Rent - Broadway Show?

I have gone to many Broadway shows & the only one that I ever saw that I absolutely hated was Rent. I went thinking that it would be incredible because of all the rave reviews it has gotten & I was so disappointed, I actually wanted to leave in the middle of it.

I'm just curious to know what everyones opinions on this play were.

If you saw Rent, did you like it?

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

I've seen RENT 4 times, and had 4 very different experiences. I fell in LOVE with it wih the original cast, then they started having these guest stars. Joey Fatone as Mark Cohen made me want to puke, so I can't imagine who they ahve now. But anyway i LOVE RENT. I know some people who are uncomfortable with the aids/homosexuality/drugs, etc. Some people just have different taste, if you're used to more sweeping scors, you're not going to like the very american rock music.

I was the same way with les Mis. I heard all of this hype and I saw it and I was like 'what was the big deal?'

What other broadway shows do you like?

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

saw it twice w/2 different casts and thought it was great both times. i loved beauty and the beast, miss saigon and les mis - i know a lot of people who absolutely HATED les mis. everyone is different, its like a movie one person will love it and the next will hate it.

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

I saw this when I was in college - our Student Activites Center planned this as part of our Senior Week, so a huge group from our school was there - parents, students, teachers, NUNS...... I went to a private Catholic college, by the way! Needless to say, this was NOT the typical Broadway show and I was almost embarrassed that I was watching this with Sister Anne sitting just two seats down the row from me! We didn't know anything about it, and our Student Activites person never did the research about the show's subject matter either - so we were all pretty shocked by what we saw! I didn't think it was bad, but I would definitly NOT recommend this to those more used to the standard Broadway musicals. If I knew beforehand what the show was about - I would not have seen this with my school!

ETA - Despite the awkward company, I did thnk this was an awesome show. I really liked the original cast too, and I bought the soundtrack that same night and listened to it nonstop fo rthe next month! I still howl along to Mimi's song 'I Wanna Go Out Tonight'!

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

Yeah, everyone has different tastes and expectations. Oklahoma it's not.

OMG. I HATE MIss Saigon!

ETA: SPeaking of people not knowing th4e content matter beforee seeing a show (people do this ALL the time), I saw people bring nine year olds to the Rocky Horror Show, there's NUDITY in that. I also saw The Goat in previews and literally half the audience walked out.

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

I was extremely disappointed by Rent. I felt it was very trite and cheesy and boring. Maybe my expectations were too high.

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

I loved Rent, I only saw it once but I thought it was very good.

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

I saw it with the original cast and LOVED it! Bought the CD right away

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

I saw Rent several years ago and liked it but my DH hated it!

This is off broadway, but have you seen 'I love you, you're perfect, now change' - its hysterical!!

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

i LOVE Love, Perfect, Change!

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

i hated rent also. it was too too loud! jesus, i don't need my ears blown out. i also didn't like the characters. i just had no sympathy for them.

the only other show i didn't like was phantom. i loved the music but when i saw the show it was just sort of blah.

shows i've loved- lion king, 42nd st, les mis, secret garden, starlight express.

Re: Rent - Broadway Show?

I really loved Rent... but everyone has totally different opinions.

I wanted to get up and leave when I saw Boy from Oz (TORTURE) but people rave about it...

And I didn't like Wicked (talent/singing was great.. the story was terrible. I'm a huge Wizard of Oz fan and the stories didn't match up and that bothered me)

So I'm probably more in the minority than anyone!