Sincerely Werk! said: "Laurens/Phillip is one of those roles that really depends on personal taste to determine if you enjoyed the performance. Ruben's Laurens is a lot less comedic than Fisher's or Medina's, but he is more ambitious and determined, which makes his death more heartbreaking.
Chapelle, while tall, can play the little kid of the show really well, it especially works when he's 19. He still gives off an immature vibe, but his height settles in well."
Oh yes I forgot Jose Ramos, I found him cute and good in the role but not especially a standout. Haven't seen Thayne, but I've heard not great things about it. Which is a pity, I love Thayne. Chapelle's height gets me too, especially when he's dying and can barely fit on the table.
To me, to be ideal in the role(s)
As Laurens, they need to have chemistry with Alexander and be reasonably equal, as they are friends/colleges/possibly more (That was my issue with Jose, he looked SO YOUNG next to Miguel it threw off the dynamic). I look for the fire and temper that Laurens was known for, some devil-may-care attitude of one who grew up very privileged (contrast to Alexander's near death experiences early in life and more precarious position) as well as a sense of doomed nobility about him. Laurens has to pull off the revelry of "my shot" and then slide into the seriousness of "The story of tonight." (One of my favourite moments is the contrast between Laurens' "Something they can never take away/no matter what they tell you" that is sung to the others and has the feeling of a activist speaking to a crowd, compared to Alexander's later "no matter what they tell you" sung as a quiet reminder to himself.
It's not an easy blend to hit, and Medina is the only one I've seen get all of it. He was the first Laurens I saw that made me say, yes, between him and Alexander he is the more tempestuous one. (though in terms of tempestuous, I'd put Chapelle's Lafayette at #1)
For Philip, it's the youth, brash confidence, and having good comedic timing without turning it into a farce. Take A Break is a funny scene, but when the actor tries to play it up I find it becomes LESS funny, not more. It's funnier if "this 9 year old character is being played by an adult man" is treated absolutely seriously. Then, the invincibility and hotheadedness that is so common in 19 year olds, the wiggles of doubt and uncertainty, and finally his death. I love a good death where the Philip can really play up how young he was, treating the lines as looking desperately for some reassurance from his parents. Just to twist the knife a bit deeper.
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