Priest's NYC Trip and Reviews Part II (Bee, W, DRS, Democracy and Rent) — Page 3

Priest,

Thanks for the great reviews!

It's nice to know that I'm not the only one who cried at finally getting to see George Hearn, live onstage. We were happy to be just a few of the MANY who enthusiastically applauded his entrance when we saw it! I know many disagree, but I also loved his performance as the wizard. It's funny, because we also yelled, "Mr. Hearn!" and had to literally wade through throngs of people waiting for Idina just to get to him before he reached his car. But he heard us calling, stopped and turned, smiled and waited until we could get him to sign our Sweeney Todd @ the Philharmonic cd and La Cage vocal score. He was very gracious and we walked away beaming as everyone else pushed and screamed for probably another half hour or so! lol

Rent

This was my first time to see the show. I have extensivelt listened to, and love, the OBCR, but had just never gotten around to seeing it.

I wish I could say it was a memorable experience. The show is solid, moving and beautiful. But the performances were utterly forgetable.

Since everone here has probably already seen the show and knows its ins and outs, I will just focus on the performers.

Drew Lachey has the stage prescence of a gnat. He has a fine enough pop singing voice. I am not a fan of it, but it is passable. His acting was atrocious, and the emotion was non-exisitent. At times, when he was on stage by himself, his complete lack of presence made me constantly lose my focus. When anyone else was on stage with him, your eyes immediately went to the other person. I was hoping he would be passable, but the soner he leaves the production, the better. The role of Mark is pivotal, and a bad actor in that role brings down the entire show.

I was also dismayed to see that on the page listing all the credits (first page) in the Playbill, Lachey's name was printed in the same size font as Larsons. It shouldn't have bothered me as much, but it did.

Cary Shields as Roger had his moments. There were times he was fantastic and times when he was awful. At moments, he would begin speaking so softly that no one could hear him. His 'One Song Glory' was good, but not the force it should have been, but good nonetheless. He became increasingly better as the evening wore on. Shields' performance reached a high point during 'What You Own' in which he gave a great rendetion full of raw emotion. However, Lachey managed to suck most of the emotion off the stage and brought down Shield's performance in the process. He looked surprisingly a whole lot like Pascal, and has a similar voice.

D'Monroe as Benny was good. Nothing special; he didn't take anything away from the show, but he didn't add anything either. He had a very nice voice.

Merle Dandridge, even though she was playing Joanna and not Maureen, seemed to be channeling Idina. Her vocals always seemed as if she was, usually to no avail, trying to be an Idina clone, specifically during 'We're Okay' If she would ease down and try to sing in her own style, instead of conforming to previous cast members, she could be great, even exceptional.

Karmine Alers as Mimi was another performance that grew on me. At times great, and at times lackluster. However, her big time to shine. 'Out Tonight' was extremely disappointing. Her diction was especially bad. Granted, it is a hard song, and a hard song, to have great enunciation, but she had litle to none. Another very non-chalant performance which didn't detract, but didn't add.

Kelly Karbacz as Maureen was one of the few standouts in the first act. Her 'Over the Moon', though not great, was something she made her own. I'm sorry to say that the performance faded in the second act.

Now for the two real, true standouts of the show. Mark richard Ford as Collins and, specifically Justin Johnston as Angel gave powerhouse performances.

Both had strong, soulful voices that complimented each other nicely. But what really made these performances so strong was the powerhouse of raw, heart-breaking and uplifting emotion that shined through Larson's lyrics and music. All of their solos, whether an entire song or one line, you believed and you felt.

It seems that the entire original cast of Rent submerged themselves into the roles and laid themselves bare with emotion every night. This is what this cast, with the excpetion of Ford and Johnston, doesn't do.

No one, besides Lachey, was especially bad. If they just reach for the feelings and the passion behind the music, they could begin to climb towards the excellence of what i imagine the original cast to have had. A true passion for the material, for the characters and for the story they are telling.

Passion drives the story and ignites the fire of the characters and to see performances without passion takes away from the integrity, and beauty, of the show.

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Updated On: 2/16/05 at 12:11 AM