Why I Love Live Filmed Musicals

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I love live filmed musicals. I'm talking recorded musicals on stage in front of a live audience. When I get into a musical, I will always look on Amazon to see if there is a stage recording of it. But why do I, and many other theatre kids alike, enjoy live stage recordings so much? Well, today, I will answer that question for you as best as I can from my own perspective.

Sometimes you don't have access to live theatre

Bear with me while I try to explain this. Some people are unable to go see a show live because of where they live and also how much some shows cost. Plus, if you are like me, sometimes you go to see a show that was magnificent and you want to see it again, but you are unable to due to cost and show dates. With live stage recording, you can watch live theatre in the comfort of your own home. Plus, it is performed by professional actors which makes the experience that much more special.

You get to experience the show in its purest form

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The problem with theatrical productions being turned into movies is that directors and producers go in and mess with the production. They will cut songs and plot points and add in their own scenes. Live stage recordings give you the experience of seeing the show you love untampered and how it was meant to be performed. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing movie musicals, but there is a difference between watching a movie versus an actual live performance.

Seeing your favorite actors in your favorite shows

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There are many shows where you wish you could see certain actors who were in those roles. With live stage recordings, you can. Through these recordings, I was able to see the original cast of Shrek the Musical, Jeremy Jordon as Jack Kelly in Newsies, and Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo in The Phantom of the Opera. It gives so many people the opportunity to experience these talented actors in these roles, even if they can't see them live.


There are many reasons that people love buying and watching live filmed musicals, these are just a few of my reasons why I love them. And even though I have been able to see these performances on DVD, I do still want to see them live on stage because I truly believe that nothing can beat the experience of watching live theatre. But for now, until I can see these shows live, I will continue to watch my live stage recordings and experience the thrill of these amazing shows performed how they are meant to be performed.



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Final Rent Inquiry Blog: Twenty Years Later

Michael Gioia, a writer for Playbill, interviews the original cast of Rent about their auditions for the show, stories from off stage, and Johnathan Larson, the creator of the hit musical who passed away from an aortic aneurysm just after previews had started for Rent off-broadway. But Gioia didn’t just interview them for fun. April 29, 2016 was the date of the twentieth anniversary of Rent opening on Broadway.

Anthony Rapp
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Anthony Rapp (Mark) felt that after the tragic death of Johnathan Larson, there was always something at the center of every cast photoshoot and every stage performance. That something was Larson. Rapp also felt that they (or at the very least he) needed to share Johnathan’s story.

Adam Pascal
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Adam Pascal, who originated the role of Roger off-broadway,
mentioned that the cast became a family. He was never alone when he sat in the Nederlander Theatre and since this was his first ever show, he basked in the excitement of sitting in a theatre with no show going on onstage.

Wilson Heredia

Wilson Heredia (Angel) described the feeling of being on stage the night after the Tony Awards and receiving a standing ovation before the show even started. “I felt very proud for us....” He even made short mention of his wig falling off one time during “La Vie Boheme”.

Daphne Rubin-Vega
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Daphne Rubin-Vega (Mimi) remembers being in the hall waiting to audition
and standing by the door listening to Anthony Rapp audition with “Losing My Religion”. She remembers the cast and herself also hanging out before and after shows, having so much energy and fun. They would even walk around telling people to go see Rent.

With so many cast and crew apart of this production now twenty-one years ago, it is so easy to see the impact this show had on them. They carry the memories of this show, the good and the bad with them forever and Gioia captures this perfectly in his article.

