RENT 5/31/08 2pm review

I saw RENT for the 4th time yesterday, from center orchestra seat D-106.

Cast
Roger: Will Chase- fantastic, he was REALLY, REALLY good. He was a sarcastic Roger, which was a new take on the role that I liked very much.

Mark: Adam Kantor- I really like him. I've seen him once before, near the beginning of his run, and he has improved alot. He is very Anthony Rapp-esque.

Angel: Shaun Earl- WOW. WOW.WOW. WOW. I love Shaun as Angel so much. Surpassed Justin by a longshot. Hope to see him go on again!

Mimi- Tamyra Gray: I've also seen her before, during Anthony and Adam's run, and I guess it just must have been an off night. I always remembered loving her, but during light my candle she went flat on so many notes.

Collins: Michael McElroy- When I saw him last time, in his earlier run, I didn't like him at all. Now, he's my favorite. Great riffs, I really felt for him during Angel's funeral. I love this guy!

Maureen: Eden Espinosa- I liked her, and I think she'll grow into the role with time. I was expecting an Eden belt Maureen, but I felt she was holding back and just screaming instead. She was funny, I liked her and she has a cute butt.

Joanne: Merle Dandridge- All of the other times I saw RENT, I never really felt for Joanne, never saw her as an important person. Well I sure do now! Merle made the character come to life for me. She was hilarious, and instead of being bitchy to Mark during Tango: Maureen, she changed it to more of a stressed out yet playful thing. It was cute.

Benny- Rodney Hicks: He was alright. I have the same problem as I used to have with Joanne, I just can't feel for this character. His voice is fine, so is his acting, but he just doesn't stand out.


Songs that stood out:

Rent: I could feel the energy radiating from the stage, It seems like everybody was giving it their all. Best I've ever heard it.

One Song Glory: Very good, very sad. He didn't just scream through it, and it got a lot of applause.

Light My Candle- Tamyra went flat left and right in it. Tamyra and Will were like on two separate pages, and they rarely looked each other in the eyes, they just wanted to get the song done and over with.

Today 4 U- Shaun got a HUGE entrance applause. Best Today 4 U I have ever seen. He riffed a lot, and he hits the "Gracie Mews" line low note, which i haven't heard anybody do live before.

Tango: Maureen: Fantastic, Adam and Merle did great together, they broke character for a second when Adam slid a little far and almost fell, waving his arms spastically not to fall and they looked at each other, and they were trying so hard not burst out laughing. It was very cute, and it was the best I've ever seen. It got a really long applause.

Out Tonight/ Another Day- Tamyra did fine in out tonight, some very nice riffs. She's got a pretty voice. During Another Day, Will and Tamyra did better together, and it turned out better than I thought.


Over The Moon- Eden also got a huge applause upon entering. It was good, she was funny, and I was expecting some of her belting, but it didn't happen. It was funny, she added her own twists,and the audience mooed as soon as she said moo with me.

La Vie Boheme- I was really looking forward to this song, and although it was fantastic, it missed the energy that some of the other songs had.

Seasons of Love- Eden and Michael looked right at me! *squeee* Michael held eye contact with me and winked.... I love him. Maia did the high note, and she could not do it at all. It was thin sounding, but still, the audience started roaring with applause the second she hit it, so I had to stain to hear it. Ick.

Happy New Year- Eden looks hot in that cat costume.

Take Me Or Leave Me- Very, very good. Eden seems to connect with this song and put a lot of emotion and energy into this song.

Without You- Tamyra was great in this! Very sad, and her voice is just beautiful.

Contact- Rodney (Benny)was a dancer during this...and I was like, huh? WHy is Benny thrusting himself against and wall and gyrating with some guy? It was WEIRD!
Shaun's solo was also AMAZING!

I'll Cover You Reprise: WOW! Micheal put so many beautiful riffs in it and I was amazed. The most beautiful song I heard that night. He's such a good Collins.

