Bootleg Mania

2006-05-27T04:28:49Z

RULES
- Only DVDs from now on. Sorry but online is a real hassle and I don't really have the time anymore to upload things.
- Be prompt! Please! It's not that hard. I always ship very quickly and I expect the same respect in return.
- Don't send me online videos burned to DVD! That is NOT the same thing as an actual DVD of a show!

DVDs
AIDA (03/29/00, Heather Headley, Adam Pascal, Sherie Rene Scott)
Beautiful cast, with amazing performances, but unfortunately the quality is not that good. A buzz in the sound, crackling video. You can hear everything fine, but the crackling does not go away. Good close ups on the cast, but they aren't very clear. [C+]

AIDA (12/3/00, Heather Headley, Adam Pascal, Sherie Rene Scott, Phinaes Newborn)
Good picture, but definitely there is some generational loss. Action is followed nicely, but camera in the beginning is a little shakey. Sound is good. Cast is amazing. [B+]

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (10/15/06, Donny Osmond, Steve Blanchard, Sarah Uriarte Berry)
Wonderfully clear picture, with lots of zooms and great sound. Unfortunately, there are tons of cover ups through out, so much action is missed. If it wasn't for all the cover ups and obstructions this would be an A video. [B]

CABARET (11/18/01, Gina Gershon, Raúl Esparza, Matthew Greer, Carole Shelley)
Nice video, with tons of close ups. Raul's performance is amazing. Action is followed wonderfully, and sound is good. Gina is fantastic as Sally. [B+]

CHESS DRESS REHEARSAL (09/22/03, Josh Groban, Julia Murney, Adam Pascal, Jonathan Dokuchitz, Raul Esparza, Sutton Foster, Norm Lewis)
Beautifully clear video, with some really great moments as the cast gets the last pieces of their show together. Follows action perfectly. [A]

COMPANY (11/14/06, Raul Esparza, Barbara Walsh, Angel Desai, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Kristin Huffman, Amy Justman, Heather Laws)
For the first five minutes the camera is in outer space. Action is followed nicely. The filmer claps in between every song so it takes them a few seconds to get back on the actors. There are some cover ups through out, but video is always clear. There are some really great close ups on the cast, especially Raul. It goes without saying that he is incredible, as always. [B]

INTO THE WOODS (4/13/02, Vanessa Williams, Laura Benanti, John McMartin, Stephen DeRosa, Kerry O'Malley, Adam Wylie, Molly Ephraim, Gregg Edelman)
COMING SOON.

LES MISERABLES (12/03/06, Alexander Gemignani, Norm Lewis, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Aaron Lazar, Ali Ewoldt), Gary Beach, Drew Sarich)
Pretty decent recording. It's filmed from the mezz, so the railing is in the bottom of the screen half the time. There are some good close ups, action is followed nicely. Good sound, great cast. Norm Lewis is great! [B+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (6/6/05, Hugh Panaro, Sandra Joseph, Tim Martin Gleason, Jeff Keller, George Lee Andrews, Anne Runolfsson, Marilyn Caskey, David Gaschen, Kara Klein)
Decent recording. Heads get in the bottom of the screen sometimes, not blocking action, more just being a bit annoying. Pretty clear video, but I think there is some generational loss. Sound is good. Hugh Panaro is fantastic as always. [B+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (6/22/05, Hugh Panaro, Julie Hanson, Tim Martin Gleason)
Beautiful picture, nice close ups and action is followed nicely. Sound is great as well. Hugh Panaro is perfect as the Phantom. Perfect show. [A]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (5/6/06, John Cudia, Sarah Lawrence, Jim Weitzer)
Beautiful Phantom video. Colors are vibrant, there are no wash outs, sound is perfect, and there are amazing close ups. All that, and Sarah Lawrence's voice is just beautiful. There are no obstructions. The only negative is that it starts at the beginning of Hannibal instead of at the auction, so you miss the first few minutes. This is two DVDs. [B+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (07/01/06, John Cudia, Jennifer Hope Wills, Adam Monley)
I don't know what it is about Phantom videos but these people really know how to shoot bootlegs. Another beautiful video. Clear picture, nice close ups, action is followed perfectly. Overall amazing performances. The only drawback is that it starts in the middle of Hannibal, so the first few minutes are not included. Includes curtain call. This show is two DVDs.[B+]

RENT (6/7/98, Josh Greene, Trey Ellet, Laura Dias, Dwayne Clark, Allan Mingo Jr., Evan D´Angeles, Kamilah Martin, Erin Keaney)
Some generation loss and spotlight washout, but gorgeous coloring, good sound and follows the action really well, only veers off for a few seconds here and there. No super closeups, more medium/wide shots, very nicely done though. [B]

RENT (9/05/99 Evening, Sharon Leal, Trey Ellett, Dean Balkwill, Shaun Earl, Kamilah Martin)
Fantastic quality. This DVD has great zooms all through out. There are two moments when the camera wanders, and the last half of 'Without You' is missing but picks up right at when Mark (Trey), drops the phone before Contact. Other than that the video is perfect. This is the last performance of the Angel Tour. Sharon brings lots of energy to Mimi, and Kamilah is great as Joanne. [B+]

RENT TEN (4/24/06, Original Broadway Cast)
Amazing video. If you think the online copy of this is great, wait till you see the DVD. Amazing quality, fantastic close ups, sound is perfect. Includes a cute into to the menu. Absolutely one of the best quality shows out there. [A+]
ATT: Currently unable to burn this DVD for trade.