Gioia, Michael. (2016). 20 Years Later, Rent cast Remember Auditions, Memories, and Mishaps. Retrieved from http://www.playbill.com/article/20-years-later-rent-cast-remember-auditions-memories-and-mishaps



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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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June Musical of the Month (2018): Bare: A Pop Opera

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As many of you know, part of the reason I started doing my "Musical of the Month" series was to introduce me to new musicals. Well, this month is a little different because I was introduced to this musical a little over a year ago. I have a review on it as well if you want to check it out. One of my good friends was in a production of it last year so this is not new to me. What is new is the fact that it took me a year to actually add Bare: A Pop Opera into my musical rotation on Spotify. That is why I have made Bare my June Musical of the Month

Over this last month, I have been listening to Bare: A Pop Opera quite a bit and it was almost like listening to it for the first time. I had forgotten how beautifully sad this show is. I went with my mom to work to help with filing in early June and decided to listen to it whilst I was working. I got to the end, reliving the masterpiece I had seen in 2017, and my eyes started watering.

Jonah Platt as Jason
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Bare is about two gay men, Peter and Jason, struggling to come to terms with their sexuality whilst in a Catholic boarding school in the 90's. The show is just as relevant today as it was over 20 years ago. It is filled with love and heartbreak and everything good and ugly in a relationship.

The music truly helps to convey the message to the audience that love is love and to be proud of who you are. It makes you understand what these men are going through and what they both truly want deep down; acceptance.

The score incorporates the classic sound of pop music while adding a musical theatre twist with some ballads as well. Each song portrays the characters emotions so vividly throughout the show. Joy, angst, tension, anger, sadness, betrayal, content, and confusion are all displayed throughout the show in either the characters words or songs, making it a classic and under-rated musical.

This show has a plethora of amazing characters with their own personal struggles, but these are my personal favorites (in no particular order):

Payson Lewis as Peter
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• Peter: He is in a secret relationship with Jason, but desperately wants to come out to his friends and family. He has fully accepted who he is but is still daunted by the prospect that coming out would change everything.
• Jason: He is in a secret relationship with Peter and wants to keep it that was fearing of what the world will think of him if he decides not to pretend that he is straight.
• Ivy: She is considered "perfect". She's in love with Jason but learns the consequences of her choices.

Favorite songs (in no particular order):

Lindsay Pearce as Ivy
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• "You & I"
• "Role of a Lifetime"
• "Best Kept Secret"
• "911! Emergency!"
• "One"
• "God Don't Make No Trash"
• "All Grown Up"
• "Bare"

If you get the chance, go and listen to this musical. It is one of those shows that will remind you how beautiful life and love is. Plus, it has an amazing and powerful story behind everything.

"Best Kept Secret"
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Musicals and Grief

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In an article written in 2012 for Globe and Mail, Kelly Nestruck explains how Rent helped Anthony Rapp deal with the death of his mother. As illustrated in the Article, Rapp had written a book called Without You and turned it into a one-man musical where he not only describes being apart of the hit musical but also how it affected his life and helped Rapp during a difficult time in his life. 

Nestruck explains how the book shows how Mark and Rapp are similar, but more importantly, how they are different. She describes how Rapp would leave his role with his understudy whenever needed because, unlike Mark, Anthony loved his mother and would rush to her bedside when she needed him most. 

She says at the end of the article, quote, “...even I, a Rent skeptic, was left moved by Without You and with a greater appreciation for Larson and his musical message of living for the now.”

From this Article, it shows me how even someone who isn’t a big fan of the musical, can appreciate the impact it has had on the actors, especially Anthony Rapp. 

Nestruck, J. Kelly. (2012). Rent Control: How a Hit Musical Helped a Son to Grieve. Retrieved from http://ic.galegroup.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/ic/ovic/NewsDetailsPage/NewsDetailsWindow?disableHighlighting=false&displayGroupName=News&currPage=&scanId=&query=&docIndex=&source=&prodId=OVIC&search_within_results=&p=OVIC&mode=view&catId=&u=asuniv&limiter=&display-query=&displayGroups=&contentModules=&action=e&sortBy=&documentId=GALE%7CA312322973&windowstate=normal&activityType=BasicSearch&failOverType=&commentary=

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The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary Performance Review: Live Stage Recording

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Andrew Lloyd-Webber created a masterpiece that made its way to Broadway thirty years ago this year. That masterpiece is The Phantom of the Opera. A musical about a disfigured man who hides in the Paris Opera House and falls in love with a ballerina named Christine. It follows the Phantom in his pursuit to make Christine fall in love with him even when he is met with fear and hostility. The music adds so much depth to a compelling plot that when performed on stage create a piece of art that you will only see in The Phantom of the Opera.