Goodbye Love- The Mark/Roger fight was very good, the second best I've seen yet (To Adam and Anthony) Tamyra was heartbreaking, she made my eyes well up during the *please don't touch me understand I'm scared.....* part. The boy next to me was crying his eyes out the whole time, and it made me kind of sad that RENT doesn't have that kind of emotional effect on me anymore. Until I glanced over at him, I forgot to be sad. It was a weird feeling.

Finale B- Very good, very pretty, as always. When Shaun ran on, the whole theare leapt to their feet and was screaming yelling and applauding during the last NO DAY BUT TODAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY note that lasts forever!

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I stagedoored after and here's who came out (in order of appearance)

Caren Lyn Manuel and Andrea Goss ran out the main doors and down the street literally 5 seconds after the show was over.

Then Will Chase came out, he signed my playbill, and I asked my dad to take a picture of us and he said yes, but my dad couldn't get the camera to work so he thought he had it but he didn't so, when Will was less mobbed I took it with him again and he put his arm around me!'

After that, Telly Leung came out, very nice, he actually talked with people, signed and took photos.

Then Eden came out, signed quickly, but didn't take photos because she had a dinner party to go to. My dad snapped a picture of us smiling at eachother, whoch is just as good.


Maia and Shaun came out at the same time, I went to Maia first and said that I really enjoy her bag lady and that I thought she was a good Joanne when I saw her go on April 6th. She signed and took a pic with me.

Then I went over to Shaun and told him how happy I was that I got to see him go on as Angel, and that he's the best I'd ever seen. He seemed genuinely grateful and her signed my playbill *personally* and when he took the picture with me he wrapped both of his arms around me and put his cheek up against my face. After that, he gave me a hug and told me to come back soon. I definitely will!

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Updated On: 6/1/08 at 11:33 AM

Thanks for posting a review. I am going to see this next Sunday am very excited!

Contact- Rodney (Benny)was a dancer during this...and I was like, huh? WHy is Benny thrusting himself against and wall and gyrating with some guy? It was WEIRD!

I'm confused. "Contact" always includes the actor playing Benny.

Updated On: 6/1/08 at 10:24 PM

Oh, okay, thanks winter_sky!

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thanks for the word insert, i was thinking of, i was so stressed because i had like 5 things to do before midnight tonight thank god i got it done.
if merle and eden dont sing it at the tonys, broadway in bryant park will do me justice.

Oh, totally wasn't aware of that! Guess I learned something new.

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Hmm...I too was there at the matinee and loved, loved, loved the show! I thought that for the most part the assessment made by Suicidal was good except that I felt the opposite way they did with the character of Benny and Rodney Hicks' portrayal. For the first time I actually understood where Benny was coming from and he wasn't just this slick detached guy. It really seemed as though he was trying to right things but didn't know how to go about it. It just seemed the actor playing the role infused it with clarity and honesty that I, for one of the first times, really believed that they were all roommates once upon a time and that he really didn't know he was doing the wrong thing up until the end. I found Rodney to be both charming and yes an asshole at times, which was very cool because Benny kinda is that. And he has a beautiful voice. he really doesn't riff or anything like that, he sings it pretty straight forward but I personally liked that. So for this person he was more than just alright he was fantastic!

I felt the same suicidal did in regards to Merle Dandridge as Joanne she was excellent!! Definitely the best Joanne I have seen! Her acting and vocals were top notch!

Will Chase, what can I say about him! He was a knockout! Really! He was excellent!

Adam Kantor was simply adorable as Mark. Another example of clear storytelling that I really appreciated. Very good actor.

Michael McElroy steals my heart with his I'll Cover you reprise. simply beautiful.

Eden Espinosa was really great as Maureen and I think Suicidal said she just started. Well if she just started then we are in for a treat when she gets settled cause she is great!

The ensemble was excellent, I mean you really could pick out a single person and see that they were just as much in the story as the lead character that's singing. Really great stuff all aroud!

I mean everyone of them, you can tell cares about not only the characters they were playing but the story as a whole and that really comes through. I found myself leaving the theatre extremely happy for the great storytelling that took place! I look forward to going back before it closes with Renee Goldsberry playing mimi.