RENT (8/05/06, Matt Caplan's LAST, Tim Howar, Antonique Smith, Haven Burton, Justin Johnston)
Amazing quality! During Rent, One Song Glory and Light My Candle, camera work is shakey with obstructions, but other than that this is fantastic. This is one of the clearest pictures I've ever seen. Amazing performances during Matt's last. I'm in love with Antonique Smith so I sing her praises! The only drawback here is that it's not the whole show. What is included is as follows: Rent, One Song Glory, Light My Candle, Tango:Maureen, Another Day, La Vie Boheme, I Should Tell You, La Vie Boheme B, Without You, Contact, Eulogies, Halloween, Pre-Goodbye Love, Goodbye Love, What You Own, Your Eyes, Finale B and Finale Bow. WELL worth having for the quality and for Caplan fans. [A]

RENT (3/4/07, Tim Howar, Christopher J. Hanke, Troy Horne,Justin Johnston, Jaime Lee Kirchner, Crystal Monee Hall, Nicolette Hart, D'Monroe)
Great video. Very clear, with tons of close ups, follows action perfectly. Sound is great. [A]

ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (4/20/2004, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Raul Esparza, Tom Hewitt, Joan Jett)
Video quality isn't fantastic but the performances are so amazing you hardly notice. There are obstructions through the video but not major, just around the edges. There aren't really any major close ups. It's an okay video like I said, but Daphne and especially Raul are so amazing it's very easy to forgive the obstructions and okay filming. [B]

SPRING AWAKENING (02/10/07, Lea Michele, John Gallagher Jr., Jonathan Groff, Phoebe Strole, Frances Mercanti-Anthony, Krysta Rodriguez)
Beautifully clear video, great close ups, sound is awesome. Groff is fantastic, as is Gallagher. Really just a fantastic boot. [A]

SWEENEY TODD (8/15/05, Michael Cerveris, Patti LuPone, Lauren Molina, Manoel Felciano)
If you have the online video of this, you know that the quality is fantastic. On DVD the picture is more clear and details are seen more easily. There are great zooms and action is followed perfectly. Performances are just fantastic. [A]

TICK TICK BOOM (09/18/01, Raúl Esparza, Amy Spanger, Jerry Dixon)
Tons of close-ups, and only a few jumpy bits. Sound is good. Video is pretty clear but there is some generational loss present. The cast is amazing, the show is fantastic. [B+]

WICKED (7/18/04, Kristin Chenoweth (LAST), Norbert Leo Butz, Idina Menzel)
Sound only for the first few minutes then the rest is good. Some washout, but action is followed nicely and sound is great. [B+]

WICKED (1/8/06, Shoshana Bean (LAST), Megan Hilty, David Ayers, Ben Vereen)
Good quality, great cast. Shoshana is incredible as always. The color is good, sound is good, little wash outs here and there. [B+]

WICKED (5/23/06, Julia Murney, Kendra Kassebaum, Kyle McDaniel)
Decent quality video, good color and sound. Julia isn't one of my favorites though. [B+]

WICKED (3/29/06, Saycon Sengbloh, Megan Hilty, Derrick Williams, Carol Cane)
AMAZING quality! Great zooms, action is followed perfectly, sound is great. It's almost like watching a professionally filmed show. It includes credits, like as if it were a movie and a cute DVD menu. If you like Wicked or Megan/Saycon, this is a MUST HAVE. [A+]
ATT: Currently unable to burn this DVD for trade.

WICKED (5/28/06, Megan Hilty's LAST, Eden Espinosa, Derrick Williams)
Beautifully clear video. Action is followed perfectly, great zooms, sound is perfect. Megan is amazing as always in the role of Glinda, and it's an emotional last show. Definitely a great video to have. This show is two DVDs.[A]

FULL ONLINE VIDEOS

25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE (2/15/05, Original Off Broadway Cast)
Right after the title song, the camera is hidden for about two minutes. The audio is still there but video is lost (camera was most likely being hidden from an usher). There are head obstructions scattered through the video, sometimes getting in the way of main action for a few seconds. After each song the boot-legger claps so the video shakes a bit. Audio is very clear and this cast is amazing. You really appreciate the Cast Recording more after seeing it. When heads aren't in the way, there are nice close ups and action is followed nicely. [B]

AIDA (12/3/00, Original Broadway Cast)
Video is in pretty good condition but it does have a few moments when the video gets streaky. In the more soft spoken parts, it's a little hard to understand what is being said. The camera follows action pretty well, and there are some nice zooms. [B]

AIDA (12/12/01, Idina Menzel, Matt Bogart, Maya Days)
Minor generational loss is present. There are some good zooms, but also a few times the camera gets a bit shakey. Very few obstructions. The sound is good, but sometimes a little hard to hear during more soft spoken moments. DOES NOT CUT OFF like some of the other copies that are floating around. [B+]

