La Vie Boheme

[ceebeegee]

Maurice, Mike, Heidi, Seth and Rachel came to the show on Friday. It got a good response. We all--that is, a bunch of people associated with the Festival, plus assorted audience members including the above--went out to Bull Moose Saloon, commandeered a big table upstairs, and ordered food and drink. It was all very end-of-the-first-act of Rent. I ended up drinking quite a bit--two+ 24 oz. steins of Hefeweizen (yum), plus two big shots, of tequila and Absolut citron.

The next day, thinking of the whole "La Vie Boheme" aspect of Friday, I put on Rent. I didn't care for that show at first--my biggest problem was that I couldn't tell what was going on--and I knew the source material (the opera, La Boheme--Bart sings Rodolfo frequently at City Opera)! But now, the more I listen to the score, the more I like it. I really like LVB--I love bouncy patter songs, like "Ain't Got No" from Hair. And that song is so well-developed; you want to be on your feet cheering for them by the end. "Is anyone in the mainstream?/Is anyone out of the mainstream?" I like "And It's Beginning to Snow" as well--very well structured dramatically and musically. I love Mimi's theme, "No Day But Today"--"there's only us/There's only this..." Such a beautiful piece of music, and makes her character so compelling. (I find Roger kind of tiresome. Just go ahead and fucking tell her already! Mark is a great character, though.)

I do have a problem with the unbelievable time compression in the first act--both new relationships progressing that far in less than a day? Okay, whatever.

Dying to play Maureen. When I saw it on Broadway, the US was on for that role--she did an okay job but was a little chubby. Maureen should have a killer body. She's supposed to be thin certainly--there are indications in the script that she has some kind of eating disorder.

Comments

[wonderpanther.livejournal.com]

The original Maureen, Idina Menzel, was the best ever. She does need to have a killer body and had/has one. However, the role is really physical and the women in Rent who play that role tend to lose anything extra while playing it. (I was obsessed when the show first came out and knew WAY too much about it.)

My friend Dayna actually made it to the final three for that role on the European tour.

[ceebeegee.livejournal.com]

Wow! Good for her! I'd love to play it but I don't think I could handle "Take Me or Leave Me"--that song is a killer. (Although I think I'd do a grea job with "Over the Moon.") Your friend must be awesome.