Rent Lottery
Rent Lottery
#0Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 8:23amWhat's the Rent lottery like these days? Has the amount of people increased since the movie's publicity? I was looking to go next Sunday at 3:00.
sciguy
Stand-by Joined: 12/2/04
#1re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 9:14am
My daughter and I tried the lottery last Sunday after the Broadway Flea Market. I would estimate that there were about 100-125 people there. It was our first time trying any Broadway lottery, so I don't know if that is alot of people. We decided to try since we were already in the city and my daughter is a huge Renthead. Luck was with us and she ended up winning. 2nd row center for $20 a piece. Life is good.
On a side note. The last few times we saw Rent we found the performance lacking the usual energy. I am happy to say that is no longer the case. It was our first time seeing Karmine Ehlers (sp?) and she is the best Mimi ever!!! There was an understudy for Cary Shields as Roger and he was phenomenal. His chemistry with Karmine was electric and added much to the show.
Sorry to ramble...good luck at the lottery.
#2re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 9:19amNext week will probably be rough because there are no performances this week. All the crazy rentheads and cary/matt fangirls are going to be making up for lost time...
Idina: Somehow I got myself to the stage, came out at the end of the show, and I had some kind of closure.
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
erinrebecca
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
#3re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 1:25pm
Haha, meagan, so true. :)
sciguy, I agree that Karmine is very good as Mimi. Unfortunately, she's being moved back to a swing position in a couple of weeks and replaced as Mimi. Her last as Mimi will be 10/16.
#4re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 1:32pmi'm sure this has been discussed before, but why is that happening? why would she be moved to swing?
erinrebecca
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
#5re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 2:39pmcathy, of course, no one knows for sure the real reasons but there's been much speculation in the various Rent communities that it's her age. It's not the first time it's happened to Karmine either. Antonique Smith, who was a swing with the Broadway cast for about ten months back in 2002, is being brought in as Mimi.
#6re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 3:39pmThey want the cast to resemble the movie cast...hence Kelly being fired...
Idina: Somehow I got myself to the stage, came out at the end of the show, and I had some kind of closure.
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
erinrebecca
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
#7re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 4:07pmmeagan, that's a story that's been floating around but it really makes no sense. If you look at most of the cast, they don't resemble the film cast at all, and even if they did, why would the producers at the Neder care? Most people who come to see the show have already purchased their tickets, without knowing who the Broadway cast is, let alone what they look like. And most who see the show only see it once so even if they see a cast which doesn't resemble the film cast, why would they care? And if they DID care, it wouldn't matter because chances are they wouldn't return anyway. It just doesn't make any sense as an argument for determining casting. My guess is that Kelly made that comment in an offhand manner to a fan at stagedoor and suddenly it became gospel. Her contract wasn't renewed because they wanted someone else in the role, which is always the reason. Her 'reviews' were mixed right from the start so it wasn't too surprising when her contract wasn't renewed.
whatyouown223
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/4/05
#8re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 4:11pmWhy would they be forcing Karmine down to a swing again and having the poster Mimi return...
erinrebecca
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
#9re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 4:38pmLike I said, no one knows for sure. It may be as simple as the fact that they need an experienced swing. It may be that they've realized that Karmine is too old to play Mimi any longer and they want someone who is good, and who knows the role, but who is younger, hence, Antonique. Casting decisions often seem random to fans but I'm sure they have their reasons for making the decisions they do.
AlienOnBroadway
Stand-by Joined: 7/13/03
#10re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 4:52pm
You know with all the speculation about why they do what they do at the Neder...very seldom do you ever hear anything about MONEY...the thing that makes the world go 'round. (oops sorry. wrong musical.) Of course nobody on the outside can truly know why they do what they do, but I would venture to guess that money has a lot to do with why they contract the actors and get rid of them, move them down and around, the way they do. Perhaps Antonique is going to be cheaper than Karmine?
And in my opininon, Karmine is not too old to play Mimi! She's great and I found her to be very believable. I highly doubt her age would have been called into play if so many Rentheads wouldn't make such a big deal about it! I suspect that most theatre patrons who just randomly go see Rent don't leave the theatre saying, "dang, that chick was too old to be Mimi!"
