An End to an Era

DVD Cover
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In 2008, Rent performed one last time in the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway. This would be the last time the Tony-winning musical would be shown on Broadway. So naturally, it was only fitting for @Radical.Media to film this historic onstage moment for people to see in years to come. 

They open the show to Roger and Mark in their loft on December 24th. And as Adam Kantor begins to sing for his character Mark, the audience cheer in thrill and excitement. 

The stage show is much different to the Movie in many ways, they use just a few set pieces, lighting, and props to change the setting in a way that you can’t even tell every set piece is the same. 

The raw emotion that is on that stage while they are performing captivates you as I am sure it captivates the audience. Any mishap that occurs on stage is for the public to see, there is no stopping the show. This makes it the experience of watching it from this type of view that much sweeter. 

As the show goes on, you see the actors continuing to embrace their roles and accepting what they are doing. Roger is just as emotionally distant as always, if not more so, and Maureen is even zanier. It is awesome to see a different adaptation of these characters that people are used to seeing with the Original Broadway Cast. 

Even when the cast breaks into “La Vie Boheme”, you can feel their excitement and their need to make this the greatest show they have ever done, especially since it is the last. 

Seasons of Love
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When Act 2 kicks in, people who have heard the song “Seasons of Love” remember the memorable lyrics telling the audience not dwell on what could have been, but to focus on what is and who is around you. To be surrounded by love.

“525,600 minutes
525,000 moments so dear
525,600 minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
…
How about love?
How about love?
How about love?
Measure in love
Seasons of love

Act 2 starts on a high but quickly goes downhill. Couples are fighting, people are breaking each other's hearts, and Angel is dying.

In Angel’s last song, “Contact”, even though the raunchy background, you see Angel, who is ready for the suffering to end, even if it means leaving the people he/she loves.

“Take me
Take me
Ohhh
Take me
Take me
Ohhh
Today for you 
Tomorrow for me
Today me
Tomorrow you
Tomorrow you.”

I'll Cover You (Reprise)
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You hear Collins sing the reprise of their love song, “I’ll Cover You” and see the tears welling up in Michael McElroy’s (the actor who plays Collins) eyes as he sings his goodbye to his lover.

You hear the pain in Mimi’s (Renee Elise Goldsberry) voice as she says goodbye to her love Roger and accepts the fact that she needs to get through her drug addiction.

But nothing is more impactful than the final song “Finale B” where they send their message to the audience and Angel (Justin Johnston) comes out one last time to say goodbye.

But the final production on Broadway can’t end like that. It has to end with a bang and it sure did. You see Rent alumni, such as Anthony Rapp, Jesse Martin, Daphne Rubin-Vega and many others come out on stage with the rest of the cast and sing Seasons of Love one last time. 

That show marked the end of an era. It’s time for other places to take the wheel and keep this how alive. Keep spreading the message throughout this whole production, no matter what version you do. 

“No day but today.”

Kamen, Jon (Producer), & Warren, Michael John (Director). (2008). Rent: Filmed Live On Broadway [Motion Picture]. United States: RadicalMedia

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