RENT comes to Ireland at last!

imsohawwt

OMG, RENT The Musical is showing in a matter of HOURS at the Helix!!!
I'm so excited about how well everything has come together and how much like the broadway production it's going to be!!!
This has been so much fun and everyone has worked so hard and we can finally show it to the land. Much love! x

goodgodholmes

imsohawwt wrote: »

OMG, RENT The Musical is showing in a matter of HOURS at the Helix!!!
I'm so excited about how well everything has come together and how much like the broadway production it's going to be!!!
This has been so much fun and everyone has worked so hard and we can finally show it to the land. Much love! x

I KNOW, right?!

Honey-ec

nadiemc wrote: »

The thing that makes this years musical stand apart from the likes of Fame and The Full Monty is that we're being adjudicated! A simultaneously scary and exciting feeling envelops me!

Are you submitting it to AIMS?

dramabob

Yup!

AIMS are coming to adjudicate, only I'm not telling the cast which show they're coming to....

*grins evilly*

Honey-ec

dramabob wrote: »

Yup!

AIMS are coming to adjudicate, only I'm not telling the cast which show they're coming to....

*grins evilly*

You're better off not. I did "Thoroughly Modern Millie" in 2007 and was one of about 6 people who knew what night the adjudicator was coming. All it does is increase the nerves.

We ended up getting 5 nominations, though, including "Best Overall Show", so we were obviously doing something right!

dramabob

Just a little something to whet your appetites....

dramabob

After last night's outstanding performance (standing ovation on opening night, woo!), You'll have to get your skates on to grab tickets!

Thursday 8pm is SOLD OUT with a hefty waiting list, but there are a few tickets left for tonight (Wed) at 8pm, and lots of cut-price tickets for the matinee!

Get 'em now! Don't assume there'll be tickets left at the Box Office if you don't book first!

Woop!

http://www.thehelix.ie/2009_Q1/Rent.htm

athtrasna

Well done guys, amazing show. Way better than the Olympia production!!

Just one question, was some of the Collins/Angel stuff cut? It felt like it was

dramabob

Not that I'm aware of... We pretty much stuck like glue to the script we were given by Weinberger, which seemed to be a match for the Broadway script. Some of the smaller numbers were changed to dialogue (like Collins's entrance "O Holy Night") but otherwise we left it intact.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Futurecrook

Went to see the show last night. It was brilliant. Some amazingly talented cast members. I'm incredibly jealous. I really want to get involved with DIT's production now.

fonpokno

Yeah it was a great show! I thought Mimi and Angel stole the show. And it was fantastic that yer man Roger could actually play the guitar, it's always terrible when someone pretends to play... All the leads were great really, couldn't fault them at all!

The Oirish priest was hilarious, completely threw Collins off his accent! Fantastic...

It was definitely worth the panicked drive over and the getting lost on the way home! I'd definitely go see a DCU production again. I think I'll have to go back to DIT so I can do RENT with them...

conf101

I saw this lastnight and I was majorly impressed! That production would put it up to many of the touring musicals that come to Ireland. It's hard to believe it's a student production!

The whole show was brilliant and incredibly close to the Broadway production!

Hats off to everyone involved!!

Out of curiousity, where did the visuals that were projected on the screen come from? they were really impressive! I know some of them were obviously filmed yourselves but they werent all were they?

athtrasna

dramabob wrote: »

Not that I'm aware of... We pretty much stuck like glue to the script we were given by Weinberger, which seemed to be a match for the Broadway script. Some of the smaller numbers were changed to dialogue (like Collins's entrance "O Holy Night") but otherwise we left it intact.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Oh? I just felt the spotlight was taken off Collins & Angel, in the other versions I'd seen they were the couple that stood out. Anyway it was an amazing production... though if I were you I'd have had issues with the sound guy, he missed a LOT of the cues.

But I don't want to be negative, cos it was fab. And I've seen a LOT of professional shows and don't impress easily!

dramabob

conf101 wrote: »

Out of curiousity, where did the visuals that were projected on the screen come from? they were really impressive! I know some of them were obviously filmed yourselves but they werent all were they?

DCU Drama has an annual Broadway Baby Trip where 40 of our members got to New York for 4 nights and 3 shows - we used this year's trip as an opportunity to film the cast on location in New York!

