Monday, September 22, 2008
Anthony Rapp at Purnell
The Tartan Online: "When Anthony Rapp walked onto the stage of the Philip Chosky Theater in the Purnell Center for the Arts, he looked little older than the college crowd before him. Slender, with a head of mussed blond hair, Rapp hardly seemed like one of the most famous stage actors of our time, or one of the original cast members of a landmark contemporary American musical, Rent. But Rapp can without a doubt claim both of these distinctions. His appearance at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama Conservatory Hour gave students a chance to participate in a Q & A and talkback session, in conjunction with Rapp’s one-man show, which just closed in Pittsburgh."
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14 comments:
I really enjoyed Anthony's visit. He was really funny and personable. I'm sure he has tons of stories to tell, and I'd love to listen to them all. It was really cool to see him in a "normal" setting, rather than a poster or some other media.
This was such a good experience. I am really glad to have had the oppurtunity to speak to someone working in the theatre community. Anthony was very down to earth and had a lot of good advie and experiences to share.
It was great to see someone with as much "star power" in this industry visit us here at CMU. It was nice to see someone who we usually see only on stage on stage in quite a different setting. Additionally, even as an aspiring designer, it was intriguing to hear candidly what it is like to be on the other side of the curtain so to speak. We don't often get to hear that in our line of work.
I was happy to see what a down to earth person Anthony seemed to be. It was almost as if everyone in the room was simply having a one-on-one conversation with him. I also really appreciate how open he was willing to be with whatever questions he was asked, no matter how serious they were.
Even though I didnt expect him to be anything like he was, I will appreciate that I have met someone like him. His advice, more than anything, should have been his soul-pirpose for being here and I am happy to hear it! Like everyone else having someone who was famous come visit got me excited but loving more what he really wanted to say. When he talked about the first time he heard the song "seasons of love" and knowing he was going to be apart of something as brilliant and mind blowing as that, the feeling he explained... It just gave me a refreshed acknowledgement that this is what I need to be doing, be apart of. He reinforced some loose tangles for me and I appreciate him for the bit of inspiration he gave me.
He did a masterclass with some of my friends from high school in Texas a few years ago. I didn't get a chance to go to the conservatory hour because I was working on production electrics, but I'm glad everyone got a chance to talk to him. I've heard he is very down to earth.
I couldn't make it to Conservatory Hour the day that Rapp was here... my production duties kept me otherwise occupied. However, I was glad to hear that his visit was a success and that everyone enjoyed it and learned a thing or two. I like hearing about stars that are real and "normal" and can sit and chat with a group of college students in a relaxed atmosphere. I hope in the future we can bring in some more big names to talk to our students.
I think that Anthony Rapp had a lot of interesting things to say. It is always good to hear the perspective of an "insider". They tend to have a much better understanding of the workings of the industry.
I liked what he said about RENT and shows like Avenue Q and Passing Strange about theater commenting on our society and sometimes changing things. He made an interesting comment on how, maybe RENT is even more appropriate for today, because the issues it rasies are more everyday and accessible.
I agree with Liz; Anthony's tone was very conversational and personal. I suppose that can be expected from someone who has so beautifully translated his life story into a one-man show. He provided a lot of straightforward, honest insight into the world that we are all headed towards. I hope Conservatory Hour features similar speakers in the future.
Not only was he incredibly personable and willing to take questions bordering on the slightly absurd, but Anthony Rapp came off as an extremely down-to-earth person. He upbeat and optimistic and willing to share with us his experiences. I was personally incredibly touched by his relationship with his mother and I'm glad Rent is as important to him as it is so some of his audience. I was also thrilled to learn of his respect for Heath Ledger.
I'm glad that he came to visit. I really enjoyed what he had to say about theatre not so much as industry, but rather in regards to art. His philosophy on what it should say and the types of messages that should be sent to the audience helps to rekindle the flames of passion for the craft. Overall, i really enjoyed his visit; it was sort of one of those things that you'd mention in a book when writing one -- but just briefly.
Is it really bad that I still don't know who Anthony Rapp is? Actor in RENT, woot! Not really doing much for me. Now Anthony Rapp playing for one night only in RENT in the Phillip Chosky Theatre would get me moving, but the idea of a crowd made up of only really excited fans is a downer. Give me a rock star.
I was sadly disappointed in this conservatory hour, despite the actor's presence. However, the failing was not on Rapp's part but the student body. Granted, I didn't ask any questions because there was nothing I felt compelled to know but questions like "What's Russel Crowe like?" "What is it like living in Rent's Shadow..(then that same person asking nothing but Retn questions)" did not really enrich the hour. About 80% of the questions ask were pointless and fan-relate, which is fine I guess but I expected more out of the students on trying to understand what it means to be a successful actor and maintain a career.
It was truely a great experience to be able to hear from Anthony in person. It really got me when he opened up about his mother and humbled himself and admitted that there were just some nights that he just needed a break to deal with all of his emotions. It really humanized him and made him relateable. I admire him for that.
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