Rent. . .the final cast!

I saw this last week (as you've probably read about over and over in my responses lately), but was curious to see if anyone else felt like they were seeing Rent for the first time with this cast. I've seen Rent quite a few times, but never felt as moved by it as I did by this cast. All the emotions and the acting were so well-delivered and natural- so much so that I actually probably cried from Without You all the way through Angel's funeral (not a norm for me at any show.) Also, the finale also moved me. Part of it may be that we're experiencing the end of the Rent "era," but I felt like this cast almost showed the same passion for it as the original cast- maybe even more, to a degree. I remember seeing the show and always feeling as though it was missing something- almost that it got progressively "emptier" in comparison to the OBC recording, but I felt like they finally figured out what was missing- like they found the magic and put it back in the show. I remember watching it, saying to myself, "if it was always like this, it wouldn't be closing now." Does anyone agree? Just curious. . .

I saw the Saturday matinee this past weekend and it was amazing. It will literally the best I have ever seen the show.

Destan Owens as Collins - WOW! His voice is like pure velvet. I was watching youtube videos of him singing I'll Cover You (Repirse) before hand and thought he was amazing, but he was even better live. My hairs stood up on my arms. Definitely the best Collins I've ever seen. Too bad he's just in the ensemble now.

Tracie Thoms was a fabulous Joanne and Eden Espinosa was wowmazing.

Also, Adam Kantor is the cutest thing ever.

Renee Elise Goldsbury...I know I spelled her name wrong.

---

I had Will's understudy, Jay Wilkison in and I kind of thought he was going to punch Mimi too (lol), but it seemed much more like he was he was emotional and trying to restrain himself. . .I thought he was amazing! I agree with basically everything except Renee. I thought her "Without You" was the most beautiful version I've ever heard. I was never a fan of the song and it brought me to tears. . .I think her stage movements as Mimi and the overall character presence needed a little bit of work, but thought her voice was beautiful and strong when it needed to be. Great vocal control from the whole cast, and I thought Adam Kantor was AMAZING! He truly carried the show from beginning to end. I was back and forth on how I felt about Destan until I heard "I'll Cover You (Reprise)"

Everyone was terrific! I'm glad others out there felt the same way!!!

Is Destan Owens back playing Collins? Oy. Why bother coming back for only the last 3 weeks?

Tracie and Eden's Take Me or Leave Me was the best I've seen in years, I've always like Will's Roger and Adam Kantor did a fair job, but other than that, there was nothing extraordinary about this cast that would bring me back under normal circumstances. With the exception of those four and Renée, it's pretty much the same cast that has been with Rent for years.

---

Updated On: 8/18/08 at 06:23 PM

I heard Renee in Bryant Park and was underwhelmed- but i have to say her live performance of Out Tonight onstage is pretty remarkable... a fantastic job, i really dug her.

I saw the show a few weeks ago and was absolutely blown away by the entire cast. Eden Espinosa is f-ing phenomenal. I've seen Rent a LOT and she's absolutely the most perfect and REAL Maureen I've ever seen. I was really impressed by pretty much the entire cast. It's a good one with which to end the show.

---

I've seen this final cast twice now and I LOVE them. Except Renee. Her Out Tonight was painful. But I've seen several casts, and this one just has so much energy and chemistry together. Major standout points for Eden Espinosa who definitely blew me away. I'd never seen her live, and she was just phenomenal. So present and energetic and Maureen. By far the best I have seen. She has a new fan. I loved getting to see her and Tracie together too. Great chemistry.

Will Chase definitely grew on me the second time I saw him, but I will agree he is a very angry Roger. It works though. Whoever is currently playing Collins is just adorable. So nerdy, which really works for the computer geek character. Adam Kantor is adorable too, but he and Will do not look nearly the same age.

I've seen the show several times over the years, and it really getting it's life back now that the run is winding down. I will definitely be unbelievably sad to see the show end.

---

I feel like Renee is slowly growing into her role. Based off what I've read prior to seeing her and then just seeing her last week, I think it's a learning process- she's still finding her Mimi "presence." I think she was there in every way except her movement in "Out Tonight." Hopefully, she'll have it nailed by the final taped performance :)