I am a Renthead, saw the L.A. production, and of course the 2005 film. The production is directed by Alex Rudzinski. It starts out with a message from Jonathan Larson circa 1996. We get the color-soaked rendition, it goes straight into song with Roger Davis (Brennin Hunt) and Mark Cohen (Jordan Fisher). The power goes out and then the curtains go up with the audience cheering and the stage lights lighting up the stage. The audience is ringed around the stage and under the rafters. The cast hangs from one side of the rafters and the other is the band. Good singers. Tom Collins (Brandon Victor Dixon) is about to go to their apartment, but is beaten up before being found by Angel (James Lyva). Roger’s solo works, I’m familiar with the notes, and it just seems like a regular production. Still, he needs some extra umph to his singing. Mimi Marquez (Tinashe) is also good a little flirty, but I must be conditioned with all of the glances that were in the other productions. There is a cast introduction that it is taped from last night, it was live then, and that there will be a performance with the full cast at the end. Tom arrives and announces Angel. The crowd goes wild to the appearance of Angel Dumott Schunard. I almost can’t gauge the singing over the crowd cheering, I think her voice broke at one point. The party is over when their former roommate, Benjamin Coffin III (Mario), now part of the establishment that wants Maureen's performance to be cancelled.
Joanne Jefferson (Kiersey Clemons) remarks, “This is weird”, Mark adds, “Super weird”, language is replaced there. The tango dancers are in the rafters with spotlights as Mark and Joanne dance on stage. Narration is given about the AIDS epidemic, I believe this is by the original Roger, Anthony Rapp. The support group is led by Cy, Keala Settle, who was brilliant in The Greatest Showman. This of course shifts to Mimi with her Cat Scratch number. She walks from her changing room to the and rafter. Mimi sings and dances to the camera which follows her. Again, the crowd is charged up. She opens the door and goes down the stairs to sing for Roger, kisses him, and throws him on the bed. Mimi’s vocals are joined by the cast. The support group walks the steps on the opposite stage so we know where were the rest of the singers. Al of the audience carry lights so it looks like hundreds have filled the stage as each singer joins the support group, kinda powerful. The end of the song fades to black with no applause. The sequence with the homeless woman is kept which is brave. The “Santa Fe” number wanders around the stage. We get more of Roger as a recluse and he finally goes to see Mimi when she goes to see his dealer. The multiple singers lead to Maureen Johnson (Vanessa Hudgens) arriving on her motorcycle. This production saves the introduction of Maureen which was early in the movie version.
Maureen’s performance has some extreme overacting, she even has a cow pattern pants and a horned helmet, her weird comments gets laughs from the audience. Hudgens does get the extended long note. It seems like the audience or a crowd is moved close to the stage. Mark helps in covering her attached to cables with a drape and Maureen is lifted above the stage while the audience moos. The Life Cafe picks up right after the performance. I really like the long table with the cast moving in dance. Fisher’s vocal range doesn’t explode with the “La Boheme” number. Leather and latex?, again another lyric change. We get Benjamin interrupting with Mimi. Roger and Mimi’s duet leads to a platform that is lifted high. The spinning tables is great staging. Another Jonathan Larson quote as we get New Year’s Eve with the “Seasons of Love” as Mark relates the AIDS diagnosis of his friends. It starts with the support group and goes out around the stage with Mark. Keala Settle gets part of the “Seasons of Love” song. Her singing of course is amazing. Fisher and Hunt have some stage diving at their duo song. There is a film showing an explanation of Jonathan Larson and his picture. Then, the original cast members are shown singing "Seasons of Love." Idina Menzel (Maureen Johnson) singing, wow, Jesse L. Martin (Tom Collins) singing, and Keala Settle soloing. The best part of the television production is that it is not an interpretation of the lyrics like the earlier Grease: Live, but has a staging that recognizing the stage production, the adult content, and lyrics. This production is something special.
Four Posters and Screenplays out of Five!
#RentLive, #BrenninHunt, #Tinashe, #JamesLeyva, #JonathanLarson
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