AIDA (?/?/?, Jeremy Kushnier)
Okay video, seems like there is generational loss. Action is followed perfectly. Sound is pretty good, and there aren't any head obstructions. [B]

THE APPLE TREE (5/12/05, Kristin Chenoweth, Malcom Gets, Michael Cerveris, Daniel Marcus)
Beautiful quality. Clear picture, good zooms, action is followed nicely. Very minor obstruction, there is sometimes a wire that goes across the screen but it's thin and doesn't block any faces or anything, just a little annoyance. Kristin is amazing as always. [A]

ASSASINS (4/?/04, Michael Cerveris, Neil Patrick Harris, Kendra Kassebaum)
Pretty good video. Generational loss hangs out in the video but it's nothing overpowering. Minor washout on some wider shots, but it's got some good zooms. Action is followed perfectly, like the filmer has seen the show a few times. Sound is great. Cast is perfect. [B]

BARE (5/27/04, Closing Night)
Video is in 4 parts, and has pretty good quality. Action is followed and sound is clear. There are a few minor head obstructions here and there, but nothing that takes away from the performance. Cast is great and the show is one I wish would have stayed around for longer. It would get an A if the camera work was just a bit better. [B+]

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (11/18/01, Steve Blanchard, Michelle Mallardi, Christopher Seiber)
Throughout the video there tends to be this green tint that comes in and out of the picture. Other than that the video itself is fine. Action is followed perfectly, there are some really nice close ups. The camera takes about a minute to focus and get in the place in the beginning. Sound is the real only complaint, it's very low so you have to watch with the sound all the way up otherwise you won't hear it. Great cast. [B]

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (?/?/??, Susan Egan, James Barbour, Burke Moses)
Generational loss is definitely present in this video. Colors are a bit muted and it's not as clear as it should be. There is also some tracking problems with the video but nothing that hinders viewing. Video doesn't have any major close ups, but action is followed nicely and the video has some good mid-zooms. Fantastic performance from marvelous Miss Egan as Belle. [B]

BROOKLYN (Original Broadway Cast)
Pretty good quality video. Action is followed nicely, there are good close ups. Sometimes there is minor washout on the faces. Sound quality is very good. The filmer claps occasionally so there is a weird shakey camera effect, but it never gets in the way of the action of the show. This is a good boot to have if you're a fan of Eden. [B+]

CABARET (11/13/01, Raul Esparza, Gina Gershon)
Beautiful bootleg. Nice zooms and action is followed wonderfully. Barely any obstructions at all, I believe I only saw two during the whole show and they were minor. There are some washouts on wider shots but most of the show is filmed more zoomed in. Amazing performances from Raul and Gina. [B+]

CABARET (1/4/04, Adam Pascal, Susan Egan)
Sound/video quality is good. Action is followed but there are a few head obstructions in the process. There are some washouts on close ups, mostly with Adam due to make up, but overall the video is pretty good quality. [B+]

CHESS (Adam Pascal, Josh Groban, Raul Esparza)
Excellent quality as it was filmed for TV professionally. Performances are amazing, especially from Raul. [A+]

CHICAGO (9/18/02, Amy Spanger, Stephanie Pope, Michael C. Hall)
Decent quality video. Seems to have some generational loss. Action is followed wonderfully. On wider shots there is some washout action going on. Sound is good but there are a few times when it becomes garbled for a few seconds. Excellent performance from the wonderful Amy Spanger as Roxie. [B+]

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (1/31/05, Nobert Leo Butz, John Lithgow, Sherie Renee Scott)
Generational loss present, but nothing too major. There are some really excellent close ups. A few times in the video there are some minor washouts. Sound is great. There are a few cover ups, but only for a few seconds. Action is followed like whoever was filming had seen the show before a few times. [B+]

HAIR DRESS REHEARSAL (9/20/04, Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Shoshana Bean, Ana Gasteyer)
Awesome quality video. Clear images, follows action, sound is crystal clear. The whole cast is having a lot of fun during rehearsal and you can really tell. [B+/A]

HAIR CONCERT (9/20/04, Adam Pascal, Raul Esparza, Shoshana Bean, Ana Gasteyer)
Beautiful, pro-shot, and amazing performances. [A+]

HAIRSPRAY (11/03/02, Original Broadway Cast)
Video definitely suffers a bit of generational loss. In the beginning of the video there are tracking problems for the first few minutes. After that, it gets better. There are some nice close ups through out and action is followed like the filmer knew the show well. Minor washouts on wider shots. Performances are definitely fun to watch. [B]

HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (5/25/03, Anthony Rapp as Hedwig)
I know there are a few videos of this performance floating around with the audio and video not synced up, but the copy I have was fixed by a wonderful person for me and a few others. The video/audio are perfectly alined. The video itself is pretty awesome, and there are some great close ups. Anthony's performance is flawless. [B+]

INTO THE WOODS (4/18/02, Revival Cast, Vanessa Williams as the witch)
This video has awesome quality. The camera follows action and has nice zoom ins and outs, filmer seemed to know exactly what to film at exactly the right time. The video is clear as is the audio. Great quality for a bootleg. [A]

