Rent in 1996 was one of the first rock operas to hit
Broadway. It chronicles an unforgettable and inspiring year of seven poverty struck artists in a NYC
Greenwich Village flat determined to follow their dreams (art for art’s sake)
but they can’t pay the rent. Being a practical
person, my first thought about this plot was “get a job, so you can pay the
rent” but, when I first experienced this
show, I became immersed in the
music. This rock opera emulates the power
to overcome adversity in the shadow of HIV/AIDS with diverse forms of love.
Reflection
Rent is on a 20th Anniversary Tour. I was surprised by its
popularity. Opening to a sold out
crowd, I talked to many people who had seen this show 4 or 5 times!
As an opera with non- stop music, Rent
humanizes those inflicted by disease (HIV/AIDS) and
humanizes all types of loving relationships. I think it withstood the test of
time because this show is really about our need for meaningful friendships and relationships.
I cried and laughed during Rent as I
rode the roller-coaster of life’s joys
and tribulations along with these artiest.
The show opened with the young
unconventional bohemians, who are squatters
in a NYC flat, defiantly singing, “We’re not going to pay this year’s rent…
last year’s rent” (Rent).
Mark (Sammy Ferber), an aspiring filmmaker, filmed the year in the life
of his friends and captured their struggles and dreams.
 |
| Light My Candle-Mimi and Rodger* |
Rodger (Logan Farine), a musician with a new HIV diagnoses, in the song One Song Glory struggled, “one song before I go- glory- one song to leave behind”.
Roger meets Mimi (Paola Hernandez) and an attraction emerged when she playfully
teased him during the song, Light My Candle. In the humorous song, Tango Maurine , we learned of a love triangle between Mark and performance artist, Maurine (Lyndie Moe), who
recently left Mark for
Joann (Jasmine Easler).
 |
| Maurine and Partner Joann* |
One of my favorite moments in the show was when Angel (Aaron Alcaraz) and Collins (Jarred Bedgood), a male
couple, expressed their tender affection in I'll Cover You. They
sang,“ Live in my house, I'll be your shelter, Just pay me back with
1000 kisses. Be my lover and I’ll cover you”.
 |
| I"ll Cover You-Angel and Collins |
With little dialogue and continual music in an opera, being able to discern the lyrics is paramount. At times the rock band in this production overpowered the vocals.
Still, the show pulsed with Mimi’s powerful Out Tonight and the company’s La Vie Boheme, and of course, Seasons of Love
In Seasons of Love, the
entire cast resonated that love is what really matters in our lives, singing: “ Five hundred twenty- five thousand
six hundred minutes- How do you measure, measure a year? In daylight? In
Sunset? In midnight? In cups of coffee? In Inches? In miles? In Laughter? In Strife?...How about
love? Measure in Love”.
In Rent, even though HIV disease is the thread
woven through these relationships, we
experienced the beautiful tapestry of
their lives as they lived for today (Your Eyes/Finale). With AZT there was new hope for living, “not dying from
disease” and “at the end of the millennium [they’re] you’re
not alone”.
The musical Rent is a
compelling reminder that what matters in
this world is the love that is given to you and the love that you give!
(Rent runs from March 27 to April 1,
2018 at Heinz Hall. For tickets go to TrustArts.org. Also don't miss the 2018-19 PNC Broadway in Pittsburgh season which was just announced here)
*photos are of the Broadway cast
Spiritual Reflection
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for
love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone
who does not love does not know God-For God is love.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his only son
into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. (1 John 4:7-9)