate. Stu James as Benny was decent I suppose. But even the latter two performers barely stood out in the rest of the mess. Maybe the show needs tighter direction going on as well as better casting. I honestly did not enjoy the show, and I don't plan on going back unless I see a familiar name or two in the cast that I know can make it a good experience.

I swear, watching the original cast in the show was like watching a completely different show. That's why I'm satisfied with the casting choices made for the movie. The talent is there.

Thank you, erinbecca!

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It's a matter of opinion, of course. I've seen the show probably 40+ times over the years, including the OBC. And I saw them live, not just on a boot. I've seen many different permutations of Broadway and tour casts and there are many actors who were just as good as the OBC castmembers, some even better. While it's true that there are occasionally some uninspired performances (as there are in any show), that doesn't mean that the show is like that all the time, nor does it mean that the show has been like that ever since the OBC left.

I'm not saying that the OBC will be terrible in the movie, but I think that when people say they they want the OBC in the movie, they mean they want the OBC *as they were in 1996*. Even though Adam insists that he wasn't "green around the ears" then, no one can deny that RENT is what started their careers. Since then, their lives have changed, their voices have matured, the context and background that they bring to the movie will be different than how they approached the role in '96.

All I'm saying is we can't assume that they'll be great now, 9 years later, just because they were great in '96. Things have changed. It might not be like '96. Let's be cautiously optimistic, is all.

I still can't bloody wait until next year though.

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I understand what you're saying, Tiff.

But I like to believe that the cast is made up of real phenomenal actors rather than talented people who were cast in the right show for them. Of course, one of them really can't act, so I'm worried about that peformance, lol.

If you're alluding to who I think you're alluding to, I do think there might be a problem with him, and it's not because he can't act at all, because he *is* improving... but, he keeps talking about all of these experiences that have changed his life. Maybe he was so great as Roger because he brought a lot of himself into that character... parts of him that may not be so prevalent anymore. That might hurt the performance, unless he can somehow dig up that persona. Just a thought.... I'm pulling for him to be amazing, though. He sounds as good as ever - that's got to be good for something.

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This news really upsets me. Just when I'm bouncing off the walls for getting to see the tour when it comes to Philly, this is really sad.

I saw RENT for the first time in August of this year, and I thought the cast was incredible. With the exception of maybe... one person, the emotion and the characterizations seemed dead-on. I have nothing to base this on, of course, but I thoroughly enjoyed the show and was on a sort of high for a good week after seeing it.

I might still be on a high. xD

In any case, I'm looking forward to seeing the original cast members in the movie, even if I'm not completely sold on it yet, for fears of... stuff that is off=topic here. But oh well.

I'll still be very sad to see RENT go.

By the way... how long is it, generally, before a revival comes along?

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I hope they're not carbon copies...I do hope they've improved. (BOY am I looking forward to 'Over the Moon').

Emcee, I was referring to him. I wasn't crazy about his Roger back in '96, but of the three I have seen, it was the best (Then again, I don't know if that is saying much). What I do hope is that whatever improvements he has made in his acting allows him to perform the role as well as it should have been in '96. I always thought he was a bit of a weak link, but I don't doubt that he has it in him to improve.

Ad_Libbing - If you liked the cast in August (and it was similar to the cast I saw in April), you'll LOVE the tour cast in Philly. A million times better, and their energy blows the roof off the Bway cast right now.

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The day Rent closes will be a very, very dark day. For me anyway...

Okay, I saw Rent for the first time last February, and with the exception of two actors, I thought they did a great job (altho I am iffy about Constaine Maouralis as Roger...not that great of a job either, now that I think about it). And I really don't hope that is supposed to be like the OBC either. But still I really want it to be amazing.

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Really? Thank God. I liked him at first, but as the show went on I could definitely tell that he was making Roger seem extremely angsty...I went back and found a boot of him and just didn't like it all.

Jaime Lee, on the other hand, kicked ass.

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