KARMINE ALERS (It Matters To Me music video)
Professional shot. Beautiful vocals from Karmine. Video also has Cary Shields in it. [A+]

THE LAST FIVE YEARS (4/5/02, Nobert Leo Butz, Sherie Rene Scott)
The video has minor generational loss but nothing that gets in the way of viewing the boot. There are great close ups and the action is followed nicely, sound quality is also pretty good. Nobert and Sherie are brilliant. There is also an extra performance from a news show on the end of the video. [B+]

LES MISERABLES (12/11/99, John Owen-Jones, John Stacey, Gunilla Backman, Jane Horn)
Generational loss present. That being said, there are some pretty nice close ups in this video. Sound is excellent. Action is followed nicely. It seems like it was filmed close to the stage so during some scenes there are some head obstructions, though nothing too major. [B]

LES MISERABLES (2/7/00, Ivan Rutherford, Steven Bishop, Joan Almedilla, Tim Howar, Sutton Foster)
Nicely filmed bootleg. A bit of generational loss present. Action is followed fantastically, and there are no obstructions throughout the show. There are some nice zooms as well. Sound is a little low, so it's one you'll have to watch with the volume turned up. Amazing performances all-round. [B+]

LESTAT (3/28/06, Hugh Panaro plus rest of the OBC)
Very good video and sound. Action is followed nicely, there are some great close ups, and there is good detail. Colors are vibrant. There are a lot of dark scenes in the show, but most of them come out great on the video. Sound is crystal clear. It's also awesome to see Hugh as a character other than the Phantom. [B+/A]

PASSION (8/23/03, Patti LuPone, Michael Cerveris, Audra MacDonald)
Professionally shot. AMAZING performances. Includes interview with Sondheim before the show, and interview with Patti, Michael and Audra after the show. [A+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (?/?/87, Michael Crawford, Patti Cohenour)
Not bad quality at all for the age of this boot. There are some nice zooms in the video. Colors are washed out moderately. Generational loss is definitely present. Sound is good. Performance from Michael is fantastic, especially in the end. Good quality for it's age. [C+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (4/?/88, Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Steve Barton)
For being a video from 1988, this bootleg is actually not that bad. It is obviously not as clear as bootlegs we are used to in more recent years but it's not bad. A bit of generational loss, in darker scenes there is some motion blur. Sound is clear, action is followed, and there are barely any obstructions. There aren't really any major zooms but there are a few mid-zooms. Clarity of video isn't fantastic, but I wouldn't say it's horrible either. Definitely a must have for Phantom OBC fans. [C+/B]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (?/?/89, Michael Crawford, Dale Kristien)
Generational loss is definitely apparent here. There are tracking problems during Notes/Prima Donna, but tracking doesn't seem to be a problem after that. Video is split into two parts, and is weirdly split in the middle of All I Ask of You instead of at the end of the first act. There are close ups, but the video is just so old that there isn't really any video of great quality. Sound is actually quite good though. If you can look past the generational loss and age of the video it's not too bad. It's definitely something to have if you're a Crawford fan. [C]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (?/?/99, Paul Stanley, Melissa Dye)
The video suffers from generational loss, and during the first act there are tracking problems. For the first few minutes it's intense, for the rest of the first act it's a light bar at the top of the screen. It doesn't get in the way of main action, it's just an annoyance. Sound is good. There are some good mid-zooms but nothing incredible. Stanley is definitely not the best phantom, but Melissa is pretty decent. [C+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (4/01/01, Howard McGillin, Adrienne McEwan, Jim Weitzer)
Auction scene is black until the overture starts. Other than that, this is a fantastic video. Steady camera work, beautiful close ups. There is slight washout on wider shots. Barely any obstructions, sound is great. It even captures the dark scenes nicely. Action is followed perfectly. Definitely a good video, espcially if you like Howard. [B+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (3/27/02, Howard McGillin, Elizabeth Southard, Michael Shawn Lewis)
Colors are very nice on this video. Camera work is a little shakey at points, and there are a few head obstructions throughout. There are some really beautiful zooms, but there are also random moments when the filmer decides to zoom far out. Action is followed nicely, but like I said a few heads get in the way here and there. Sound is good. [B]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (9/21/02, John Owen-Jones, Celia Graham)
Filmed from the side of the stage, video is of great quality though. Many nice close ups and follows action nicely. Right between All I Ask Of You and the Reprise, there is a weird jump and as a result a few seconds of the beginning of the Reprise is lost. The chandelier crash is cut off as well. Despite that flaw, everything else is perfect. Celia Graham is one of the few Christine's that I don't want to strangle when I hear her sing, and John is a great Phantom. [B+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (2/26/05, John Owen-Jones' LAST SHOW, Rachel Barrell)
Great quality video. There are some amazing close ups, colors are vibrant, sound is crystal clear. There are a few head obstructions, but nothing too major. It's shot from close to the stage, so details are incredible. A great last show from JOJ, I just wish that the speeches after curtain call were included. [B+]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (10/01/05, Hugh Panaro's LAST show, Sandra Joseph, Tim Martin Gleason)
Beautifully shot bootleg. There are a few minor head obstructions, but the filmer works their way around them everytime to keep the action viewable. Wonderful close ups, and sound is perfect. Hugh is the best Phantom hands down, and this performance is amazing. The video also includes Sandra's emotional speech after curtain call. [A]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (2/4/06, Earl Carpenter, Rachel Barrell)
The video quality on this is amazing, it's just a shame it's not the whole show. 66 minutes of highlights, Phantom/Christine centric. Sound is crystal clear, as is video. Very few head obstructions. Amazing close ups. Like I said, I just wish it was the whole show. [A]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (5/6/06, John Cudia, Sarah Lawrence, Jim Weitzer)
Another beautiful Phantom video. The quality on this one is awesome. Colors are vibrant, there are no wash outs, sound is perfect, and there are amazing close ups. All that, and Sarah Lawrence's voice is just beautiful. There are no obstructions. The only negative is that it starts at the beginning of Hannibal instead of at the auction, so you miss the first few minutes. Other than that everything is perfect. [A]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (07/01/06, John Cudia, Jennifer Hope Wills, Adam Monley)
Wow I don't know what it is about Phantom videos but these people really know how to shoot bootlegs. Another beautiful video. Clear picture, nice close ups, action is followed perfectly. Overall amazing performances. The only drawback is that it starts in the middle of Hannible, so the first few minutes are not included. Includes curtain call. [A]

