Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!
undefined
undefined hi there!
my review...
It's been over a week since i saw the show, since our (infamous perhaps) Sep. 5th rent trip and much more - there is A LOT to process but everyone else has posted their reviews so I figured it was about time I should give it a try.

Ok, I was excited - what can I do? Actually, when it just looked like we were done cleaning up at work I mumbled a quick "are we done?" and the minute someone opened their mouth to speak ....I rushed out the door ;) .... 4:30 train - I should've KNOWN we couldn't get to NYC on time ... we waited 10 minutes for a connection train somewhere along the way ... and then stopped for another 5 in the middle of Penn station - *NO* idea why. All this time I was coaching the train - come one - a little move won't hurt you - you can do it etc ... you get the picture -- quite pathetic eh?
So I climb 1000 (well not really) steps in Penn station - 2 at a time cause it was pretty late! So much for my asthma...oh well ~ I ran all the way to the theater - through people, lights, and other things which I just didn't have time to notice... I arrived - totally out of breath (you'd figure I would be used to this run by now - I've done it 3 times in 2 months;) got in line for the lottery. I knew I would be meeting a bunch of people but I didn't see anyone! Finally they found me (I was still in line) - Marny!, Rachel!(who came ALL the way from Louisiana!!), Ava!, Cathy!, Susie!(who came ALL the way from Virginia!!), Dana!, (another) Rachel!, and some others - It was so great to meet all of you!
I put my name in and wait. Names are called - no one we know! Until I hear...Susanne Morgan!
ahhhhhhhh!!!! We all screamed out of excitement - especially me 'cause....I WOULD FINALLY BE SEEING THE SHOW FROM A LOTTERY SEAT AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! See, Susie had told me she would give me her second ticket when she won -- little ol' skeptical me ... when Susie says she's going to win - the universe listens;) Susie was shaking the whole time;) and got us two seats on the left aisle - she let me sit more to the left...which was just so absolutely wonderful:) Poor girl was there at 5 am to make sure we had sro's too! and she made the trip from - get this: Virginia! I usually (well actually) never faint. I swear I almost did this time! I was so happy and excited! We spent our time 'til the show doing some stuff .... and then went in! Only then did I fully realize how CLOSE [ BB1!!! ] I was to the stage :) :) :) !!! it was exactly 2 rows in front of where I saw RENT from my first time 5 months ago

ok so on to the show....
...something about the camera must have been taking too long - it really sounded like Jim was talking to it - what he was saying exactly I don't know but he was definitely talking -- something along the lines of "Come on, get in there," ...
oh! hold on! The cast:



ok so on we go....(i know these aren't all the songs - just stuff i wanted to mention)
RENT - that song is just so fun! I do believe everything's been said before but it really is!
Glory - this song will always be my favorite. I love how it sounds, the words, everything are the most perfect in my opinion. I have other favorites of course but this is #1.
LMC - I really love Marcy's Mimi - she's a really good mix of many important aspects of Mimi - playful, funny, cute, great voice and I liked her (whatever I call) improv's this time.
Tango: Maureen - what can I say? I am a **HUGE** fan of Jim and Gwen but.... Shelley's Joanne was GOOD! and they did well together! I must say in this song - nothing beats sitting up front - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! ;)
OT - very good, sometimes I feel like it's slowing down a bit but that's probably just me (and could it be ... did we see just a glimpse of glitter??)
OTM - Tamara's Maureen is GOOD. As hard as I try i still feel like comparing to Kristen's which i am used to. This isn't really fair. But I do tend to do it. However way you look at it though, her Maureen is GOOD.
LVB - I LOVE THIS!! EVERYTHING!! The jump that happens out of thin air, the way Marcy mimics Michael's "It tastes the same..." with "If you close your eyes...", how everyone has so much fun -- EVERYTHING!
...2nd act...
SOL - I sat where I sat ... nuff said? ;)
ICYR - when Michael sings this......you just FEEL it - like nothing i can describe.
Halloween - was great:)
GL - I liked this a lot - Luther and Jim were good - they were really getting into it now.
WYO - this has got to be my other favorite song - I love everything about it.
Finale - i liked Luther's 'Your Eyes'!
Some u/s's : Tamara as Maureen - she's very good. I miss Kristen though and I figured out why - for me Maureen is all about being exaggerated and out there - way too much. Tamara's Maureen was more normal - more like a regular person which I suppose should be a good thing - except I like that wacky character - she IS Maureen for me. Shelley as Joanne - she's a good Joanne - i am very used to seeing Gwen and Kristen (never seen anyone else until now) but Shelley and Tamara are both VERY good!!! I really liked Yassmin's SOL solo - granted i wasn't looking in that direction *AT ALL* ;) at the time but i really liked the sound of it! and Calvin too - a very good solid Mr. Jefferson -- I had never seen them in these roles before.
Some things in general - I remembered how wonderful Michael is!!!!!!!! ...not that you can forget something like that but he truly is! wow! And he was so nice to sign my playbill - even though he was in a rush:) I *finally* got to see Wilson! YAY!! He's having lots of fun up there which is always the most important aspect of anyone's performance - if you can see the person enjoy what they're doing - that's what makes the character. Marcy as Mimi is so sweet and she is also very good - seeing her second time I really like her Mimi - you can totally see someone falling truly in love with her. Matt is very good in his roles. Mark is too of course:) And this time I paid some extra attention to the band. I got to experience the music all over again. I think sometimes I pay so much attention to the actors on stage i don't consider the music as well. Well, the music in RENT is one of my favorite aspects of it. Just the way it sounds, how it all fits together is so beautiful. Something very special for me.
Luther - I finally got to see him ! Throughout the show I either really liked his 'Roger' or really didn't - it went back and forth constantly . In the end I couldn't connect to his character as much as I would have liked to. It was too confusing. Sometimes I felt the anger so strong - except it was a very rigid and harsh anger - it scared me. I think 'Roger' should also show us why Mimi would fall in love with him (I couldn't find that here which was confusing) not just how depressed he is - depression can be a very scary thing in a person. This is of course just my opinion. The last few songs were better though - it just kind of felt like it took him a long time to warm up to himself - to really get in touch with what he was feeling. Or maybe it took me a while to warm up to him - i don't know.
and as always... JIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His voice just keeps getting better and it is one great voice. Everything is in place - yet not dull for an instant - always real and refreshing and just plain wonderful. He puts everything into this role and it shows so much! I am just in awe. It takes me at least a day to 'get over' just seeing a show - yet he manages to *do* it night after night and twice a day for two days every weekend! I cannot help but be in constant awe of this amazing person. My fourth time seeing him and I am wowed again every time. Wow!! Jim you are the best!!

after the show... a VERY PATIENT Jim took a pic with Susie and myself. Michael signed my playbill which was very nice. Then all of us Sep 5th people took some pictures together and went our separate ways more or less. I had a wonderful time! Thanx everyone for a great day!


8/16/98 - my 3rd time seeing RENT

FWD