Rent 1996 Opening Night-Take Me Or Leave Me

[SKAFWO]

which Maureen is this?

[SongsJerome]

My older brother like when she said "lllllllllllleave me"

[duckypants1997]

wow idina was 25!!!

[lolipop2119]

was this idina's broadway debut?

[defygravity141]

@lolipop2119 yupp. she actually had no theater experience at all before she was cast in rent. she was a wedding singer who found out about the auditions and thought it would be a way to make some money in jan/feb when there arent many weddings....who knew it would lead to such a stellar career!

[irerin]

I love that she screeches GEEK!

[famosyyo]

She was so young! But as she ages we just love her more! <33333333

[olivianicolexo]

Wasn't this when Idina was like 19? I love this, thank you for posting :)

[s0undstrulycrazy]

@olivianicolexo No she was 25.

[NYBroadwayelphie]

omg thanx 4 uploading this it just made my dayyy :D × 100

idina is the best<3<3 right people?

[tomboy12f]

it just hit me after watching thru all these in order but I JUST WATCHED HISTORY wow if only they taught stuff like this in history I wouldnt be so bored all the time!

[fredishot4sure]

Is that Idina Yikes maybe it was just the audio. I hope Well she has improved alot!!!

[TheMintyMuffin]

@fredishot4sure

Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis? She sounds great, as usual! A little raw, yes, but they all were at that age. A little polish is nice, but some would say they liked her better this way :-)

[GSRgategirl923]

@Kari166 I know the video got taken down about 2 weeks ago :C

[GSRgategirl923]

@idinasfavefanzel Haha You're right it wasn't opening night got my facts confused, she was there opening night but she doesn't have that on tape it was from something else. Unfortunately my friends mom has no clue where the tape is buuut I went looking and someone else has that scene posted. youtube.com/watch?v=KzVib7A4tI­M&playnext=1&videos=vx7uBg7C2Q­M

[idinasfavefanzel]

@GSRgategirl923 Thanks so much :)

[Kari166]

@GSRgategirl923, that link doesn't work! D:

[GSRgategirl923]

I thought Idina forgot the entire second verse opening night. Because I've seen the scene from opening night, my friends Mom was there, and she goes from the first verse straight into 'no way can I be what I'm not'...

[idinasfavefanzel]

@GSRgategirl923 That's so funny, I've actually never heard that story before!! Hmm, well I know for a fact this was opening night haha, because my dad was there and taped this, but maybe that happened another night close to opening night? Do you have a video of that? I'd love to see it :)

[tillymacbaby]

Finding these videos has been amazing, thank you so much @idinasfavefanzel. I love RENT so much and these are so raw and moving... I can only imagine how it must have felt to have been there for your dad! Did he know he was watching musical theatre history? lol =]

[TheTony2013Rocks]

she is awesome (Idina), but Eden rocks at this too....BUT MENZEL WINS ALL THE WAY

[tomboy12f]

these opening night vids r making my day thanks so much for sharin them. I will die very very very happy if u posted the entire show including the talking parts!

[PjD015]

idina is amazing

[Skrimner]

Oh, 90's video recorders... Still totally awesome to get to see this!!

[dedirox]

I agree, I think that Idina is so much more raw here and portrays Maureen a little better than she did in the movie.... Don't get me wrong, she is sooooooooooooooo incredibly talented either way but I think Maureen is supposed to have more flaws and be more raw and edgy (like she is here) than she is in the movie.

[8bittrauma]

Idina was a LOT better then. She's too polished now.

[LMDB910]

Oh, Idina.

This was amazing. Thanks for sharing!

[jdthemindfreak]

Now this is a MAUREEN!! She's amazing!!

[thegaythespian]

I disagree w/ those who say Idina's improved. This needy/quirky/pushy girl is the essence of Maureen. Yes, maybe her voice has improved, but I think she's lost the ability to play this part as well as she did here.

[edstfx]

TOTALLY 100 billion % agree with you.

she has totally lost the essence and ability to be THIS maureen

[foggled]

@edstfx i think idina completely still is maureen, but just not in the same way like you said. but, it's the same as all actors when they get older, they see things in a different way. i'm 18, and just played maureen myself, and took a lot of insipration from this video because idina is so young in it and so more like me, but you can't deny that she is still an acting and singing heavyweight, and having created the role, she IS the role.

[mikyfdh]

maureen is not supposed to be quirky, the director of the musical describes her as a diva rocker who can totally belt it

[thegaythespian]

read the commentary in the big black book of the script, it lays it all out there.

[yukikokaoin]

You got to tape it, so lucky ♥

[dgHSGBOJTrb]

wow......

idina's improved millions obviously

[Soon2beonbroadway]

No one like Idina!!

[chaceecraw]

OMG! I've never imagined I could watch this and here I am, watching it over and over again. Thank you so much for posting. I am from Argentina and this is the only way I have to see Rent on Broadway, so thank you!

[MvyMkr]

They filmed the last ever night on Broadway and you can buy the DVD online :-)

[chaceecraw]

Thanks for the tip! But I can't buy it online because I am from Argentina :( . Don't worry, I downloaded the Rent 10 anniversary so I can see it every time I want. Thanks anyway!

[MvyMkr]

Ha ok :-P

Though I'm from England and I got it, it just won't work on my DVD player so I have to use my computer.

Also, there's a full recording of all the OBC in like 1996 - actually on the internet which I know. Where did you download RENT 10?

[proopsforpresident]

You can type into Google videos and download from there, and this whole performance is also on there, as well as full shows of lots of other musicals.

[openanotherdoor]

Idina is really good in this performance!

Thanks for posting.

=]

(P.S. Quality wasn't that good but, at least you got all the sound one the tape.)

=]

[Itsnotfair]

wow thank you for posting this!!

[jazosaurusrex]

Eden Espinosa sounds a lot like this in the final performance (I think.)

And Tracie Thoms sounds a lot like Fredi Walker in the final performance (in my opinion.)

Kinda like they got back to the roots of the performance.

Thanks for posting! This is great!

<3

[febreeze59]

Tracie is better.

[jazosaurusrex]

I suppose that's exactly why I said "in my opinion", right?

And even you are entitled to your opinion.

But, just so you know, I wasn't comparing them to see who was 'better' or whatever, I just said they sort of sound alike.

[KaileaBee]

I agree, Tracie is much better! :)

[harmony89]

idina sounds so good in this performance!

[jmmallo]

Thank you so much for posting!  It's fantastic to watch!

[idinasfavefanzel]

No problem! :)

[melonflower]

Idina!!!! I love her! thanks for uploading

but it´s a very bad quality....

5*****

[idinasfavefanzel]

Hahah, well I was 2 when my dad taped this, so the quality isn't my fault ;)

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[MSgirl25]

@melonflower u should be grateful that her father actually filmed it at all......come on, how many people can really say that have seen the original cast live and not the movie especially if they were kids at the time or couldnt get to nyc