I was going to say that I've seen RENT more than I've seen any other show, but I think that's a lie. I think I obsessively inhaled Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson for a total of nine months and probably saw it more times than I have seen Rent over the years.
This new RENT at New World Stages kind of bugged me out. Okay, New World Stages alone kind of bugs me out. But RENT, a show which I know backwards and forwards, whether I saw it in San Francisco or Washington DC or New York was consistently the same. This version felt like visiting an old friend to learn and seeing that of course she's changed over the years, but struggling to put my finger on exactly what feels differnt. I know this is supposed to be a re-conceived, new off-Broadway version, so I can't complain about it being different. But it wasn't different enough for me.
The set was different. It had a boxy scaffold feel. Hmm, there was scaffold in the original, right? Maybe there are just more ladders now. And there are big windows in Roger and Mark's apartment, reminiscent of those in the RENT movie.
The costumes were interestingly different. Costume designer Angela Wendt created costumes for the original RENT and the new off-Broadway version. A New York Times article points out subtle changes that evoke the original costumes (like Mark's new flannel shirt which resembles Mark's plaid jacket in the original). But then Collins was wearing a Papi shirt, just like he always has. The biggest costume change was in Angel's Christmas outfit. The same New York Times article quotes director Michael Greif saying, "I wanted our new Angel to be a bit more of a club kid and to be dressed more male, so it would be very clear to audiences that Angel and his lover, Tom Collins, are two men in a relationship" I get it, but we were never confused about Angel and Collins being two men in a relationship. And during the funeral scene Angel is referred to using female pronouns and as a drag queen, so the real novelty of their relationship is not that it's two men, but rather that it's a gay man and a drag queen/cross dresser/transperson. You can play any of those angles, but the Angel I know and love wouldn't want to be portrayed as your average gay man. She's anything but average.
And jeez, Roger is a hard role to cast. You can find these stories about how they had a hard time casting the original Roger and were so happy to find Adam Pascal, even if he needed some breaking in. Oy, I almost always leave a rendition of Rent dissatisfied with the Roger. But I'll tell you one thing about Adam Chanler-Berat; unlike most Mark's I've seen, he is not doing an Anthony Rapp impersonation. Three cheers for that.
I imagine there were things over the years that drove Michael Greif crazy and he is happy to have an opportunity to improve them. Examples:
*When Collins and Angel meet - "My body provides a comfortable home, for the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome." "As does mine." "(SQUEAL) We'll get along fine." Well the squeal really got out of control in the later years of Rent and on the final tour (I think I'm looking at you, Justin Johnson) and now the squeal is no longer. Well done.
*During "Light My Candle" Roger's struggle was more evident than I've ever seen. He was so tempted by Mimi, but so imprisoned within himself. That scene had very good directing and acting.
*Angel's death scene felt a little less weird and sexual (though same thing with the white sheet and all) and the funeral was a lot more powerful than I remember.
*Maureen's "Over the Moon" is always my least favorite part of the show, but Annaleigh Ashford's take on the scene was my favorite version thus far.
But then some things seemed entirely unchanged - the staging and choreography of "La Vie Boheme" and "Take Me Out Tonight" for example. I'll be back to see RENT, my old friend, again. There's just something weird about seeing something so familiar with minor changes. I wish the cast and crew the best of luck.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
July Theater Wrap-Up
All school year when I dream of summer vacation, I plan to attend heaps of theater and all of those Sunday/Monday evening events that I can't get to while working. I haven't seen much this summer. Maybe it's because summer is slow - there are no new Broadway shows and off-Broadway seems to be on vacation.
I spent the first week of July in San Francisco, which of course impacted my NYC theater schedule, but I caught three local shows in SF. You can read about them here.
As soon as I got back from San Francisco I headed to the Berkshire Theater Festival to see The Who's Tommy. Tommy is one of the first musicals I remember seeing as a child and really enjoying (along with Blood Brothers). I once proclaimed on this very blog my deep appreciation of all things James Barry. Well, he was playing Captain Walker to Randy Harrison's Tommy, so I was there, twice. I was going to love this production, no matter what. Both nights had audio problems (and this was not a preview), and the choreography was way overdone, but I loved every second of it. Can we please get these Brooklyn boys back on the New York stage?
