Symphonic version of RENT in concert in Washington DC

[Fan123]

Posted: 6/25/23 at 4:44am

Couldn't find a thread about this. While I'm a little meh about 'Rent' as a show, an orchestral version does sound intriguing. Will anyone here be going? It's running 26-28 July.

https://www.kennedy-center.org/nso/home/2022-2023/nso-pops-rent/

[Edit: hyperlink adjusted]

Updated On: 6/27/23 at 04:44 AM

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/25/23 at 10:50am

The Rent movie may not be as good as the show, but I’ll die on the hill that the soundtrack is a better album than the OBC; the expanded orchestrations plus better studio rock musicians is part of the reason. I hope they use some of the charts from the film for this.

[TapDanceGal]

Posted: 6/27/23 at 2:09pm

Casting so far 

Ali Stroker, Maureen

Jimmie Herrod, Angel


Myles Frost, Benny

[Fan123]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 6:24am

Okay, I wish I could see Ali Stroker in this!

More casting:

Alex Boniello - Roger

Andrew Barth Feldman - Mark

[thirtythirtyninety]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 8:27am

They should do a live audio recording, this will be a very well-sung production 

[Larcen26]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 3:26pm

darquegk said: "The Rent movie may not be as good as the show, but I’ll die on the hill that the soundtrack is a better album than the OBC; the expanded orchestrations plus better studio rock musicians is part of the reason. I hope they use some of the charts from the film for this."

Plus, you can't discount Rosario Dawson has a far better voice than Daphne Rubin-Vega.

I used to skip "Out Tonight" on the OBC, but always listen to it on the Soundtrack.

[TapDanceGal]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 3:34pm

More casting

Lorna Courtney is Mimi 

Updated On: 6/29/23 at 03:34 PM

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 4:00pm

Larcen26 said: "darquegk said: "The Rent movie may not be as good as the show, but I’ll die on the hill that the soundtrack is a better album than the OBC; the expanded orchestrations plus better studio rock musicians is part of the reason. I hope they use some of the charts from the film for this."

Plus, you can't discount Rosario Dawson has a far better voice than Daphne Rubin-Vega.

I used to skip "Out Tonight" on the OBC, but always listen to it on the Soundtrack."

It’s the drums that really make it.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 4:04pm

Nothing will ever beat the cast of Rent: Live on Broadway or the recording of that, but this cast is insane. Love. 

 

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 4:06pm

Fan123 said: "Okay, I wish I could see Ali Stroker in this!

More casting:

Alex Boniello - Roger

Andrew Barth Feldman - Mark"

Ha, I music directed Alex in Rent at his college, but he was Mark. Good for him!

 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 6/29/23 at 10:14pm

Some of this casting is inspired but im kinda surprised that off his Tony winning role, Myles Frost is playing.... the underwritten villain with one song? 

[Ke3]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 12:38pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "Some of this casting is inspired but im kinda surprised that off his Tony winning role, Myles Frost is playing.... the underwritten villain with one song?"

It's one weekend

[MNNiceorIce]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 2:58pm

Larcen26 said: "Plus, you can't discount Rosario Dawson has a far better voice than Daphne Rubin-Vega."

I mean, honestly, how dare you.  

I recently watched a video of the OBC and was amazed at how many vocal shenanigans have been added over the years, mucking up what was a perfectly written vocal score.  No one beats DR-V for a full-force live experience of Mimi.  

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 3:52pm

Ke3 said: "PipingHotPiccolo said: "Some of this casting is inspired but im kinda surprised that off his Tony winning role, Myles Frost is playing.... the underwritten villain with one song?"

It's one weekend"

i dont see how this speaks to my point... kudos to him for doing it, but doesnt make it any less bizarre. You couldnt pay me to see MJ but his insane talent is evident and will be totally wasted here. Just surprising.

[DooWahDiddy]

Posted: 6/30/23 at 4:05pm

Also, the website says they're performing the complete score, but the runtime is only 1 hour 43 minutes with intermission. That can't be right, can't it?