Glad you enjoyed the show :P

athtrasna

Ooh DramaBob - you made us famous, just saw our comments on AIMS. Now all you have to do is work out which AIMSers we are!

dramabob

eeep!

I hope you guys don't mind :P

As for which AIMSers ye are, that might take a little longer.

*starts trying to figure it out*

athtrasna

dramabob

...like there was ever any doubt...

Seriously though, RENT was up against some stiff competition this year - the Fashion Show, Dance Intervarsities & Arts Week to name but three.

It was close by all accounts, but RENT ended up being the deserving winner of the 2008/09 DCU Best Society Event Award at tonight's Clubs & Socs Awards. Much hullaballoo followed the announcement, accompanied by stage invasions, joyous celebrations and possibly a spot of drinking/dancing. Good Lord.

I'd like to extend huge, huge thanks to everyone in the cast, crew and beyond that made RENT such a memorable event; one that will not be forgotten for many years to come.

You've all been an amazing bunch, and this award is for you.

Now bring on the BICS National Awards next week!

Hugs

Bob

goodgodholmes

Great news for those who missed the show this time around, or who saw it and can't get enough of it/want to bring friends/stalk!

RENT IS RETURNING... <snip>

Yup, you read right, this production of RENT has been picked up, with the original cast, <snip> for a week-long run starting June 15th!

Such exciting news for all involved!

Here's your chance to see it again people, tickets should be on sale at www.ticketmaster.ie within the next few days!

dramabob

RENT Rides Again!

...at a venue we can't discuss...

...but you can read about it here:

Click Here

athtrasna

Am sorting out the group booking again. Any specials going this time?

dramabob

Hi athtrasna,

Unfortunately, as it is on in a venue we can't discuss, I don't have as much control over ticket prices / specials as I did for the Helix run...

Sorry

But here's hoping to see you there anyway!

dramabob

Oh, and athtrasna,

I think I've figured out which AIMSer you are; it was the group booking comment that gave you away

Larkenn

dramabob wrote: »

Finally, RENT comes to Ireland!

RENT was first in Ireland in 2000 in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin. It was a professional production with a cast brought over from London. I went to see it with a group of my friends. Its easily in my top 3 shows of all time with Phantom & JCS.

athtrasna

I thought that so called "professional" production was brutal. I'm a tough audience but DCU's production wiped the floor with the 2000 cast!

Larkenn

athtrasna wrote: »

I thought that so called "professional" production was brutal. I'm a tough audience but DCU's production wiped the floor with the 2000 cast!

No way the 2000 professional show was fantastic. You just cant compare the two. A pro show with a pro cast wipes the floor with any amateur production - and thats not any criticism of DCU Drama, I think they did a great production of the show. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'll probably go to see it again in June. But seriously you cant be saying that the touring shows brought over to The Point & the Olympia pale in significance to the shows put on by amateur societies around Ireland. Our amateur societies are good but they're not up to pro standard. As I've already said I liked the DCU version of Rent. It was a great show and a good night out and I'm not criticising it in any way. Angel, Mimi and Mark were the stars for me on the night.

athtrasna

For a start the 2000 production was licensed from the UK but was not a touring production, most of the cast came from Ireland.

https://www.tribune.ie/archive/article/2000/jul/23/black-actors-in-musical-rent-forced-to-leave-apart/

Has some info on the makeup of the cast.

I'm not saying DCU's Production was perfect, but I did think it was excellent. One of the things that stood out for me in 2000 was the randomness, the scenes did not fit well together, in fact the synopsis in the programme was pages long. A show should tell its own story and I didn't think that the 2000 production did the show any justice.

DCU managed to get the story across without any of that.

Each to their own I guess but the 2000 production was one of the worst "professional" shows I've ever spent money on. Ooh, new thread idea there!

Larkenn

athtrasna wrote: »

I'm not saying DCU's Production was perfect, but I did think it was excellent.

Yes i agree it was a very good show and there are some talented actors/singers in the society i hope to see in future shows.Worst show for me would have to be 'The Lion King' in Londons Westend. But only because I got last minute standing tickets and spent 2 hours crippled standing in high heels at the back of the theatre. I spent the interval sitting on the floor of the theatres bar because there were no stools free and dreaded having to go back in to stand for the second half. I swore after this to always buy seated tickets no matter what the cost.

athtrasna

I slept through 90% of The Lion king!