She plays Mimi very young. I don't give a rat's how old she really is.
#11re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 5:54pmKelly was fired because she is blonde.
Idina: Somehow I got myself to the stage, came out at the end of the show, and I had some kind of closure.
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
erinrebecca
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
#12re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 6:06pmmeagan, believe what you want. Kelly wasn't fired. Her contract wasn't renewed, and it had nothing to do with the color of her hair.
#13re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 6:18pmwhy would she tell people a bold faced lie when she knows how much people talk?
Idina: Somehow I got myself to the stage, came out at the end of the show, and I had some kind of closure.
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
popcultureboy
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/23/03
#14re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 6:19pmright, there are wigs and hair dye for things like that.
Nothing precious, plain to see, don't make a fuss over me. Not loud, not soft, but somewhere inbetween. Say sorry, just let it be the word you mean.
#15re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 6:24pmi know its awhile away but i'll be trying the lottery in Oct. God i hope i get it!
#16re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 6:32pm
I suspect that most theatre patrons who just randomly go see Rent don't leave the theatre saying, "dang, that chick was too old to be Mimi!"
Hahaha. I do agree wtih you there. I know when I saw the show for the first time in January, I had no clue who she was or how old she was. When I left the theatre that night, I was certainly not thinking about her age (especially since I hadn't imagined her to be the age that she really is). I think she has an excellent grasp on the role, and AMAZING voice, and her age shouldn't be an issue.
As for Kelly, I have no clue what went on there, but I don't think she would tell an outright lie like that.
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
#17re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 6:35pm
I was at the stage door the night it happened...she came out really upset and started talking to some of the fan girls, I over heard what she said. I don't think she would just lie.
I don't even like her Maureen that much...I'm welcoming the change...but I would never have fired her...she wasn't bad.
Idina: Somehow I got myself to the stage, came out at the end of the show, and I had some kind of closure.
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
Some guy: You looked great!
Idina: Thanks...I WAS SO HIGH! 8/21/05
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#18re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 7:16pmhas cary been out for a while? and does anyone know when he's coming back?
#19re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 7:33pm
Can you PM about what she said. I'm kinda lost.
I saw Karmine as Mimi almost 3 years ago and she was great!
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird
#20re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 7:51pmjust a question.. how much are tickets after you use student discount (for RENT)?. I didn't see it anywhere on the site and I think I might do that when I go next time.
erinrebecca
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/29/04
#21re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/1/05 at 11:16pm
I'm not disputing that Kelly may have indeed said that but I can assure you that the reason she wasn't renewed was not simply because she's blonde. Too many actors in Rent have had to change their hair color or length at the behest of TPTB to make that a believable excuse. Cristina Fadale and Maggie Benjamin are two examples of that and there are many others. If the fact that she was blonde was the sole reason they didn't renew her contract, they would have simply made her dye her hair just like they made Cristina and Maggie. They didn't do that. And as I said before, there are numerous other actors who are onstage every night at the Neder who do not bear ANY resemblance to the actors playing their roles in the film, and yet none of those has indicated that they are being asked to leave.
Cary was on a week ago according to cast lists on CB. The show has been shut down since the 29th so they could install a new sound system. Chances are he'll be back on Wednesday when performances resume.
OasisBroadway
Leading Actor Joined: 9/28/05
#22re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:18amI am going to try the Rent lottery on Saturday but if I don't win I want another option. Is Spelling Bee the only show that does their lottery at an off time (ie 90 minutes before as opposed to 2 hours)? And more importantly, would there be enough time to get from The Nederlander to the Circle in the Square in the time between?
#23re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 10/7/05 at 10:38amOasis- that is what I did last night: hit the Rent lotto, lost, walked up to Spelling Bee, and won there. I was walking amongst the rush hour/after work crowds, and I completely made it to Bee with 10 minutes left on their signup. As long as they get through the Rent names fast you should be fine.
#24re: Rent Lottery
Posted: 11/12/05 at 1:51pmHi I waswondering how the lottery has been lately with the buzz of the movie, I'm thinking of trying it next sat or sun matinee but I want to know the approximate chances of winning. if anyone knows thanks.