The other major shows I saw were special visits with old favorites - Rent and Hair. Last time I saw Hair was in March on tour in Boston with my whole family. This time I went alone. Let me tell you, the best Broadway seats I've ever had have been at the St James. The last time I saw American Idiot and this trip to Hair, I was sitting center orchestra in row F or G. I'm shocked they're not premium seats. And this amazing seat to Hair cost me only $55. Why? Because the Public Theater rocks. Usually when you receive a discount code for a Broadway show the orchestra seats available to you are in the side orchestra or rear orchestra. Not for Hair - front and center. Anyways, the show is still great. The cast created a great energy with the audience on a sparse Tuesday night.
And then there was Rent. I think I would need to see it again with a notepad to tell you all of my thoughts. It felt bizarre. It was the same old, familiar Rent, but something was different. Mostly the set. I'll give you more thoughts later in the week post-opening.
Lastly, I saw a great movie called One Night Stand, part of New Fest, NYC's LGBT film festival. It is about the making of the 24 Hour Musicals. I went because I thought I would be interesting, but I was pleasantly surprised by how great it was. It was a documentary showing all of the actors, writers and composers coming together to write and produce a fifteen minute musical in 24 hours. The book writers and composer had from midnight until 6:00 am to write the musical. They became totally hysterical in the wee hours of the morning and still managed to come up with good stories and songs. Then the actors had the day to learn their lines, songs and choreography. Apparently it takes more than a day to learn to sing a song well, so it was also hysterical watching the music directors and the actors work through kinks. And it was deeply satisfying to watch it all come together, musicals on stage for an audience that same night. I've never been to the 24 Hour Musicals, but now I'm really looking for to the event next spring.
I spent the first week of July in San Francisco, which of course impacted my NYC theater schedule, but I caught three local shows in SF. You can read about them here.
As soon as I got back from San Francisco I headed to the Berkshire Theater Festival to see The Who's Tommy. Tommy is one of the first musicals I remember seeing as a child and really enjoying (along with Blood Brothers). I once proclaimed on this very blog my deep appreciation of all things James Barry. Well, he was playing Captain Walker to Randy Harrison's Tommy, so I was there, twice. I was going to love this production, no matter what. Both nights had audio problems (and this was not a preview), and the choreography was way overdone, but I loved every second of it. Can we please get these Brooklyn boys back on the New York stage?
The other major shows I saw were special visits with old favorites - Rent and Hair. Last time I saw Hair was in March on tour in Boston with my whole family. This time I went alone. Let me tell you, the best Broadway seats I've ever had have been at the St James. The last time I saw American Idiot and this trip to Hair, I was sitting center orchestra in row F or G. I'm shocked they're not premium seats. And this amazing seat to Hair cost me only $55. Why? Because the Public Theater rocks. Usually when you receive a discount code for a Broadway show the orchestra seats available to you are in the side orchestra or rear orchestra. Not for Hair - front and center. Anyways, the show is still great. The cast created a great energy with the audience on a sparse Tuesday night.
And then there was Rent. I think I would need to see it again with a notepad to tell you all of my thoughts. It felt bizarre. It was the same old, familiar Rent, but something was different. Mostly the set. I'll give you more thoughts later in the week post-opening.
Lastly, I saw a great movie called One Night Stand, part of New Fest, NYC's LGBT film festival. It is about the making of the 24 Hour Musicals. I went because I thought I would be interesting, but I was pleasantly surprised by how great it was. It was a documentary showing all of the actors, writers and composers coming together to write and produce a fifteen minute musical in 24 hours. The book writers and composer had from midnight until 6:00 am to write the musical. They became totally hysterical in the wee hours of the morning and still managed to come up with good stories and songs. Then the actors had the day to learn their lines, songs and choreography. Apparently it takes more than a day to learn to sing a song well, so it was also hysterical watching the music directors and the actors work through kinks. And it was deeply satisfying to watch it all come together, musicals on stage for an audience that same night. I've never been to the 24 Hour Musicals, but now I'm really looking for to the event next spring.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)