Shows from September 2011 to Present Part 4

7. RENT – January 7, 2012

            After an eventful week, it was time for me to go back to what I love to do.  I managed to win the lottery for RENT.  I wanted to go see the show because the girl who played “Maureen”, Annaleigh Ashford had her final days with the show.  She was funny as ever.  By the article comes out she will be in the musical Dogfight and a new show called Kinky Boots.

            RENT is taken place in the East Village in New York City in 1991 during the time of AIDS epidemic.  Narrator Mark Cohen (Adam Chanler –Berat), a filmmaker, takes the audience with his video camera and focuses on the lives of him and his friends on how they struggle on in their respective lives.  His friends include his roommate, aspiring rock musician Roger Davis (Matt Shingledecker) who is desperate to write one last song before AIDS takes him over, Mimi Marquez (Adrianna Fernandez), an HIV positive dancer at the “Cat Scratch Club”, Benjamin (Benny) Coffin III (Ephraim Sykes), the landlord of the building where Mark and Roger are living and the lot next to it who is also determined to build a cyber-studio with the help of his in laws,   Tom Collins (Brandon Victor Dixon), an anarchist with AIDS who used to room with Mark and Roger, Angel Dumot Schunard (MJ Rodriguez), a street drummer and drag queen with AIDS, Joanne Jefferson (Corbin Reid), a lawyer turned production stage manager and Maureen’s new lover and Maureen Johnson (Annaleigh Ashford), a performance artist who used to Mark’s girlfriend but dumped him to be with Joanne. 

            I have to admit I am a “Rent head (aka a huge fan of RENT)” so I had seen it several times on Broadway and now twice Off Broadway.  It was a good interpretation of the show.  The cast is still has its amazing standouts (such as Adam, Annaleigh, MJ, and Corbin).  Brandon Victor Dixon came into the show as a temporary “Collins” and I absolutely love his take on the role.  His “I’ll Cover You (reprise)” is so emotional, it will make you cry. 

*Update by the time this gets released, RENT will play its final performance on September 9, 2012 (which is actually two days past its final Broadway performance)

RENT plays at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street).  When it was on Broadway, RENT was the first show to offer cheap tickets for $20.  People slept outside the night before a performance hoping to get tickets.  It started the trend of rush tickets.  The rush later turned to lottery and the lottery exists now in the Off Broadway production.  It is not RENT without lottery.   If you want to be one of the winners for 16 front row seats for $25, you will need to get to the theatre 2 hours prior to each performance (you might want to check on the website www.siteforrent.com for the hours) to sign your name up for 1 or 2 tickets.   WARNING: For lottery DO NOT SIGN YOUR NAME UP MORE THAN ONCE (THEY CHECK THE BUCKET FOR DUPLICATES).  IF YOU DID SIGN YOUR NAME UP MORE THAN ONCE THEN YOU ARE NOT GETTING THE TICKETS AND ARE DISQUALIFIED).  They call the names 30 minutes later (2 hours before show time).  If you win, tell if you need 1 or 2 tickets and show ID.  Watch this show to experience Jonathan Larsen’s wonderful message of “No Day but Today” and experience RENT all over again.  

8. Godspell – January 12, 2012

            Have you ever watched a show, you love it so much and think to yourself “I want to go see it again”?  That is me with most shows including Godspell.  I loved it back in previews I went back again. 

            The show is based around the Gospel of St. Matthew as an energetic cast of 10 gather around Jesus (Hunter Parrish) as his followers as they reenact stories and sing the songs of his teachings, valuable lessons and the importance of love.  The first act was enjoyable to watch as everyone is learning (through various ways of storytelling like using props to enhance it and playing their own instruments) what Jesus is trying to teach them along with the memorable tunes such as “Day By Day”, “Bless the Lord” and “Prepare Ye”.  Also there is audience participation (I won’t tell you what you have to do if you get picked because it won’t be a surprise by then) in the show.  Intermission is more like a rock concert because you come up on stage to have “wine (note: Its grape juice)” and chat with cast member as rock music plays in the background. The second act is mostly very serious as Jesus is betrayed by Judas and is crucified.  This production is modernized as the cast makes references to Lindsay Lohan, “Occupy Wall Street”, Facebook, Shake Weights and even iPhones.  

            I still love the show as much as ever.  From the first few notes of the bugle in “Prepare Ye” to the curtain call, it was amazing.  The cast was the same as it was when I saw it in previews.  Although the show closed in June, I love this show and miss it.