Christine and the Phantom
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The performance I watched was a live stage recording of the 25th-anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall. The portrayal of this musical was done so elegantly on stage. The costumes clearly express the time period this show is based in. There is Christine’s dress in Act Two, a beautiful deep blue color with white and gold accents and white bell sleeves tell us this musical is set in the 1800’s (including the big puff of fabric on her rear end). Even the blue hooded cape she wears shows us when this takes place. There are also the men’s suits. Though many seem like they are in a similar style to what men where today, you can’t deny that coattails on some of the suits seem very outdated for the modern era. Even the costumes worn by the opera house actors seemed very much for that time period, including the costume worn in their production of Hannibal had the women wearing brightly colored laced-up corsets and skirts that accentuate women’s breasts the way corsets do.

You may think that The Phantom of the Opera would not have the most extreme makeup you have ever seen. It is true that many of the actors, even the men, are wearing foundation, blush, eyeliner, and lip color. But the true work of art is what the makeup team do to make half of the Phantom’s face

The Phantom
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look disfigured and in a sense, hideous. That is right, we see what the Phantom looks like under his mask. At the end of the show, when Christine rips off his mask and wig, we see the disfigurement that makes him seem like a monster. The prosthetic that is applied to his head and bald cap shows an opening in the skin that seems to show a part of his skull and a bit of his brain as well. You see the muscles just below his cheekbone where skins might have tried to appear, but at last, gave a scar-like effect. His lips are a distortion that does not come as a shock to many because it is the only thing we can see behind his mask. A prosthetic has been added to make his lips look unnaturally big and I really wonder how he was able to kiss Christine with those without it accidentally coming off. I’m guessing it was stuck down with spirit gum which can only be removed with it’s matching remover. And finally, there are the gray wisps of his balding head that would deceive many if you didn’t know that a bald cap was applied underneath.

Masquerade
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The set helps to transport us to a time where the Phantom is. The opera house stage that is made by the set pieces of what show they are performing (Opera-seption!). This is including the giant chandelier (which sparks to demonstrate its destruction at the end of Act One) that is the focal point of the Paris Opera House.  Laura Pledger at Radio Times tells us that “...I was sitting underneath it when the firecrackers went off at the interval and I can tell you, those smouldering remnants were hot.” (Link to article here). The Phantom’s lair can be demonstrated by walking down the rafters which lead to a boat on wheels hidden off stage. The boat floats across a lake, demonstrated by fog across the stage. From there, you enter his lair, which includes a candelabra, an organ, and his throne-like chair. There is no set left to the imagination in this show, which is something to be admired.

The props also help us to know what is going on. The props of the hanging men show how far the

Phantom without his mask
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Phantom will go in order to get his way. The ring that the Phantom forces on Christine’s finger, the mask the Phantom wears to cover his distortions, they all help move the show along. But what tied everything together was the script. An opera is a show that has very little to no talking within the entire show. The majority of the dialogue is portrayed through song. Many may think that it is something that would turn them off of the show since lyrics can sometimes get lost in the music but it is done so well that you are able to understand what is going on and understand the severity of what the Phantom is doing.

The music helps to transport us to the show you are seeing. The instruments tell us the mood of this point in the show. “The Phantom of the Opera” song uses instrumentals to display the curiosity of

Raoul and Christine
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Christine and the eagerness of the Phantom in their “strange duet”. “Masquerade” displays their joy of going an entire six months without any interference with the Phantom. And “Wishing You Were Here” shows us Christine’s heart when she wishes her father were here so that he would have never sent her the Angel of Music (A.K.A. the Phantom). These songs are all accompanied by the lyrics of each song which tells us what is going on during those moments in the show. The music helps us to understand differently than when the words are spoken. It creates a different kind of clarity that you would not know if it were just spoken word. The emotion is presented in a different way to when things are presented in spoken tongue. The Phantom’s menacing threats, Raoul's love for Christine, Christine’s fear of the Phantom.