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Thomas Borchert, Anne Goerner, Nikolaj Alexander Brucker)
This is seriously the most beautifully clear bootleg I have EVER seen. The colors are amazing, you can see every detail of the Phantom's make up after the un-masking. Even the dark scenes are beautifully captured. There are amazing zooms, action is followed perfectly. This is just amazing quality. It's also very awesome to hear and see Phantom being sung in another language as well (German). Great cast, great quality. This is definitely a must have for Phantom fans, or someone who is interested in foreign productions. [A+]

REEFER MADNESS (10/27/01, Christian Campbelle, Kristin Bell)
Generational loss. Action is followed awesomely but there are a few head obstructions. Picture isn't very clear. Sound is kind of muffled. Good to have if you are already into the film or stage show. [C+]

RENT (press reel)
Professionally shot performances of the songs from RENT. On top of original cast performances there are also clips from other casts as well. In the beginning there are a few news reports as well. Great quality. [A+]

RENT (4/29/96, opening night, Original Broadway Cast)
The video is nicely shot, follows action, has nice close ups. Keep in mind that the video is also ten years old so the overall clarity of it is good, and not great. During the second act there are some lines going through the video up until almost the end. There are great performances from the whole cast which I would say makes up for the generational loss of the video. [C+]

RENT (12/8/96, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp)
Okay video. There are no real close ups through the whole performance, and it's shot from far away. The camera tends to wander a lot, but that gets better in the second act. In act two the camera is pretty steady and has some mid-zooms. Performances are amazing, I just wish the quality was better. Grading is so low due to camera wandering and obstructions. [C+]

RENT (7/24/97, Marcy Harriell, Sherie Renee Scott, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp)
Considering the age of this video it's in good condition. There is definitely generational loss going on, and in the middle of act one, the audio and video go out of sync, but snap back in place for the rest of the show. There are wash outs, but also a few nice mid-close ups of the cast. It's interesting to see most of the OBC with other cast members. Sound is clear. Great performances from everyone, I just wish this had better quality. [C+]

RENT (10/01/98, Norbert Leo Butz, Matthew Murphy, Marcy Harriell, Gwen Stewart, Wilson Cruz)
The video quality itself is really good for the age of the video. There is slit generational loss, but the close ups are pretty amazing. There are some tracking problems throughout the show, but they are just little one second blips in the video. There are obstructions during action that is on the right of the stage but the other MAJOR obstructions are during the beginning of Out Tonight. The sound is clear. Norbert is awesome in the role of Roger. I hesitate to give the video such a low grading, but it's only due to obstructions/tracking, because like I said the close ups are awesome. [C+/B]

RENT (12/3/99, Peti Vann Der Velde, John Partridge, Alex Melchar)
Original German cast performing the show in English. Video quality is pretty great. There are a few minor washouts, but nothing too big. The camera follows action nicely. Not only is the sound/video great but the cast is phenominal! The Mimi is absolutely awesome, and you might recognize John Partridge from the professionally shot Cats video. [B+]

RENT (??/??/99-00, Peti Vann Der Velde, John Partridge, Alex Melchar)
German cast performing the show in German. There are some really beautiful shots in this one. Barely any obstructions, great close ups, action is followed perfectly. Sound is perfect. Very steady camera work. This cast is awesome, and it's fantastic to see RENT in another language. [B+]

RENT (3/15/00, Saycon Sengbloh, Cary Shields, Matt Caplan)
Video quality is decent. Dark scenes tend to get a bit blurry, camera follows action like a pro though. Sound is good. Seems to be a bit of generational loss present. Saycon is awesome, it cancels out the annoying Maureen. It's also great to see Caplan so young, he's amazing in this boot. [B]

RENT (1/20/01, Dominique Roy, Joshua Kobak, Curtis Cregan)
Generational loss is present in the video. There are no real zooms. It's a little dark but nothing is really going unseen. Sound is excellent. There are no head obstructions at all. Dominique is an amazing Mimi. There is also a bonus at the end of the video, ten extra minutes of WAY better shot moments from the show with the same cast. Includes a great Out Tonight by Dom, with amazing close ups. [C+/B]