James Bennett

Damn. I wish I had seen this post in 2006

Fiftysix

Larkenn wrote: »

RENT was first in Ireland in 2000 in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin. It was a professional production with a cast brought over from London. I went to see it with a group of my friends. Its easily in my top 3 shows of all time with Phantom & JCS.

That RENT was 9 yeas ago so the "Finally" is perfectly merited imo. However, i saw this production and i was blown away. I saw it on Broadway about two years back and this student production could very easily stand up to that. The two girls that played maureen and joanne, their names slip my mind now were outstanding. I will be going to see it again in June.

dramabob

Heyo,

Maureen was played by Fiona Carty, Joanne by Stevi Russell.

Big ups to Fiona for getting her 21st plugged on Today FM's breakfast show this morning (and a quick sneaky plug for RENT too)!

4 weeks to go, hurry up and get your tickets!

eimear87

Just got my tickets for this. Really looking forward to it. Has it been shortened at all?

doylema3

eimear87 wrote: »

Just got my tickets for this. Really looking forward to it. Has it been shortened at all?

No its the same as the Broadway versions. we made some changes here and there but these are very small changes

eimear87

Brilliant. Thanks. Good luck with it hope it all goes well. lookin forward to it.

eimear87

So i've just discovered i cant go on the night that i've bought my tickets for. I know ticketmaster dont exchange tickets but does anyone have any ideas how i might change them?

eimear87

Went to see it last night, was absolutely amazing. I've seen ot on Broadway twice and it as almost as good. The voices were amazing and i cried when angel died. Brilliant!

Alanthroneus

yeah, it is going well. We have had near 800 people everynight at it. It's great because we are "just students" and that. We had a bit of a dodgy night on our end ( lighting etc) on the first night but it is all sorted now.

Glad you enjoyed it eimear.

athtrasna

Going again tonight, interested to see how it compares to the Helix version!

Dreddybajs

Saw this last night - definitely a step up from the Helix production, which I enjoyed a lot too. Top-notch performance from the whole cast and band.

tnkrbell

Went to see RENT last night and omg it was fantastic! Absolutely loved it! Had never seen it before and hadn't seen the Helix production so had nothing to compare it to! Was proud to say I was a DCU student last night! Hopefully this is the start of something majorly huge for DCU! Kudos to Bob and John and everyone else involved! Viva la vie boheme!!!

Big Tone

Went to see this show in Boston a few years ago, I have to say I didn't like it all that much, didn't like the premise of the story "growing up in the AIDS-ridded 80s" or the songs, all seemed pretentious and hyped.

The performances were very good but the 30+ year olds pretending to be 10 years younger doesn't gel.

dramabob

...which was why the oldest member of our cast was 24, and the average age was 20-21...

Big Tone

dramabob wrote: »

...which was why the oldest member of our cast was 24, and the average age was 20-21...

That's the way to do it. Nothing against the 30 pluses but the 20 somethings have more energy and vitality, they give a sort of real agnst and urgency to their performances.

Alanthroneus

dramabob wrote: »

...which was why the oldest member of our cast was 24, and the average age was 20-21...

Hmmm that's not counting yourself then?

dramabob

Alanthroneus wrote: »

Hmmm that's not counting yourself then?

Of course not! Besides, I was a): Only a cameo and b): Playing Benny's FATHER IN LAW, despite only being 10 years older than Drew, who played Benny :cool:

athtrasna

Big Tone wrote: »

The performances were very good but the 30+ year olds pretending to be 10 years younger doesn't gel.

When I saw it on Broadway the guy playing Roger was pushing 40!! When he sang about "the arms of a young man" in One Song, an audible laugh went around the theatre

michaelflynn61

I saw the DCU production twice and was blown away by it. I had previously seen it on Broadway so had big expectations. I was not let down, I wasnt expecting such a top class production, the casting was brilliant!!! You could almost put it on broadway no problems!! If it were to be put on again I would definitely go!!!

athtrasna

Any update on the possibility of a return in August?

Garseys

athtrasna wrote: »

Any update on the possibility of a return in August?

It's coming back again?