[Luis Palomares]

Posted: 7/1/23 at 12:05pm

Updated On: 7/1/23 at 12:05 PM

[TapDanceGal]

Posted: 7/12/23 at 4:19pm

More Casting News-

Jordan Donica is Collins
Awa Sal Secka is Joanne 

[Voter]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 9:44am

Did anyone go to this? Reddit is saying there were major tech issues

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 10:10am

I was there last night.  Sat in the first tier.  The sound was terrible.  Lyrics were unintelligible a lot of the evening.  Lorna Courtney and Ali Stroker were the highlights.  It started off good, but as the evening went on, it felt very under-rehearsed.  Terrance Johnson was very good as Collins considering he was a last-minute fill-in for the injured Jordan Donica.  He recently performed that role at Paper Mill.

[Ricey2]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 10:27am

I was also there, middle of the orchestra. The sound was very terrible throughout the show. Mic drops were present the whole night. I don’t think I got to hear Miles Frost once the entire performance. The orchestra was very stunning though. 

[Voter]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 10:57am

DottieD'Luscia said: "I was there last night. Sat in the first tier. The sound was terrible. Lyrics were unintelligible a lot of the evening. Lorna Courtney and Ali Stroker were the highlights. It started off good, but as the evening went on, it felt very under-rehearsed. Terrance Johnson was very good as Collins considering he was a last-minute fill-in for the injured Jordan Donica. He recently performed that role at Paper Mill."

Poor Jordan Donica, always knocked out due to injury (RIP his Into The Woods run)

I'm wondering if Sammi Cannold is stretched too thin at this point? She's helming both Evita (which wanted to come this season) AND How To Dance in Ohio (coming this season) AND this AND other projects in development? I know professional directors that can't even focus on one project, let alone multiple broadway intended ones

[binau]

Posted: 7/27/23 at 3:46pm

MNNiceorIce said: "Larcen26 said: "Plus, you can't discount Rosario Dawson has a far better voice than Daphne Rubin-Vega."

I mean, honestly, how dare you.

I recently watched a video of the OBC and was amazed at how many vocal shenanigans have been added over the years, mucking up what was a perfectly written vocal score. No one beats DR-V for a full-force live experience of Mimi."

I used to think I preferred Rosario Dawson but that was when I really didn't think much about acting or character development lol....Rosario Dawson might have a more pleasant voice, but DR-V (I love the acronym) truly inhabits Mimi - she is a an HIV positive heroin addict and stripper. The way she sings "out tonight" and the rest of the show feels very much inline with a person with these kind of struggles. Rosario Dawson sings "Out Tonight" like she is going to a cute sleepover or cocktail bar with her girlfriends or something and then in bed at 10pm lol, not a raw fierce girl living life almost literally on the edge of death. I almost feel embarrassed listening to the movie soundtrack now.

It also occurred to me that this might have been the first of a very long series of amazing and important leading performances that Michael Greif seems to constantly be able to churn out (e.g. Christine Ebersole in Grey Gardens, Alice Ripley and Marin Mazzie in Next to Normal, Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen, Patti/Christine in War Paint, and maybe you can throw in there Kelli in Far From Heaven and Idina Menzel in If/Then......maybe Days of Wine and Roses too but I don't know much about it yet).

All these actors, and Michael Greif knew exactly what they were doing.

 

Updated On: 7/27/23 at 03:46 PM

[SisterGeorge]

Posted: 7/28/23 at 6:13pm

Voter said: "Did anyone go to this? Reddit is saying there were major tech issues"

The KC should have rented better equipment.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 7/28/23 at 6:41pm

Daphne is a legend and the definitive Mimi. Period!

[jimmycurry01]

Posted: 7/28/23 at 8:56pm

darquegk said: "The Rent movie may not be as good as the show, but I’ll die on the hill that the soundtrack is a better album than the OBC; the expanded orchestrations plus better studio rock musicians is part of the reason. I hope they use some of the charts from the film for this."

The soundtrack is over produced. It is one of if the worst facets of the movie for me. It's too neat, clean, and polished to be Rent. It lacked energy and excitement.