Happy MT Monday, friends!
As much as I enjoy jumping into the deep end of obscure musical theatre, I am, to use the parlance of “the kids”, a basic bitch when it comes to RENT.
Listen. I’m pretty sure that it’s a right of passage for every theatre kid belt out Seasons of Love at the top of their lungs. It’s such an iconic thing for theatre kids, that it’s literally the end of my first novel, the image of comfort and familiarity and warmth that I wanted to leave my readers with, to let them know that this main character, who’s been through hell, will be okay.
The dark screen cuts to a dark stage, the barest hint of a spotlight framing each of the actors, standing in a line. The lights rise.
I’m not surprised when Cass and Jenna start singing the now familiar words. “Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes. . .” I’m not surprised to hear Char’s voice, either.
What surprises me is how natural the words feel.
“Five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear.”
How easy it is for me to sing along.
THE END.
Most people are at least vaguely familiar with the story of RENT’s creator, Jonathan Larson, who died in January 1996, 10 days before his 36th birthday, on the night of RENT’s first Off-Broadway preview performance.
Dying so young, and before the wide-spread advent of cell phones with cameras and the ability to record video, there are relatively few recordings of him performing. Most of the extant ones that I could find were of songs from Tick, Tick, BOOM! — a great musical in its own right, that just had a film adaptation on Netflix, but I wanted to talk about RENT.
So here’s Jonathan, singing One Song Glory from RENT.
Later today, the local community theatre will be holding auditions for RENT. Which was surprising, to say the least.
I currently live in rural Western Pennsylvania. The heart of Trump country. The closest thing that this city has to multiculturalism is a Taco Bell. The kind of place that isn’t necessarily safe for queer and gender-nonconforming kids; the kind of place where Pride isn’t really a thing.
My first reaction to the news was a kind of astonished horror: oh my God, these straight, white Republicans are putting on RENT and it’s going to be a trainwreck.
I’m not necessarily proud of my first reaction, but it’s honestly what I thought.
The more I processed it, the more proud I am of this company. I don’t know that it’s necessarily going to go well, but it takes a certain kind of bravery to put on something as progressive (or hell, as non-regressive) as RENT in a city like this.
I remember when my theatrical mentor Ed discussed putting on The Laramie Project, how he has protesters outside the theatre. That was in California, mind you.
There’s a part of me that thinks the Warren Players will probably see protestors, too. Or, at least, a lot of uncomfortable conservatives that will demand won’t someone think of the children!
And so, thinking of the children of Warren, I have to say, I’m excited for RENT. If I was in a better physical shape, you’d better believe that I’d be down there auditioning. But for now, I’m content to cheer from the wings.
Time flies
Time dies
Glory
One blaze of glory
One blaze of glory
Glory
Okay, Zach, i admit I paid $40 for the soundtrack of RENT based on Seasons of Love, but then the rest of it made its way into my heart as well. I'd forgotten how much of its success Jonathan missed. so sad. but what a gift he gave us!!!
Loving RENT gave also made La Boheme accessible. One time when I was taking care of my opera loving brother in law recovering at MD Anderson in Houston in 2012, I went to the local Target to get the RENT DVD. Might have been befor Netfix and streaming. I had to get down on the floor and look UNDER the rack but I found their only copy. And we watched it togehter, he rather conversative, and Opera being his thing, not rock. He was favorably impressed. Said they got every beat right Needliess to say, we lit his candle that night! He went on to full recvoery and remisison from bone marrow cancer. Thanks for this mement with Jonathan!!!