RENT (8/14/01, Yassmin Alers, Manley Pope, Trey Elliot, Kendra Kassebaum)
Clear picture, action is followed, colors are vibrant. On wider shots there is some wash-out action, but not on closer shots. Sound is good, though a little low, it's fine if you just turn it up. There are some minor head obstructions but nothing major. Kendra is a great Maureen. [B]

RENT (2/15/02, Jay Wilkison, Kevin Spencer, Krystal L. Washington)
Not the greatest quality video, but not the worst either. Colors are a bit muted, generational loss is definitely present. The video seems to be shot from very close to the stage so there are a lot of head obstructions throughout, but when heads aren't in the way there are some pretty awesome close ups. Pretty good cast, Krystal looks so young. [B]

RENT (6/4/02, 5th Anniversary Show, Original Broadway Cast)
Good video quality, but better performances. This is not the whole show done in costume or anything like that. It's more of a concert, with the songs out of order. There are also a few other songs added in that were written by Jonathan Larson. The performances are amazing, especially from Daphne Rubin-Vega and Anthony Rapp. There are lots of cute moments between the cast members. [B+]

RENT (8/10/02, Joey Fatone, Manley Pope, Karmine Alers, Antonique Smith)
Beautiful video quality! Wonderfully clear picture, amazing close ups, action is followed wonderfully. Barely any head obstructions through the whole thing, I think I only caught one during I Should Tell You. Sound could be a bit better but it's nothing that takes away from the performances. I'm not a huge fan of Manley at all, but this is great to have if you like Karmine, Antonique, or Joey. [A]

RENT (8/11/03, Krystal Washington, Matt Caplan, Cary Shields)
Beautifully shot and performed show. Follows action, clear close ups, nearly no obstructions. The cast is great and fun. Pretty much a must have for any RENThead. [A]

RENT (10/19/03, Brian Gligor, Constantine Maroulis, Jaime Lee Kirchner)
The infamous video of Constantine with all the missing parts. Starts in Light My Candle and is missing various songs from the show. Jumps from Happy New Year B to Take Me Or Leave Me. The video quality is okay, washouts throughout except on close ups, action is followed, sound is good. [B]

RENT (3/30/04, Dominique Roy, Jeremy Kushnier, Joshua Kobak, Andy Senor)
Wonderful video quality! Beautiful close ups, and action is followed perfectly. Sound is crystal clear. Performances are amazing. Nothing really negative to say about this video except that the file size is huge, probably due to the amazing quality. For anyone interested this IS the video where Josh Kobak knocks over the projector in the Finale. [A]

RENT (5/11/04, Melanie Brown, Matt Caplan, Jeremy Kushnier, Merle Dandridge)
Video is of great quality! I can watch this one full screen on my lap top with no problems. Sound is also pretty good as well. Mel B's performance is less than stellar, but the rest of the cast is pretty awesome, especially if you're a Caplan or Dandridge fan. [A]

RENT (10/24/04, Drew Lachey, Jeremy Kushnier, Krystal Washington, Merle Dandridge)
Amazingly clear video. Great close ups, and even dark scenes are clear. Sound is great. Minor shakey camera work in the beginning, but nothing major and only lasts for a minute. Drew definitely isn't the best Mark, but he does give his all, and the rest of the cast is amazing. [A]

RENT (5/14/05, Karmine Alers, Matt Caplan, Cary Shields)
I love this cast to death, but unfortunately the video on this bootleg is not so great. It would be much better if there weren't so many head obstructions, and also the audio/video gets out of sync only to come back together to get back out of sync. The video also cuts off before the last 'no day but today', which call me weird but it bothers me. When heads aren't in the way the close ups are nice and action is followed. The grading is so low due to obstructions and audio/video problems. [C]

RENT (1/14/06, Antonique Smith, Will Chase, Matt Caplan, Ava Gaudet)
The video quality itself is awesome, but there are a lot of obstructions throughout the whole show. It's a shame because the cast is amazing. The action is followed pretty well, sound is very clear. Performances are amazing. This is a good video to have solely for Antonique. It would be an 'A' video if there weren't so many obstructions. [B]

RENT (4/9/06, Nina Metrick, Jed Resnik, Bryce Ryness)
Good video. Action is followed nicely, but there are a few cover ups. Other than that, it's really just a good recording. Sound is clear. The cast is okay. [B]

RENT (4/24/06, 10th Anniversary Show, Original Broadway Cast)
Amazing video/sound quality! Camera follows action nicely. This performance is more like the show than the 5th Anniversary. The songs are in order and many of the songs have their original choreography in them. Daphne even gets up on the bars for Out Tonight. Excellent and heartfelt performances. Includes Seasons Of Love at the end with all the different casts on the stage. [A]

RENT (5/04/06, Bryce Ryness, Ben Roseberry, Arianda Fernandez, Ano Okera)
Video quality could be better. There aren't many zooms, and when there are they are more like mid-zooms. The picture is clear, just no close ups. There are also cover ups and head obstructions through out. Sound is crystal clear. [C+/B]

