I'm gonna be in NYC this weekend and I really wanted to catch something while I was there. Everything that I intended on seeing is pretty much sold out. So now I'm torn between seeing Rent or La Cage. I haven't seen either. I've been dying to Rent for a very long time but I know it's not going anywhere anytime soon so I feel I can see it whenever. Then there's La Cage, which I'm not sure if it will be good and if I would enjoy it.
Can I get some recommendations on which one I should see????
I would definitely see LaCage. I saw it last weekend and it is a great show. The cast is wonderful! Robert Goullet has an amazing voice, and Gary Beach was just nominated for a Tony for his role.
Rent has been on broadway forever and the current cast of rent is far from my favorite cast.
"Judy Garland, Jimmy Dean, You tragedy Queen" ~ Taboo
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
If you see Rent, you'll walk away thinking "there were four good people in that show and everyone else was disgraceful". The staging has become sloppy, the cast for the most part has become lazy and all should be fired and the show recast with the exception of four - Caren Lyn Manuel, Josh Kobak, Merle Dandridge, and Diana Kaarina (WASTED as a swing there). Those four - outstanding. The rest.... pathetic in every way. Subpar performers slacking off on stage, openly playing games and jokes - true, it happens on EVERY Broadway stage, but the cast of Rent takes it to new levels. They have NO shame at all. Sadly, when the cast spends the entire show laughing and having random conversations on stage and missing cues and goofing off, the Rentheads consider it a "good" show because the cast 'had fun'.
Go for La Cage... Gary Beach and Bryan batt.. Gavin Creel... and the Cagelles - of particular note - Andy Pellick, Joey Dudding, Will Taylor (he can have a carreer as a Nicole Kidman drag queen after this!), and super swing Paul McGill.. all deserve HIGH praise.
the la cage revival doesn't have a recording out *yet* but i would agree with those who have said la cage. you're right when you say rent will be around for a while (even though i love that show more than life)...i would catch la cage or otherwise you may regret it when it leaves *tear*. plus, it's nominated for best revival!!!
I would personaly go with "Rent". Although I do agree with what broadwayguy had to say about the lack of focus within the cast. I have seen Rent most recently at the end of March, so I can confirm this.
"If I have something to say, the whole world (BroadwayWorld) should hear it." - Thenardier
I Haven't seen La Cage, but I saw Rent in March and Hated several members of the cast.. I wanted to jump up on stage and kill several of them.. I'm a die hard Renthead and I wish this wasn't the case.. Maybe they have improved since then, but I dont know... I am happy to say that Marcus IS amazing, I haven't seen his MR Jefferson, which is what he's playing on broadway, but his Collins is F*cking Amazing..
"All work and no smut makes Cammy lose her edge." ~DG
"Someday I'm going to have a baby and I'm gonna name her L'il Mimi Marquez and I and will sing to her every day and when she's a toddler I will say "L'il Mimi Marquez, clad only in a bubble diaper, will perform her famous play pen handcuff dance to the sounds of breast milk being pumped!" ~Kringas
I had heard Merle was gone, but nothing else.. So she IS coming back right??
"All work and no smut makes Cammy lose her edge." ~DG
"Someday I'm going to have a baby and I'm gonna name her L'il Mimi Marquez and I and will sing to her every day and when she's a toddler I will say "L'il Mimi Marquez, clad only in a bubble diaper, will perform her famous play pen handcuff dance to the sounds of breast milk being pumped!" ~Kringas
RENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's way better than La Cage beacause the revival was not anywhere as good as the original.
<------ Me and my friends with patti Lupone at my friends afterparty for her concert with audra mcdonald during the summer of 2007.
"I am sorry but it is an unjust world and virtue is only triumphant in theatricle performances" The Mikado
go see la cage... wait for the next rent tour to start up, the last one's cast was far superior to the broadway one
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
Jonart, that is soo very true, but you never know how good the next tour will be.. Hopefully just as amazing if not more so..
"All work and no smut makes Cammy lose her edge." ~DG
"Someday I'm going to have a baby and I'm gonna name her L'il Mimi Marquez and I and will sing to her every day and when she's a toddler I will say "L'il Mimi Marquez, clad only in a bubble diaper, will perform her famous play pen handcuff dance to the sounds of breast milk being pumped!" ~Kringas
I also enjoyed him as Collins. Frenchie went on as Joanne and stole the show! The girl is amazing, and is worth paying the price to hear her Season's of Love solo alone. I also enjoyed Ms. Alers her Mimi was great, and I loved her take on the character. Sheilds and Cary were okay, while the girl who played Maureen was truly awful, and she scared me!
"If I have something to say, the whole world (BroadwayWorld) should hear it." - Thenardier
Well I can't say anything for or against Destan as Collins because I haven't seen his portrayal yet. But Marcus has this ability to make your breath catch and tears to well in your eyes.. Especially in his ICY:R..
Cary I had a hard time not hating.. I have very strong opinions about him.. Matt I think was good, but went for the cheap laughs a little too much.. Carmine, was good, I loved some of her acting choices. And yes I will agree that Frenchie has an amazing SOL solo..
"All work and no smut makes Cammy lose her edge." ~DG
"Someday I'm going to have a baby and I'm gonna name her L'il Mimi Marquez and I and will sing to her every day and when she's a toddler I will say "L'il Mimi Marquez, clad only in a bubble diaper, will perform her famous play pen handcuff dance to the sounds of breast milk being pumped!" ~Kringas
The comments I've received is exactly what I wanted to hear. I'm sure I'm going to see Rent eventually and I'm sure I'm gonna end up seeing it multiple times. So with that being said, I think I will be seeing La Cage this weekend providing I get decent seats. Hopefully the show wont disappoint me - I'm sure to let you all know either way.
See La Cage for the Tony noms and everything, but maybe try the Rent lotto if you're up for 2 shows! :)
Rent is gonna be there for a while, but I'd see La Cage just in case it goes.
And the other thing about the Phantom Lady was, Bert, she realized, in the city that never sleeps...
What did she realize, Kitten?
That all the songs she'd listened to, all the love songs, that they were only songs.
What's wrong with that?
Nothing, if you don't believe in them. But she did, you see. She believed in enchanted evenings, and she believed that a small cloud passed overhead and cried down on a flower bed, and she even believed there was breakfast to be had...
Where?
On Pluto. The mysterious, icy wastes of Pluto.
RENT!!! I used to be a huge Renthead, but I completely overdid it, and to detox myself, went 3 years without seeing the show. I also had great distaste for the way the casts were deteriorating... But I saw Rent last week. And I was totally shocked/ pleasantly surprised. This cast has a lot of talent, and a lot of heart, and reminded me why this show goes beyond what so many others only try to be.