RENT Tour in Buffalo.

I just got back from seeing the tour's final performance in Buffalo. Harley Jay was a very good Mark, but I noticed his voice was strained in some of his singing. The funny thing was he sounded amazing in Rent and Tango Maureen, but it was the small numbers in between that sounded off. Sure enough once On the Street happened, Mark got a few inches shorter and had darker hair. His understudy, Mitch Dean went on. He was very cute in the role, great voice, but I definitely would like to see him more in the run to see more character development. I actually enjoyed Declan Bennett as Roger. I thought his voice sounded amazing throughout the whole night. The British accent didn't bother me because it reminded me of British grunge, even though I know the musical is set in NYC. I will admit I definitely saw mostly the anger to his character with his violent streaks coming out in most of his scenes. I was trying to figure out why him and Krystal Brown didn't have much chemistry in Act I, but perhaps this is the reason why. But the anger/love thing worked in Without You. Krystal Brown was a very sweet Mimi and I thought she added innocence to the character. She nailed Out Tonight, Without You, and Goodbye Love. She definitely knows how to move. Warren C. Nolan. Jr. gave an amazing I'll Cover You Reprise and it was the highlight of the night. Melvin Bell was good as Angel, you could tell the audience enjoyed his performance. I will admit though, I noticed him running out of breath in Today 4 U. Chante Carmel Frierson was a treat in Tango Maureen and sang the heck out of Take Me or Leave Me. I admired Tracy McDowell's Over the Moon because it was very funny and unique. She was quite enjoyable to watch and didn't really make the character annoying. The rest of the ensemble sounded great.

I met Declan Bennett, Warren C. Nolan, Jr., Michael Ifill, Chante Carmel Frierson, and Tracy McDowell after the show and they were all very nice and very appreciative of their fans. I even caught Harley Jay coming out apologizing to fans, who he must have known from their previous meetings in Buffalo last week, wishing he didn't suck. I think he wanted to continue, but either someone above him or his own decision made him not go on. But he was joking, "Listen to me now! Don't I sound fine?" But he seemed very glad Mitch Dean went on for him saying he's great.
I have two questions. Has anyone noticed spoken dialogue added to the musical that's from the movie? I guess I didn't recognize it wasn't originally there when I saw the musical before the movie, but my friend pointed it out to me. Also, do swings work the souvenir stand in the lobby? I could have sworn I saw Aaron LaVigne behind the counter selling stuff.

My friend said any spoken dialogue that wasn't Mark's narrations was added from the movie. The only thing I could really think of though is during Angel's funeral scene and everyone shares a story about him. I wonder if Aaron was goofing around because it looked like him from his headshot and I saw him afterwards coming out of the stage door, but he was actually waiting on people. Maybe he was bored that night or he has a lookalike working the souvenir stand.

As I said, nothing was added from the movie. The libretto has not changed except for a couple of one word changes since it opened ten years ago. The stage show has always been the same as it is now. The funeral monologues have always been in the show. Has this friend seen the show onstage before? It sounds like he's comparing the movie to the OBCR. Not everything in a show is on the cast recording.

My friend said she's been a RENT head since she was 13 and she saw the show on Broadway and at the University at Buffalo's CFA and they didn't have the funeral monologues, the priest, and Benny paying for the funeral. I wish I remembered if I saw any of this when I saw the show at UB.

Updated On: 12/11/06 at 05:33 PM

Phantour, what is the U of Buffalo's CFA? I've seen the show close to 100 times, all over North America. I can assure you that any and all professional productions of the show (and that's the only kind there should be because the rights are not available!) have been the same, other than the one word differences already mentioned in this thread. Your friend is mistaken.

Saw Aaron in For The Glory. I got to school in Cincinnati, but am home for the holidays...wish I was able to catch his performance.

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Updated On: 12/12/06 at 01:57 AM