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#101

re: Rent is Terrible

Stuart Ostrow (and others) said that the landmark musicals are Oklahoma!, Hair, A Chorus Line, and Rent. Rent won the Pulitzer, the Tony, and several other awards. So, I think it is arguably fair to say that it is a good musical. You may not like it. You may have seen a bad production/performance of the musical. But, one needs to be aware that some musicals that you hate are considered to be good. And some musicals that you love are not considered to be good. There is a huge difference between like/dislike and good/bad.

I have only seen the Original Broadway and National Tour casts, which I felt were very good. It sounds like the casts of recent have not been as inspired. I do have an opinion about the casting of this musical: it went completely commercial. The original cast included different types. The subsequent casts (that I have seen, to be fair) have, with the exception of the lone, token large black female, looked like models from a CK1 ad. When and WHY did these poor artists go from looking like real people to looking like the latest MTV reality show?
johnraymondbarker.com
#102

re: Rent is Terrible

I completley agree with your last statement, JRB. With a few exceptions, the casting bascially went completley commercial.
"I really liked the show--Wish I saw Boy's Night...Am I allowed as I am not a boy anymore:)"-duffyny1
#103

re: Rent is Terrible

JRB; very well stated.

As for the casting.... lazy casting directors?
HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!
#104

re: Rent is Terrible

Either that or cheap bastards re: Rent is Terrible
"I really liked the show--Wish I saw Boy's Night...Am I allowed as I am not a boy anymore:)"-duffyny1
#106

re: Rent is Terrible

mtv is nothing of the sort
#107

re: Rent is Terrible

I recently saw rent for the 1st time. Maybe since I hadn't seen it before, I didn't know what I was missing. I did enjoy the show very much. I thought it was powerful, and as I stated in my review pitch problems with some of the cast were more than made up for with what I thought to be an energetic performance. I have not had the "pleasure" of seeing Mel B. in the role of Mimi, so I can't say how her performance has changed opinions. Rent certainly makes a statement. I think it is narrow minded to condemn those who enjoy Rent. Just because the show may have gone downhill doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable.
#108

re: Rent is Terrible

well i LOVE RENT. Not everyone has to, the people i have come across either love it or hate it (not that many hate it tho.) I went for years only listening and knowing the OBCR and finally saw it this March. I loved it! From what people say about how this cast is horrible compared to the OBC i would have loved to see them. For me, it was after 8 years being able to see what i have been picturing in my head finally live and infront of me. When i saw it, the cast was energetic, lively, and right ontop of it. I DO think a key part in this is that THREE of the leads were understudies/swings. I think they brought something fresh to the show and the rest of the cast fed off their energy. When i saw it in April i saw a very differnt show. The regulars were back in and were joined by Scary Spice. There was definately something lacking. I still had a blast seeing it, dont get me wrong.

I forgot who said this (please forgive me) but somebody early in this thread made a very good point. For people who have seen the show MANY MANY times cant say that its only that the show is lacking something. It may be because since you have seen it so many times the energy is lacking in you. I know what i am trying to say, yet at this time cant articulate in the way i want, ill post later once i sorted out my thoughts
Though scattered and divided we are still its heart...AIDA SEPTEMBER 5th, 2004...one more longing backward glance... I AM NOW "TGIF!"
#109

re: Rent is Terrible

dont get me wrong here, i absolutley believe in the right to freedom of speech but i cant help wishing that this thread would just dissapear- the title of it is awful; "rent is terrible", im sorry, i just disagree so much that looking at it offends me- everyone has the right to their opinion but i just wish i didnt have to look at this post at the top of the message board ANY MORE!!!

so if you care about my feelings at all (re: Rent is Terrible) you could...um... not post anything here anymore...um... EVER! re: Rent is Terrible

seriously, im not really saying to stop posting or anything, i was just saying how irritating it is to see someone say that one of your favorite shows is "terrible".
#110

re: Rent is Terrible

Stuart Ostrow (and others) said that the landmark musicals are Oklahoma!, Hair, A Chorus Line, and Rent.

What, no Company? And excuse my ignorance, but what was so landmark about A Chorus Line?

-Plum, being contrary
#112

re: Rent is Terrible

Plum;
You silly hussy. You asking for a good b***h slappping.
HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!
#114

re: Rent is Terrible

Yeah, this whole thread kinda disgusts me. I like RENT. Just leave it alone. In the past few years it has gone commercial in order to stay afloat, but for me (and remember this is just my opinion) having some kind of RENT that is slightly reminiscent of what it originally was is better than having a revival of Victor/Victoria at the Nederlander.....
#115

re: Rent is Terrible

Oh, please no Victor/Victoria talk. All it does is remind me of finally going to see the great Julie Andrews on stage and having her voice crack and her having to stop a song to cough. So sad. Matt was depressed leaving the theater that night.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
#116

re: Rent is Terrible

No offense, but if you honestly do not see the merit of A Chorus Line, you must read up on it. It is a law that one must appreciate it. re: Rent is Terrible
johnraymondbarker.com
#117

re: Rent is Terrible

so get the DVD. Any coughing was cut out. I still wish I coulda seen Liza do it. I woulda given my left arm to see that woman pretend to be a man. Why do I miss all the good stuff??? It's a curse.
#118

re: Rent is Terrible

The DVD is great. It was just sad that night is all. And Liza was a lot of fun in the role, also!

As for A CHORUS LINE, there is a huge book devoted to the musical and it goes into great detail about why the show is so important. It's definately worth a read.
"Noah, someday we'll talk again. But there's things we'll never say. That sorrow deep inside you. It inside me, too. And it never go away. You be okay. You'll learn how to lose things..."
#119

re: Rent is Terrible

Well, for one thing, it is given the credit for being the first musical to ever be workshopped. (This is actually not true as Bennett got the idea from Stuart Ostrow, who workshopped The Robber Bridegroom).
johnraymondbarker.com
#120

re: Rent is Terrible

Ah, I forgot about the workshopping thing. Hey, I like A Chorus Line, I just don't know what was so amazingly revolutionary about it. That's why I asked.

And I still think that any list of "revolutionary" musicals that doesn't include Company is incomplete.
#121

re: Rent is Terrible

Reprise is doing Company here. I was thinking of going. But they have messed up everything else they do. i like the cast wich includes Judith Light.
HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

Updated On: 5/13/04 at 02:02 AM

#122

re: Rent is Terrible

"Well, for one thing, it is given the credit for being the first musical to ever be workshopped."

So it was the beginning of the end.

Sorry, folks, workshopping is sucking the life out of this artform. Writers are overwriting and rewriting until there's no life left in the piece.
#123

re: Rent is Terrible

Amen John.
#124

re: Rent is Terrible

When out-of-town tryouts become prohibitvely expensive and overly scrutinized, that's what you get.
#125

re: Rent is Terrible

I haven't seen RENT yet, but I know it's amazing.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

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