RENT

No, not the kind you pay. The kind you see on Broadway.

A few weekends ago, I went to see a Saturday evening presentation of RENT with a former colleague at Caramoor, Amelia. Of course, being me, there's a story about WHY.

Once upon a time, an old ogre named Auntie Nettie worked in a castle called Caramoor. She toiled and labored, and much time passed. After the tenth year of her labors, along came a young, dewey-eyed college graduate named Princess Amelia -- who then spent the next 12 month calling the old ogre "Dude" until the ogre couldn't take it anymore and chucked things at the princess's pretty little head. During this time of turmoil, a musical called RENT was being made into a cinematic presentation and Amelia decided that she MUST listen to the original Broadway soundtrack in the ogre's office ALL THE DAMN TIME.

Flash forward more than a year: The ogre left the castle (for lots of reasons) and was transformed back into semi-human form. Princess Amelia continued to call the residents of Caramoorland "dude," to drive likest an old woman, and to listen to the RENT soundtrack and to cry for 525,600 minutes.

Suddenly, horrible news flashed across the land. The Broadway production of RENT was to end. Weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth abounded, as many a RENT fan had still not seen the production. Being among this group of slackers, the former ogre and Princess Amelia banded together with other fans and bought tickets to the show.

This then be the photographic tale of fair Amelia and the former ogre's journey to RENT, as much as they could show you before theater management wouldst intervene and actest to abscond with the various photographic equipments.

Amelia: Wait, what is this show about?

Pay RENT here

The Marquee

Current cast: including an American Idol contestant and a soap opera player or two The set

The merry travellers: Introducing Lindsey and her brother!

The land of Times Square -- late in the even

Chrysler Building from the vicinity of Broadway

We did NOT take this Subway back to the train stationWhilst it was good to be with friends, old and new, for this evening of song and dance, the production itself was not all that I had hoped for. It felt rushed to me. The audio was too loud, the mix was bad. What's worse, I just didn't "connect" to the production. I wanted to be, but it left me cold. (In speaking with some current associates who also just saw the production, apparently it wasn't just me. They had the same impressions.)

I actually was more moved by the movie, especially with Jesse L. Martin (who knew that the dude on L&O could sing!?), and by the tales of the original Mark Cohen, Anthony Rapp. I recommend you read his biography, Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. (Though it does have some references to "adult" content, the story of love and loss gets you right in the heart.)

RIP: Jonathan Larson -- Gone too soon.

The end.