The music helps to create a plot that moves the audience, and the actors bring this plot-through-song

Point of No Return
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to life. The storyline displays some humor, but mostly drama. Sierra Boggess uses her beautiful opera voice to let us know of the different emotions the script is presenting. Ramin Karimloo portrays the Phantom’s storyline in a way that I think would make Lloyd-Webber very proud. He displayed his hatred for the world that shunned him but also his love for the young singer, Christine. Hadley Fraser perfectly used the script to portray Raoul’s hatred and anger toward the Phantom, but also his love for Christine which she shares for him.  The way the actors portray the characters and give light to what goes on during the show is perfect. They express so seamlessly the trouble the Phantom is causing and how the script intends for them to feel about the trouble.

All in all, this show is one of Lloyd-Webber’s works of art and if you have the opportunity, I would recommend seeing this show. It is performed beautifully on stage, has a compelling score, and creates a story that resonates with the freak in all of us. Make your way to experience The Phantom of the Opera. You won’t regret it.




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What my favorite LGBTQ+ Shows Taught Me: Rent and Bare

Happy Pride Month!!!!!! For Pride Month, I wanted to do a special post because not only are there so many amazing shows out there about the LGBTQ+ community, but the theatre community is the most supportive and accepting group of people out there. I have many friends that have come out to me over the last few years and you have no idea how happy I am for them.

For this post, I wanted to look at two of my favorite LGBTQ+ shows and talk about what they have taught me. I chose Rent and Bare: A Pop Opera because they both hold a special place in my heart and I wanted to share that with you all.

Rent

I first listened to Rent when I was a senior in high school and it was actually my first Musical of the Month ever. It has since become my favorite show of all time and I even did an inquiry blog on it for my ENG 101 class. I have been posting those to this blog, but I want to tell you guys that through my research for this project, I gained a deeper appreciation for the show and everyone who has been apart of it. I also was able to take a closer look and find some of the meanings that I think are so important in this show.

• "No day but today"- It is not just a line that is mentioned time and time again through the show, it is the biggest meaning behind Rent. It reminds us that life is short and precious. The character in this show had no guarantee that they would be around to see tomorrow. That is why you do everything that you want to do at that moment and never regret it because you may never get the chance to do it again.
• Be true to who you are- When thinking of Rent, I am reminded of a line spoken at Angel's funeral. "I am more of a man than you'll ever be, and more of a woman than you'll ever get." Angel didn't care what people thought about her. She knew who she was and she was true to herself no matter what. It inspires us the be true to ourselves and not to change for anyone. 

Bare: A Pop Opera

I first saw Bare a year ago this month (Review Here). I can honestly say that is was the most moving production I have ever seen. It has such a powerful message that resonates with everyone. Recently, I have started listening to it and I almost start crying whilst listening to it. Just remembering how beautiful the show and remembering where I was a year ago watching it.

• The world has a place for everyone- In the show, Jason tells Peter that the world could have a place for them, but he does not believe that it was the right time to come out with all of the prejudice in the world. By the end of the show, Jason still doesn't believe it and doesn't get the chance to see the world change. But luckily, through Peter, we get to see that he believes that there are people who will accept him for who he loves. His classmates learn not to judge him for being gay and fully accept him. It is something we all must know. There is a place for everyone, no matter what.
• Don't be afraid of who you are- This show has several characters who are afraid and/or uncomfortable with who they are. The show reminds us that there is nothing to be afraid of and that though life has its rough patches, they will subside and you will be stronger because of it.
• "God Don't Make No Trash"- This not only is one of my favorite songs from the show, it also has a meaning to it that I truly believe. Sister Chantelle sings this song and she is telling Peter that she knows that he's gay and that she and God both have his back. I do truly believe that we are all put on this earth for a reason and that no one is a mistake. It doesn't matter what your race, ethnicity, gender, or sexuality is, you are here because you were meant to be here. 

