RENT Tour

[sfs1414]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:06pm

I'm one of the biggest RENT Fans. I've seen the show countless times and even have a No Day But Today Tattoo. But let me tell you that the Tour is playing in Pittsburgh this weekend and it is a boarderline disaster. I know it is a non equity tour but the past few years the casts have been remarkable. This time around it is a mess. Mark, Collins, Roger were the only actors who carried there roles. Angel and Mimi were almost there except for there singing which sounded young and untrained. These tours need to stop pulling these kids out of college. Let them finish there training and THEN put them to work. But at least the message of the best show of our generation still shines through.

[today4u:proofpositiv]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:11pm

That's really too bad, because it's a great show.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:12pm

" I've seen the show countless times and even have a No Day But Today Tattoo"

How many times have you seen it?

Are you serious about the tattoo? Can we see a picture?

[sfs1414]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:14pm

yea i'll take a picture. It is on my ankle. I 'll add it in like 20 mins. have to shower.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:16pm

Ok....sounds good.

[sfs1414]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:33pm

How do I add a picture on here.. I've never done it before.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:34pm

Umm...where do you have the picture uploaded to?

[sfs1414]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:35pm

my documents my pictures.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:37pm

ok- on the left side, it says Content, Message Boards, Features. Shows, Site.

Under site, it says fan photos. Download it onto your fan photos.

[sfs1414]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 10:45pm

Thanks. I made it my pic now. haha

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 11:12pm

Oh- very cool.

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 11:31pm

I felt the same way about the tour when I saw it in Atlanta. The only actors I like were the ones who played Mark and Roger. We didn't get programs, which bothered me, so I don't know their names. But I LOVED the guy that played Mark. The girl who played Mimi was HORRIBLE. She sounded like a child and over acted. It was like sitting through a bad community production. Glad I'm not the only one who thought this.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 11:33pm

Well, odds are much of the cast is going to be gone come September anyway. They're doing some major overhauling/recasting. Bryce (Roger) has already announced that he will not be staying with the tour.

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 11:47pm

Well praise god others wont have to go through the pain some of us had to.

[JamesMacon]

Posted: 8/26/06 at 11:57pm

I hope it gets better before February. But yes, it is a shame to hear this happening to such an inspirational show.

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 8/27/06 at 12:49pm

The cast changes are set for Sept. Current castmembers last show will be 9/17 and the only people staying are Tracy, Chante, Jenna, Sheila, Aswad, Michael, and Mimi. Cast changes are typical of every non-Eq tour of Rent. What's different this time is that so many are staying on. Typically, it's only one or two.
Updated On: 8/27/06 at 12:49 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 9/14/06 at 11:33pm

I saw the show tonight in Fort Lauderdale, FL tonight, I had no desire to see the show, because I've seen it way too many times but this friend won the lottery and had an extra and free front row ticket, would you guys had gone if you were me? I couldn't say no. The show was in good shape we could say. Some comments about some of the characters:

-Arianda Fernandez as Mimi was great, my friend hated her voice and singing wasn't her strongest skill, but with her outstanding acting and her dancing she made up for it. She looked perfect to play Mimi.
-Chante Carmel Frierson as Joanne was great, but I compare all the Joannes to Merle Dendridge and she was simply the best.
-Tracy McDowell as Maureen was good, she was a little more butch than other Maureens, and that worked for her. But her singing, it was so so, not nearly as powerful as Idina.
-Ano Okera as Angel, well, he was the weakest performer of the production I'd say.
-Jed Resnick as Mark somehow stole the show, he was great.
-Bryce Roseberry was ok as Roger, a good singer with a somehow generic voice and his acting skills were very limited.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 9/14/06 at 11:35pm

I am going this Satuday.

muscle- did your friend say the lotto was hard?

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 9/14/06 at 11:42pm

No, he said there were some people who were there since 6 am but they were just about 4 people. The front row are only about 6 seats if im not mistaken.

[winston89]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 8:42am

Speaking as a nig renthead I know that for the past few years there has not been much difference between the non equity tour an equity tour. It has been for the past few years a non equity tour and will continue to be so. But, I don't understand one thing. I hear people say that the actors suck because they are non equity. But, the actors could suck if they were non equity too. Ehat does being equity or not have aythnig to do with a bad actor?

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/15/06 at 10:31am

Technically, it doesn't. The Equity actors are just paid better.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 9/16/06 at 12:30pm

Not that anyone really cares but, I'm leaving now to go see it. Yea.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 9/16/06 at 5:38pm

I just came back and all I have to say: Thank G/d I saw it on Broadway before...

For the most part, this s*cked...

I'll write a review in a few minutes.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 9/16/06 at 6:10pm

I can’t exactly write reviews very well, but I’ll try…so here goes…

Roger and Mark didn’t seem to have any chemistry. I know they are supposed to be “starving artists” but mark seemed so…skinny…
Roger was ok but he sometimes got confused. At one point he took out the matches (I forget when) and they weren’t needed. Also, it took him 3 matches to light the candle at 1 point.
Collins was *what seemed to me* far from emotional when Angel died
Mimi’s voice was… grating.

**Little story for further explanation of Mimi’s voice: There was a girl sitting next to me and before the show started we were talking and she told me how she is a RENThead, saw the show 20 times, a theatre major…etc…
When Mimi started singing in “Light my candle” the girl and I simultaneously looked at each other and kinda gave the “ut-oh” face.
Then when she sang “Out Tonight” her body motions were perfect but her voice was absolutely horrendous- and I don’t use that word very often. Again, the girl next to me looked at me and she said “no way” and I said “I’m gonna cry” We put our head in our hands, gave a little laugh/cry and held our breaths for the rest of the song. I felt so bad for her…I was praying she’d get through the song. She did…not very well though. I think at that point, the audience just wanted it to be over so she (Mimi) could get out of her misery.
I was expecting an understudy to take over after that song but it didn’t happen. I really expected it to happen the 2nd act and it didn’t. However, I have to say, she was better in the 2nd act.

Tango Maureen seemed awkward. I don’t really know why. Maybe it was the timing? It was almost like Mark was a few beats before Joanne.

I’ll cover you was done much differently. Basically, the whole song was sung/performed on the table…

Take me or leave me was good but Maureen hops all over the stage and chairs…and she just seemed nervous about it, like she was going to fall or slip.

The two that I thought were the best: Maureen and Angel. Maureen couldn’t have made “Over the Moon” any funnier.
Angel was great too! Today 4 U received a ton of applause. Also, his shivering when he was dying was terrific- it really seemed so real.

If I had to rate it, I’d say a 4.5…and that’s probably a bit generous.

Updated On: 9/16/06 at 06:10 PM

[JamesMacon]

Posted: 9/16/06 at 7:03pm

Wow...that sounds like some show. Do you think if people had not seen RENT before, they would realize how bad Mimi was? Like do you think everyone wanted her off stage?