RENT (8/05/06, Matt Caplan's LAST, Tim Howar, Antonique Smith, Haven Burton, Justin Johnston)
Amazing quality! During Rent, One Song Glory and Light My Candle, camera work is shakey with obstructions, but other than that this is fantastic. This is one of the clearest pictures I've ever seen, and it's a large picture size as well. Amazing performances during Matt's last. I'm in love with Antonique Smith so I sing her praises! The only drawback here is that it's not the whole show. What is included is as follows: Rent, One Song Glory, Light My Candle, Tango:Maureen, Another Day, La Vie Boheme, I Should Tell You, La Vie Boheme B, Without You, Contact, Eulogies, Halloween, Pre-Goodbye Love, Goodbye Love, What You Own, Your Eyes, Finale B and Finale Bow. WELL worth having for the quality and for Caplan fans. [A]

ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (9/9/01, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Alice Ripley)
Quality isn't too great on this one. There are lots of cover ups through out the whole show, where the whole picture is lost and sound gets muffled. When the camera isn't being covered the video is actually pretty decent. There are some nice close ups on the main singers, and action is followed pretty well. The video size is also pretty small. You can enlarge it but it quickly degrades the quality. Unfortunately I don't think that there are any excellent recordings of this show. [C+]

SPRING AWAKENING (2/10/07, Jonathan Groff, John Gallagher, Jr., Lea Michele, Skylar Astin, Lilli Cooper, Gideon Glick, Brian Johnson, Frances Mercanti-Anthony*, Phoebe Strole*, Krysta Rodriguez*, Stephen Spinella, Jonathan B. Wright, Remy Zaken)
First generation. Beautiful video! Occasionally a few heads at the bottom of the screen, but seriously doesn't bother the video at all. Great zooms, video and sound are both very clear. Great performances from Groff and Gallagher. [A]

SWEET CHARITY (5/4/05, Christina Applegate)
The video quality is great with very minor pixelation, but there are regular obstructions, and a few cover ups as well. Sound is clear. Christina turns in a surprisingly good performance. If it weren't for all the obstructions and cover ups this would be an 'A' video. [B]

SWEENEY TODD (8/15/05, Michael Cerveris, Patti LuPone,Manoel Felciano)
Great quality recording. Action is followed perfectly and there are amazing close ups. Color is perfect, as is the sound. No head obstructions at all. Just perfect. Patti and Michael are fantastic! [A]

SWEENEY TODD (4/2/06, Michael Cerveris, Patti LuPone, Manoel Felciano)
The first twelve minutes of the video are shakey and basically not even on the cast, but after that the camera work is awesome. The picture is so clear, it's really gorgeous quality. Action is followed nicely, in the beginning there are a few head obstructions. Nice zoom ins and zoom outs. Cast is amazing, sound is great. [B+]

SWEENEY TODD (9/3/06, Michael Cerveris, Patti LuPone, Manoel Felciano)
CLOSING NIGHT of the revival of Sweeney Todd. Amazing performances all around. Camera work is mostly steady, but there are a few shakes here and there. There aren't really any obstructions at all. Action is followed nicely. Zooms don't get overly tight on the face of the actor, but there are some nice close ups. Video is very clear, sound is good. There are some really nice moments between cast members. Includes curtain call speeches. This is a very rare video, so I'm asking for two videos or one rare video/one DVD in return. [B+]

TABOO (11/1/03, Raul Esparza, Euan Morton)
Filmer follows action well, and there are some really nice close ups. Video/audio are a fraction of a second off from one another, and you can only tell during close ups. There is some generational loss to the video as well. Morton is amazing, as is Raul. The video also includes some press stuff at the end including Euan and Georgie. [B]

TABOO (2/8/04, Raul Esparza, Euan Morton, George O'Dowd)
Closing night of the wonderful show. There are some awesome zooms in this video, but there is a bit of generation loss so it's not as clear as I'd like it to be. Performances and audience reaction are amazing. There are copies floating around with a/v out of whack but the audio and video are perfect in this one. [B+]

TARZAN (3/30/06, Josh Strickland, Jenn Gambatese, Merle Dandridge, Donna Keshawarz)
The video size is small but can be enlarged with no problems. The action is followed with ease, and the picture is clear. There aren't any close-on-face close ups but there are some really nice upper body zooms. Sound is crystal clear, and cast is amazing. Merle is great, and for this being Strickland's first broadway show he's just great. [B+]

Tick...Tick...BOOM! (9/18/01, Raul Esparza, Amy Spanger, Jerry Dixon)
Video quality is pretty good on this one. A few times the camera goes blurry for a second but nothing major. At points in the show there is a fraction of a second time delay but it seems to fix itself throughout as most of the time it's actually right in sync. Wonderful performance from Raul also is a plus. [B]

WICKED (10/12/03, Original Broadway Cast)
Nice video quality. There tends to be a bit of washout during close ups but nothing that takes away from the performances. Action is followed nicely. Great performances from Nobert Leo Butz and Chenoweth. [B+]