Both

• It doesn't matter who you love; it matters who you are- Both shows have characters who are being accepted for who they are because that is all that matters. As I've said, it doesn't matter what you look like or who you love, what matters is who you are and there will always be someone out there who will love you no matter what.

Shows like these remind us of what life is about. It is about accepting, loving, and most importantly, living. I hope everyone has a great rest of pride month. See you guys on Monday.

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"Without You"

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In 2006, Anthony Rapp came out with his first ever novel titled Without You: a Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. Rapp starts the book by remembering the day he auditioned for a workshop for the musical Rent. He mentioned that he was running late that day due to being at a Memorial Service for his Bill. He described the feeling of being late for his audition and rushing to the New York Theatre Workshop on his roller-skates. “...glanced at my watch: no way was I going to be on time for my audition...I raced to get my shoes off and my skates and helmet of, and launched myself into traffic, my skates gliding and buzzing, my arms pumping, my breath quickening, my skin relishing the balmy autumnal breeze that flowed around me.” When he got to his audition, he went in, gave his music to the pianist, Tim (who directed the band for the workshop, off-broadway, and broadway performances of Rent), and went to center stage to perform his audition piece. And while he sang R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion”, he felt right where he belonged. “I loved

Song Rapp sang for his audition
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the way the song felt in my voice, right in the pocket, so I wasn’t straining to hit any notes; I was just soaring on the melody and pouring myself into it...as I sang, my arms splayed out to my sides, my chest full.” Once he was finished with his audition, the director, Michael Greif, introduced him to Jonathan Larson, who created Rent, and immediately gave him a tape of a song from the musical to perform for his callback. Rapp was thrilled and began memorizing the song. He came back to the theatre a few days later and sang the song for them twice. The next day, he got the role. This was the day that marked a change in Anthony’s life. He worked and performed the show for four weeks and met Daphne Rubin-Vega who also reprised her role as Mimi Marquez when Rent performed off-broadway which ended up being sent to the Nederlander Theatre on Broadway. 

The beginning of Rent was the beginning of a new era for Anthony Rapp, not only with his career, but also in his personal life. In his memoir, he goes into depth about his mother’s impending illness (a tumor that she named Wild Bill), his relationship with his then boyfriend Todd, Jonathan Larson’s sudden death, and performing Rent. 

Through the years that he cover in his book, the emotion undeniably there. When Larson asked Rapp to reprise his role as Mark Cohen, there was no doubt in his mind when he says yes. Rapp constantly mentioned how much he loved this role and how grateful he was to have the chance to play Mark more than once. His only regret was not being able to say thank you to the person who gave him these opportunities, Jonathan Larson. Jonathan and Anthony had formed a friendship over the year from when they first met. Anthony even invited Jonathan to his birthday party. 

Larson had passed away on January 25, 1996 from an aortic aneurysm, which, if it had been diagnosed properly to begin with, could have been treated and could have saved his life. Rapp described that day wholeheartedly. He described how he felt so empty and was unable to cry until he made it to the theatre, where he saw Daphne. “...we both rushed into each other’s arms, and that’s when at last I started to cry, pressing Daphne to me… It was as if I’d been waiting for her embrace to allow me to unleash my sadness…” Everyone was sad and angry about his death. 

That day, they decided to have a closed theatre of just Jonathan’s family and friend as the cast just sang the songs he had written, realizing how oddly perfect they fit the situation.

