Rent's Angel vs Angel

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:30am

I love Wilson Jermaine Heredia's Angel on the recording of Rent, but I never saw him perform Angel on stage but I've heard that he's not great compared to Justin Johnson, who I did see as Angel on stage...I'm looking forward to seeing Wilson's Angel in the film, but for those who saw both/saw one, who did you like better?

[Tom1071]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:33am

I never saw WJH either. I saw Jai Rodriguez and Andy Senor. Jai was by far my favorite and he was so pretty.

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:34am

Ah you're soooo lucky!!! I'll do ANYTHING to see Jai if he comes back to Rent..I hope he does!!!!!!!!!

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:35am

I didn't see either of them, I just wanted to say that your signature just made me spit my soda every where! That's hysterical!

ETA- I did however see Jai. He was wonderful.

Updated On: 3/24/05 at 11:35 AM

[PerhapsACreamPuff]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:38am

I've seen vid of Jai doing T4U and I wasn't that impressed. It might have just been an off night.

Anyway, I am really jazzed to see WJH in the film, I love him on the CR.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:40am

I saw Sean Earl in Chicago. He was fantastic and won a Jeff award for his role.

I also saw an understudy in Chicago so fat that he could not jump onto the table. He was awful.

[PerhapsACreamPuff]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:43am

A fat Angel? I bet the constant miniskirts were a GREAT look for him. Who lets these things happen?

Updated On: 3/24/05 at 11:43 AM

[PennyLou]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:43am

I never saw Wilson Jermaine Heredia but I have seen a few others and my fav was Jai Rodriguez was my fav!

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:51am

I'll admit it, I saw Wilson's Angel during his second go-round with the Broadway company, and I recently saw Justin and I did like Justin better. Jose Llana was my first Angel, Wilson was my second, and I think my whole family agreed we like Jose better, but we'll see, I still think Wilson will do a great job in the film and I'm really looking forward to it.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:54am

Oh, wait. I did see Justin!

[NJgirl]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 11:57am

Ive not seen WJH...but Ive seen Jai Rodriguez (when he came back briefly this summer), Justin Johnson, and Sean Earl...and one other tour Angel. Justin was by far the best of the 4..but I loved Jai's Angel too...they just played them different. Jai's was a softer Angel...where Justin threw in the manly deep voice and played it a lil more masculine (if that's possible).
But if were going on singing and dancing ability...Justin wins hands down..and in those shoes no less!

[Em-LEE]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 12:15pm

I didn't get to see WJH, but I absolutley love him on the cast recording. I'm very excited that he's going to be in the movie.

I did, however, get to see Justin. I thought he was incredible. He had so much energy. He also seemed very comfortable in the drag and the heels. When I saw him in the show I had to laugh because it wasn't until half way through Today 4 U that the man behind me turned to his wife and said, "Wait, is that a man?!?!?" Then, two minutes later he said, "How can he do that in those heels?!?!?!" Justin IS very pretty :)

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 12:35pm

Justin is easily the best thing about the current Broadway production of Rent.

I don't think you're going to find a whole lot of people who saw both Wilson and Justin, especially since Justin rarely went on as Angel when he was in the Benny Company (Shaun Earl hardly ever called out), and while he started going on regularly as Angel around 2003 on Broadway, he wasn't permanently fulltime until fairly recently. He's another who's been with the show FOREVER.

[Justice]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 12:54pm

I saw both, and honestly prefer Wilson. He had a certain level of maturity in the character that Justin doesn't have. Justin has fun with it, but can go a little over the top. They both have great voices, and they can both dance, but Wilson, to me will always be the perfect Angel.

(I really would love to have seen Wilson Cruz in this part, though.)

Updated On: 3/24/05 at 12:54 PM

[JHartnow]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:26pm

I think something that's crucial to the part of Angel is that the chemistry she has with the other bohemians is believable. She's the glue that holds the show together, and if she doesn't make us, as the audience, believe in love...how are we to believe she's spreading the message to these other characters?

Wilson and Jesse have the best chemistry that I've ever seen between any Angel and Collins. Whoever said that Wilson's portrayal was more mature...I wholly agree. If you've never seen their energy together, just look at the pictures from last week's filming. Amazing.

I was in NYC the other week for Broadway Bears (I create the bears from RENT every year), and saw Justin as Angel. He was FANTASTIC. He brought a more comedic, giddy, youthful element to the role. You can't help but fall in love with her. And speaking of "Justin's"...

Who else misses Justin Rodriguez from the first national non-equity tour? Justin was so young and cute, and portrayed Angel beautifully. I can still hear his cute laugh during I'll Cover You. And to think that he rarely missed a show...

-John

Updated On: 3/24/05 at 01:26 PM

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:30pm

I liked WJH i mean he was the only cast member to get a Tony but Jai was soooooo better. I think he was by far the best.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:38pm

I saw Wilson as well, and I much prefer Andy Senor, Justin Johnson, and Jai Rodriguez, although Justin is the best Angel I've ever seen. Wilson was just mediocre.

Random, but does anyone else think (from recent RENT pictures) that Wilson's thighs have gotten a BIT to large for the role? He does not look like a dying man, he looks like a track star.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:39pm

I thought that Jai's angel may have been better than Wilson's. I'll have to see the film again to refresh memory. I love Justin's take on the role right now, but most importantly, glad to see someone else other than Andy.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:40pm

Justin is by far the best I've seen.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:41pm

Agreed! Years ago Andy was incredible, then towards the end of his run last year he didn't sing anymore and had to whisper everything because he had no voice. TERRIBLE.

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:41pm

I LOVED Justin Rodriguez. He is still up there as one of my favorite Angels. He has such a vibrant and youthful thing about him that it made it incredibly hard to lose him in the second act, moreso than any other Angel I've seen. And his voice! I really loved him, wonder what he's been up to lately.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:43pm

There is no Justin Rodriguez.

There's a Jai Rodriguez and a Justin Johnson...

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:45pm

Haha, Girlfriend... I'm sorry. I'm trying not to laugh. Just amused me.

It's Jai Rodriguez. And Justin Johnston. Honest mistake though. Don't worry about it.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:45pm

But if there were- now that would be a great Angel. Andy Senor, did something that none of the other angels did that totally embodied drag queens. He lipsanc.

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 3/24/05 at 1:48pm

Yes, indeed, there was. I saw him four times. He was the first Angel on the non-equity tour, and left the tour in May of 2003.