WICKED (7/18/04, Kristin Chenoweth's LAST, Idina Menzel, Norbert Leo Butz)
Great video. There are very awesome zooms, wider shots get a little dark but nothing that gets in the way of viewing. There are a few cover ups but nothing major. Action is followed nicely. Great performances from the whole cast. This is also great to have for all Queer As Folk fans, since Randy Harrison is Boq. Includes goodbye speeches after curtain call from Idina. [B+]

WICKED (10/20/04, Shoshana Bean, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Joey McIntyre)
Video definitely has generational loss. Washouts on faces during larger shots. For the first few songs sound is in an out with quality, sometimes good and sometimes great. Though after that sound is fine for the rest of the show. Not the best video quality but the cast is awesome. There are some head obstructions but nothing for too long or too major. Decent video. [B]

WICKED (1/9/05, Idina's 'last show', it's Shoshana Bean until the end)
Great video quality, action is followed nicely, and sound is crystal clear. At the beginning of Act Two, the video cuts out for about 3 minutes. It's a lightning storm instead of the show, but the sound is still there. To me this is nothing major, considering the amazing performance that is turned in by Shoshana Bean. This video includes goodbye speeches from the cast after curtain call. [B+]

WICKED (5/8/05, Stephanie J. Block, Kendra Kassebaum, Derrick Williams)
There are lots of cover ups, and camera wanders in this one. It's a shame cause it's a great cast and when the video is actually on the performers, the quality is great. Sound is crystal clear. There is a green line on the bottomof the screen; it doesn't get in the way of any action, it's just an annoyance. Kendra is an awesome Glinda. The grading is low due to obstructions and wandering camera angles. [B]

WICKED (7/01/05, Ana Gasteyer, Kate Reinders, Kristoffer Cusick)
Pretty good video quality on this one. The close ups are awesome, and action is followed well. Sound is also good. The only bad thing is that the filmer has a bit of a shakey hand sometimes. The first few minutes of video are very shakey and then it smoothes out for the rest of the show with occasional cover ups. Not the best performance from Reinders as Glinda, but Gasteyer is pretty awesome. [B+]

WICKED (8/17/05, Shoshana Bean, Megan Hilty, David Ayers)
Amazing quality. Definitely the best shot boot of Wicked out there. Picture is crystal clear, you can see every detail of make up, costumes, and set pieces. Amazing zooms! Sound is clear. The beginning has a bit of shakey camera work but after the few few moments it's beautiful. Shoshana and Megan are also fantastic in their roles. Overall just wonderful boot. [A]

WICKED (10/26/05, Kristy Cates, Sarah Jane Evermann, Kristoffer Cusick)
Very small video size, but can be enlarged with no real problems. Video quality is clear. Action is followed perfectly, sound is good, there are some really nice zooms. Cast is okay. [B]

WICKED (1/8/06, Shoshana Bean's LAST, Megan Hilty, Derrick Williams)
Video suffers a bit of generational loss, but nothing too major that takes away from the viewing. There are some minor washouts. Action is followed nicely, there are some great close ups. The best part of the whole video is the performaces. Shoshana is amazing, the best Elphaba to date. Video includes Megan's emotional speech after curtain call. [B+]

WICKED (?/?/?, Kristy Cates, Sarah Jane Everman, Kristoffer Cusick)
Pretty good video quality. Colors are vibrant, faces are clear, and sound is great. There aren't any major close ups in the show, but there are some nice mid-zooms. Action is followed beautifully. Camera work sometimes gets a little shakey but nothing too major. There are no problems with obstructions, or heads. Good video. [B]

WICKED (1/29/06, Eden Espinosa, Megan Hilty, Derrick Williams)
Okay video. There aren't any real zooms or close ups, but action is followed nicely. Faces are a bit washed out but nothing too major. Sound is great. Megan is amazing per usual. [B]

WICKED (3/14/06, Julia Murney, Megan Hilty, Sebastian Arcelus)
Video is decent quality but has a weird sort of look to it. It's not pixelated, but something similar. It's nothing too major but it sometimes breaks down the clarity of the video. The sound is great. Not such a fan of Julia, but Megan Hilty is hilarious. [B]

YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN (11/23/98 + 11/28/98, Anthony Rapp, Kristin Chenoweth, Roger Bart
Horrible quality. Washed out faced the whole time, barely focuses, shakey, obstructions out the wazoo. Really only worth having if you are a hardcore Rapp fan. [D+]

WANTED
Only DVDs. I'm not limited to these boots, they are just ones I'd really like:
COMPANY Revival cast with Raul Esparza, any performance.
LES MISERABLES the revival cast with Daphne Rubin-Vega.
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS Anthony Rapp or Joey Fatone as Seymour.
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Any of Hugh Panaro's shows that I don't have, especially his final matinee with Susan Owen.
RENT Any show I don't have, especially with Antonique Smith, and Karmine Alers.
SPRING AWAKENING ANY show that I don't have.
SWEENEY TODD ANY show of the revival cast that I don't have.
WICKED Any shows with Shoshana or Saycon that I don't have.

Also ANYTHING with the following performers: Raul Esparza, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Shoshana Bean, John Gallagher Jr, Patti LuPone, Antonique Smith.

doodie.

Love.

Friends Only.

Bootleg Mania