Tamayra Gray/RENT/Last night — Page 5

I didn't see the OBC, other than clips here and there, but I've seen and enjoyed other casts. Just because someone was the first doesn't automatically make them the best. Yes, I'm looking forward to Adam and Anthony coming back, but I wouldn't say that they're the only ones who can play a good Mark and Roger. The same goes for Idina as Maureen. There can be different interpretations of each character, but it doesn't make it better, just a matter of preference.

Back to the topic at hand, I'm excited to see Tamyra. I loved her when she was first on American Idol. It's good to hear that she sounded so good in the role, as I expected she would. I hope she grows into the role a little more acting wise before I see it mid-August.

he was amazing!

anybody see tamyra this weekend? how did she do??

"I didn't see the OBC, other than clips here and there, but I've seen and enjoyed other casts. Just because someone was the first doesn't automatically make them the best. Yes, I'm looking forward to Adam and Anthony coming back, but I wouldn't say that they're the only ones who can play a good Mark and Roger. The same goes for Idina as Maureen. There can be different interpretations of each character, but it doesn't make it better, just a matter of preference."

I don't think anyone was necessarily saying that. Will Chase was a far better Roger than Pascal (a lot seem to think Norbert Butz was, too, but I didn't see him), and I'd hope that at some point over the years somebody better than Rapp and Martin especially have come along. If those roles peaked there, that's a shame.


"Well, to everyone who saw Idina when she first did Rent 10 years ago, please tell me her Maureen was much different then it was in the movie and in Rent 10."
Idina's Maureen at Rent 10 was phoned in and pretentious, much like the rest of the cast that night (I'm sure the lack of preparation didn't help). I think the only two who were really present to tell the story that night were Rubin-Vega and Walker-Browne.
Her Maureen in the movie isn't bad (except for "Over the Moon"--which was sadly a lot like I've seen it recently. Entirely too self-aware of the absurdity that makes it funny); it's just that it seems like Maureen at 30. She's toned down, and the fact that they wrote a proposal into the script completely throws that character off.

Well besides for her voice I agree with what you said about Menzel. It is forgiven for the concert because she gave the audience what they wanted, but the movie was sad. Where was all the grit Christopher Columbus? Even though she was playing the thirty year old Maureen in the movie, with a good and "rough" director she could have found the grit and edginess that her original Maureen had loads of.

And in the 10th concert I agree that Daphne and Fredi were excellent, but I also think that Jesse L. Martin and Wilson Jermaine Heredia were right along there with them. But, I didn't see this live so...

Updated On: 6/5/07 at 12:08 PM

"I can't say what it would have taken to rekindle the old energy"

I'm guessing that if Spike Lee (the original intended director) had that cast he would have been able to rekindle the energy or create his own energy for the movie

They're drastically different entities. At any rate, Lee proposed considerably more dramatic changes to the script than Columbus, and issues would have been raised at that, too.

Misschung, I was just talking about the marriage proposal.

And about "rekindling" the old energy...I think that's the very pitfall that happened with Rent 10 and the movie. There's no such thing; you can't just get these 8 people together and suddenly the show is what it was ten years ago, nor can you say that because somebody in the cast now was not present during the off-broadway and early Broadway stages that they cannot capture the spirit of the show. The actors have to simultaneously be in touch with the dynamic amongst the ensemble at this very moment while remembering the social moment that the piece comes from and the particular message that was to be delivered as if it is just as relevant today as it was 10 years ago (personally, I think it IS just as relevant).

I think there's both the problem that people want to re-create what cannot be re-created because it's past, and people trying so hard to find something new that nothing is organic.

OrangeSkittles, you make a very good point and I agree with you. From the audience's reaction you can tell it was a very exhilarating evening.

jewishboy, it really was an amazing experience. The cliché "the energy in the room was electric" is the best way I can describe it; it's rare that you're in an audience where everyone is that excited to be there. That's why it's so absurd to me that someone would claim that the actors weren't "into it" or whatever. In addition, there were so many moments and exchanges between them onstage that aren't evident through secondhand viewings. They were up there having a great time with their longtime friends and colleagues and celebrating the experience they began together. I can't imagine Jonathan Larson would have wanted it any other way, especially since I talked with some of his friends and family later that night and they said the same thing.

BroadwayGirl, had you seen it live, you'd be just as convinced it was the greatest performance ever, so you can stop with the holier-than-thou bullsh*t.

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How adorably naive of you to make such an assumption. You're cute.

I don't think it's fair to do that at all. However, I don't think that the goofing around and obnoxious screams from the tweens at the occassionally pretentious jokes magically appeared on the (damn near professional quality) DVD I have of it.

Now, I'm not so ridiculous that I think the line flubs, missed cues, etc were absolute BLASPHEMY or anything, but the total sense of "we're entitled to **** around up here because they'll love it anyway" you get from much of the cast I think I could have done without. It's not so much that the audience enjoyed it...so be it; it's that professional actors whose job and supposed passion is storytelling would be more concerned about celebrating their egos and the amount of fame, attention, and successful careers they got from being in the show than celebrating the show itself.

I guess you could say it's just not my thing.

Updated On: 6/5/07 at 10:42 PM

BroadwayGirl107, I think the sole reason the cast came back to do it was to celebrate Jonathan Larson. Whether that means to play the musical strictly to the book is one thing, but to say it was pretentious for Adam Pascal to "show off" during One Song Glory is wrong because he made that song more thrilling than anyone I have every heard do it while in character. And all the exchanges between the cast really showed how much of a friendly relationship the cast all had and just added to the celebratory atmosphere of the evening. And besides the main message of Rent is No Day But Today and there was really no other time that would have allowed those types of interactions we got to see unless it was a celebratory evening.

Sooooooo, how bout that weather???????


:) Come on kids. We have plenty of time to take the claws out once Adam and Anthony are actually back ON the stage, no need to waste efforts now!

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