Let's throw together the original Broadway cast, the final Broadway cast, and the 2005 movie cast (well, Rosario Dawson) into a mix, and pick your opinion of the best performer in each role. Personally, I would pick:
Mark: Adam Kantor
Roger: Will Chase
Maureen: Idina Menzel
Joanne: Tracie Thoms
Mimi: Rosario Dawson
Collins: Jesse Martin w/ Michael McElroy's voice
Angel: Justin Johnston
Benny: Taye Diggs
Roger - Will Chase
Mark - Neil Patrik Harris
Joanne - Traci Thoms
Mimi - Tamyra Gray
Maureen - Idina Menzel
Collins - Jesse L Martin
Angel - Wilson Heredia
Benny - Rodney Hicks
Mark: Very very oh so close tie between Adam Kantor and Anthony Rapp
Roger: Adam Pascal
Maureen: Idina Menzel
Joanne: Tracie Thoms
Mimi: Renee Goldsberry
Collins: Jesse Martin
Angel: Wilson Heredia
Benny: Taye Diggs
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"Good evening, Godless Sodomites." - Stephen Colbert
First let me say that I have only seen the movie and the filmed live on broadway version in their entirety. Unfortunately, I was not able to see it live on Broadway. I have however, seen a few clips on youtube of other performers on Broadway. Here are my picks.
Mark: Adam Kantor. He had a good voice, but I mostly picked him because I like his looks a little better.
Roger: Will Chase. He was amazing as Roger. A lot of people think that he was too angry, but I disagree. It was nice to see an angrier Roger than Adam Pascal's interpretation.
Maureen: Idina Menzel. She's beautiful and has an amazing voice.
Joanne: Tracie Thoms. Can anyone else play Joanne? I don't think so.
Mimi: Renee Goldsberry. Really, I'm not sure who to pick. I wasn't very impressed with Rosario Dawson or Renee Goldsberry. I saw a clip of Mel B playing Mimi, but I didn't think she was that great either. Does anyone have any clips of anyone else playing Mimi?
Collins: Jesse L. Martin. In my opinion, he is the only Collins.
Angel: Wilson Heredia. Good voice.
Benny: Taye Diggs. I liked him better than the guy from the filmed live version.
"Does anyone have any clips of anyone else playing Mimi?"
There are clips of Tamyra Gray and Daphne Rubin-Vega as Mimi on youtube. You can also find clips of these two on broadwayworld.com.
I know there are clips of Tamyra performing with Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, and she has a beautiful voice.
Mark: Tie between Adam Kantor and Anthony Rapp (I love them both! I can't choose!)
Roger: Adam Pascal
Mimi: Rosario Dawson (Renee Goldsberry is a close second)
Angel: Wilson Heredia (Justin Johnson is a close second)
Collins: Jesse Martin
Maureen: Idina Menzel
Joanne: Tracie Thoms
Benny: Taye Diggs
Basically it's the movie cast.
Whoever Tore Down The Rent Stage Destroyed the Nederlander Theatre and Broadway itself.
MARK: Anthony Rapp
ROGER: Adam Pascal
MIMI: Rosario Dawson
ANGEL: Wilson Jermaine Heredia AND Justin Johnston - I can't decide.
COLLINS: Jesse L. Martin
MAUREEN: Idina Menzel
JOANNE: Tracie Thoms
BENNY: Taye Diggs
[deleted]
Mark: Adam Kantor
Roger: Will Chase
Maureen: Eden Espinosa (WAY MORE THAN IDINA)
Joanne: Tracie Thoms
Mimi: Renee Goldsberry
Collins: Jesse Martin
Angel: Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Benny: Taye Diggs
I was most impressed with Adam Kantor. I thought he was absolutely brilliant. I can't believe how young he was going into this.
I know people will hate me when I say this, but I've just never really been a big fan of Idina Menzel. I'm not at all saying she's untalented, but I LOVE Eden.
Mark: Anthony
Roger: Adam
Maureen: Idina
Joanne: Tracie
Mimi: Renee
Collins: Jesse
Angel: Wilson
Benny: Taye
"I'm David Ruffin, and these are the Temptations".
Mark: Anthony Rapp
Roger: Adam Pascal
Maureen: Idina Menzel
Joanne: Tracie Thoms
Mimi: Rosario Dawson
Collins: Jesse L. Martin
Angel: Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Benny: Taye Diggs
This is a fact, the best cast
No Day But Today. Today 4 U. One Song Glory.
How we gonna pay last year's RENT?!