Rent vs. Wicked vs Phantom of the Opera

Ok, so I was pacing like I usually do, until I started wondering: between Rent, Wicked, and Phantom, which one is more popular? By popular, I mean which one is more likely to have those freaky rabid fans. In my school it's close between Rent and Phantom (though Wicked has its fair share of fans), but I think Phantom ultimately wins. Which do you think is more popular?

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also, based on fan annoying-ness, i'd use the same order as lolita did...
popularity-wise, i'd say
3. WICKED
2. RENT
1. PHANTOM

As a phan, I must say that we're not very rabid at all. POTO has a very calm but strong fan base that is filled with people who return again and again, but never try to bombard BWW or other sites like it with...WHOS DA BEST THIS....WHOS DA BEST DAT!

You will get the exceptions now and then, though, but they're definately not in the majority.

I consider the movie's fans a different breed, as they are known for:"I LUV GERRY BUTLA!!!" "The movees SOOOOOOOOO much betta than the show...lyke, y isnt the phantom hott lyk Geryy????!!!" But, again, that's not everyone.

Rent's fans have more calm as well.

Wicked's has matured a tad, but there's still the newbie fans who go a bit crazy.

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Updated On: 9/10/06 at 12:12 PM

Well, if we're discussing the equally loony fan groups of each show, I'll talk about some of my experiences with them and give my two cents on who wins.

Wicked- Countless nuts. The ones who think they are Idina Menzel and who sing a painful version of Defying Gravity at the stage door. The ones who do the same thing to Popular, among other songs. Stephen Schwartz is no Sondheim, but his music doesn't deserve to be butchered by teenyboppers. But the worst I've experienced were the two girls at See What I Wanna See. They were in red. I think that was supposed to represent Idina's outfit when she came out at her last performance. I could be wrong. They really didn't give a damn about the show (which was better than Wicked) and hooted and screamed whenever Ms. Menzel sang, spoke or walked onstage. It was disgusting.

Rent- I don't like Rent. I think it's outdated (go ahead, shoot me) and pretentious. Obviously, its passionate group of fans disagree with me because when I told a friend of mine (I guess you could call him a Renthead) what I thought of the show, he almost killed me. The Rent fans seem to be closed minded to other opinions of the show and other shows for that matter. They also think the lyrics of the show are more quotable and inspirational than JFK's inagural adress.

Phantom- They aren't loud. They don't butcher the song(s). Really, it's only one song. (which deserves to be butchered) and they seem to know how to behave at the theatre. However, they are exremely closed minded to other works. Phantom, and all BritishAndrew Lloyd Webber musical fans, do not care for Rodgers and Hammerstein, Sondheim, Kander and Ebb among others. They also think you are insane when you express a negative opinion about Phantom. However, what annoys me most is how many times they come. When I first saw the show (my first AND LAST time) the woman behind me had said she saw it nearly 40 times. They keep the piece of crap open, which pisses me off a great deal.

So who wins? Well, they are all "passionate" in their own way. However, the Wicked fans don't go often (unless their millionares) because the show itself is a hot ticket. The Rent fans go enough, but the winners are "The Phans." Utter morons.

Updated On: 9/10/06 at 01:03 PM

Yes, Lolita2, fanatical is a word.

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Geez, guys, this is one of those times in which I forgot to think about what I was writing. I *so* badly regret starting this thread that it isn't really funny. This has evolved into a huge flame war.


I am *so* sorry for starting this thread.


Oh well, I guess you live and learn.

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In all honesty, Rent and Wicked are the first two CDs on my CD tower. Phantom is on the third shelf. But I love all three shows and wouldn't mind being in one of 'em. In all honesty, I saw Phantom (when it came to Boston), then Wicked, then Rent.

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I am HUGE die-hard fan of all three shows.

I have to say I think WICKED has the "craziest" and youngest fanbase out there as it is the newest of the three, followed by RENT then PHANTOM.

PHANTOM has the biggest following worldwide, but they tend to be more mature and less likely to emote and spend hours making websites, ect

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1. RENT
2. Phantom
3. Wicked

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However, I will agree with whoever said that phans tend to be less likely to explore musical theatre outside the realm of Phantom/ALW, which can be very frustrating.

Well, I like that you're at least using the words "less likely" instead of making a blanket statement.

The reason I think that tends to happen (and actually, I'm not even sure I would say it's the case with most "phans", but definitely some) is because the actors in Phantom aren't typically "Broadway" people and Phantom isn't really a "Broadway" show. A lot of the people in productions of Phantom are from an operatic or otherwise classical background, and aren't seen as much in shows like Rent and Wicked...shows with more of a "Broadway" style. The reason Rent and Wicked fans (and for the record, I think by and large both groups get far more annoying and petty than the "phans" do) seem to branch out more is because they like to follow their actors--the ones they know and love from their favorite shows--and those actors do tend to show up in a wider array of shows than do actors in Phantom. You'll be introduced to a more diverse group of shows if you follow Anthony Rapp, Idina Menzel, Norbert Leo Butz, etc. than you will if you follow, say, Hugh Panaro or Michael Crawford.

So I don't think it has anything to do with some predisposition for close-mindedness among ALW fans; I really do think it's as simple as the actors in most ALW shows, like Phantom. His original casts tend to be from London, and Broadway casts of his shows tend to be classical people; follow any one of them and you're likely to end up with an ALW show again. Were Wicked and Rent in the same situation, I doubt you'd see many of their fans branching out either.

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I am a fan of these 3 shows. But I am die-hard fan to any of these shows though. I'm just tired of people thinking that all Wicked fans are 12 year-girls who think Wicked is the best thing ever. I'm also tired of people thinking that all RENT fans think there is no better musical then Rent and if you say it's not they'll bit your head off.
You can't categorize all fans of one musical in one category.

Wicked has the most crazy fans. Followed by Rent. I wouldn't say POTO has many crazy fans (although there are some out there).

I believe, however, that POTO is the most popular of the three over a longer period of time. Wicked is currently the most popular of the three, but I believe that within a few more years the crowds will start to die down and I don't think it will last as long as POTO is lasting.

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I've been a phan since long before that awful film. But I also LOVE Sondheim and R&H and Cole Porter...I'm a brancher...

Many phans are just phans, not necessarily fans of musical theatre. But I'm a musical theatre fan who happens to be a phan. That's why I don't believe in generalizing.

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