Barrett in Q

[BroadwayNick]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 12:35pm

Are there any LEGAL sound or video clips out there of Barrett Foa as Rod in Avenue Q? I was listening to the OBC, and I just wanted to see how he interpreted it. Thanks!

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 1:06pm

I personally don't think he sounds much different than John Tartaglia. I do, however, think he acts slightly better, but that's just me, and the fact that I sometimes pass him on the street on my way home from work in no way influences my opinion :o)

[BroadwayNick]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 1:07pm

[Thenardier]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 1:07pm

Fosse -

I saw him first, then saw John.

I think Barrett was funnier...and did a better job.

But John was also great.

Updated On: 8/10/05 at 01:07 PM

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 3:35pm

My partner didn't even know that Barrett was a replacment, because he sounds JUST like John.

[filmgirl325]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 3:43pm

I personally thought that John was much better as Rod...and they are pretty similar when it comes to Princeton.

[MissNY]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 4:21pm

The only legal videos I can think of that have Barrett as Princeton/Rod would be the Easter Bonnet and Broadway Bares DVDs that you can buy at www.broadwaybeat.com. At the 2004 EB, Barrett performed with Princeton, at the 2005 EB he hosted with Rod and at the 2005 BB he performed with Rod. I know this isn't exactly what you meant, but its the closest thing I can come up with...

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/10/05 at 4:46pm

There aren't any LEGAL ones.










......that doesn't mean there aren't any .

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 11:44am

"Fosse -
I saw him first, then saw John.
I think Barrett was funnier...and did a better job.
But John was also great."

I agree, John was great. I saw him first, before the Tony's, and really liked him. I saw Barrett only recently, and he just really stood out (I won the lottery so I had a great seat). I just left with a better impression of Barret Foa. But both are very good. I've never met either of them, because I think the stage-door thing and autograph-seeking is tacky and crude, but Barrett I think is just slightly better.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 12:21pm

Imagine all of the Rod songs sung in a Tartaglian Princeton-duplicate voice and all of the Princeton songs sung in a Tartaglian Rod-duplicate voice. And vice versa, whenever he remembers that he's voicing 2 different characters.

And please, Barrett lovers, don't jump down my throat. I'm just being honest.

Updated On: 8/11/05 at 12:21 PM

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 12:43pm

Barrett sang "I Wish I Could Go Back to College" as a solo version with the press Princeton puppet at Seth's Chatterbox a while ago and I think all of those are legally taped and can be purchased through Seth's site.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 12:59pm

"Imagine all of the Rod songs sung in a Tartaglian Princeton-duplicate voice and all of the Princeton songs sung in a Tartaglian Rod-duplicate voice. And vice versa, whenever he remembers that he's voicing 2 different characters."


I don't recall that Barrett Foa mixed up the voices. Although I do agree that he does sound like John Tartaglia, but it's not as if these roles are complex with various types of interpretation. I just happen to think he does it slightly better, maybe because he is a replacement and is able to improve upon John Tartaglia's interpretation, or maybe because he's a better actor. But whatever, I left with a better impression of Barrett Foa than I did with John Tartaglia (and I thought Tartaglia was fantastic when I saw him).

[Chrismas42]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 1:19pm

Barret may be a better actor, I could agree with that but I like John Tartaglia's voice sooooo muhc better. Barret's voice has always been a llittle harsher than John's, especially since the Godspell 2000 tour.

They both were exceptional though... Maybe the next replacement will be both an excellent actor AND singer???

[MissNY]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 2:40pm

The next replacement will quite possibly be the current understudy, Howie Michael Smith and he's really great as well

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 3:53pm

I've seen the show only twice, so I can't offer an opinion on the current understudy. I like when replacements were the previous understudy, it gives them a chance to shine. But I assume that this won't happen until at least January, and possibly even longer.

[QtKt]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 4:02pm

Barrett is fantastic in the role, but my favorite Rod will always be John. I absolutely love Barrett's Princeton.. and Barrett is an incredible singer..
Howie Micheal Smith is wonderful as both, he'll make a great Princeton/Rod one day...
Q has been quite lucky to find so much talent, they're all great!

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 8/11/05 at 9:18pm

"Barret's voice has always been a llittle harsher than John's, especially since the Godspell 2000 tour. "

Barrett did not do the 2000 Godspell tour, but he was in the 2001 Off-Broadway version

[Chrismas42]

Posted: 8/14/05 at 11:50pm

That's what I was looking for. Thank you. I always confuse the blue one and the yellow one... THere's like 6 different revivals/tours/whatever.

[thibodeaux]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 12:26am

well, i've only seen Barrett in Q, and i must say. . .

. . .he was FABULOUS.

favorite part of the show?

"Sweet. . .suffering. . .Jesus. . .MY CUP RUNNETH OO-OVER!!"

i nearly died. and my mom kept trying to get me to slip him my number, mwah-hah. and he's an absolute sweetheart at the stage door; very patient with my mother who was freezing and was shaking so bad (cold & nerves--her first time meeting a broadway celeb!) she couldn't function the camera very well...oh, my mother. love her.

but yes. . .i thought barrett was perfect.

yet i cannot compart/contrast to john, 'cuz i never saw him do the role, only heard him on the OBCR. similar voices, yes. but seeing it all played out in front of you, barrett stole my heart.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 12:54am

i have to partially agree with wanna be a foster, based off the clips i've heard barret's rod is not too dissimilar in sound to his princeton, which saddened me because i am very partial to john's incredibly nasal tones for rod. A side note about this show's replacements though, i remember reading an interview barret did in which he mentioned that the cast is not directed to do their own take on the puppet's voices so much as maintaining the original (not unlike the muppets) so there should be very little difference in all theorem.

[Chip1012]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 2:22am

it's really not worth being sad over jonartdesigns...

[BreakingTheCircle07]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 2:52am

Barrett's acting was better (choked me up several times as Princeton and Rod), but John's singing was over-all chrisper. Love 'em both, though. Such sweethearts!

[Corine2]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 8:00am

I think that both John and Barrett are wonderful in the role.
Barrett was different as Princeton, his Princeton was sweeter with Kate.
John's Rod is stronger then Barrett.
When I saw Barrett do Princeton he moved me to tears. It was wonderful.
Updated On: 8/15/05 at 08:00 AM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 2:19pm

As I said earlier, I don't remember there being a similarity between Barrett's two character voices, but at the same time, those things don't bother me so much, as long as I enjoy the performance, and I really enjoyed his performance.

[MissNY]

Posted: 8/15/05 at 2:40pm

shneb28: You saw Howie this past Saturday?