Rapp's Family
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Rapp’s mother’s illness took a huge toll on him and it eventually lead to him getting very angry all the time. He was having constant fights with his then boyfriend Todd about they way Anthony had been acting and treating their relationship and it got even worse after Rapp’s mother eventually passed away. With the way he bottled everything up inside of himself, Rapp one day, just before a showing of Rent on Jesse Martin’s (Tom Collins) last performance, got in a heated argument with Todd which lead to him storming off and Rapp, consumed with grief and not wanting their relationship to end, exploded in anger and sadness. He describes how he kept hitting him which seemed more out of sadness than in anger. Jesse and Norbert [Adam Pascal’s (Roger) understudy] eventually got Rapp away from Todd. The stage manager, Adam, and Jesse helped him through that brief moment of insanity and got him back on his feet. Him and Todd made up and Rapp started going to counseling in order to help him deal with everything that was going on in his life. 

The way the book was written gave the reader not only insight into his life during that time,  but also into his past. For example, he talked about coming to terms with his sexuality in a way that helped us also understand the conflict that he and his mom had previously had about it. It also gave us context to when, many months before her death, she told her son that she accepted him for who he was and that it was okay to talk to her about relationships he was in.

What You Own
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At the end of the book, Rapp summarized his life from when he took his last bow to when he finished writing his memoir. He and Todd had broken up, but were on good terms, and he was in a relationship with a man named Rodney, and that they were talking about adopting. He reprised his role at West End with Adam Pascal, Jesse Martin, and Wilson Jeramine Heredia (Angel). And overall his life was good, even if the loss of his mom still haunted him so many years later.

But the finale didn’t end there. He described the day he filmed the scene where he was walking in the street, singing “What You Own” (a song Jonathan Larson had added into the musical after the workshop. He had written the song specifically for Anthony). This was Rapp’s favorite song of the whole show and he was so thrilled to be able to reprise his role of Mark Cohen once again, but this time, it was for the whole world to see in theatres.

Rapp, Anthony. (2006). Without You: A Memior of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Paperbacks.

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An Adaptation of a Classic

Movie Poster
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In 2005, Rent became not only a stage production but a film production. Director Chris Columbus started the movie with all of the main characters on a theatre stage singing the shows iconic song “Seasons of Love” to an empty auditorium. This really helped to set up what the audience was about to watch and give an almost celebratory feel that is constantly present in the rest of the film, whether it be celebrating someone’s life, or celebrating an engagement.

The film takes off with a clip of the streets of New York where we see homeless people either sitting or wandering around as we hear Mark’s famous opening lines, “December 24, 1989, 9 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. From here on in, I shoot without a script. See if anything comes of it, instead of my old shit.” The camera turns to Mark, filming with his camera as the title song, “Rent”, begins playing. As Mark begins to sing about the struggles of documenting real life, he is riding his bike back to what fans of the show can assume is the loft he shares with Roger. Cuts to Roger as we see him in their loft with a guitar in his hands singing about the struggles of writing a song after a while; during which the power blows. Mark gets home and shows Roger, who is messing with the fuse box the eviction notice. A now looming question is upon them.

“How we gonna pay? 

How we gonna pay? 

How we gonna pay last year's rent?” 

With the power back on, they get a phone call from Collins, a friend of theirs and asks them to throw down the keys. But before he could reach the door of their loft, he was jumped and his jacket stolen. With no heat in the loft, Mark and Roger have no choice but to “light up a mean blaze with posters and screenplays.” Cut back to Collins who is in pain from his incident, unable to get up. Shot back to Mark and Roger on their balcony as the camera pans down to show the rest of the residence on Avenue A burning their eviction notices.

”How we gonna pay? 

How we gonna pay? 

How we gonna pay last year's Rent?”

Mark and Roger continue to burn their momentoes in a metal trash can order to stay warm.

“Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground

And feel the heat of the future’s glow.

How do you leave the past behind

When it keeps finding ways to get to get to your heart?

It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out until you’re torn apart.”

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As they continue their song they take their burning past and throw it over their balcony along with everyone’s eviction notices. Benny, who at this point appears to be a landlord, comes by to a mound of people in chaos, anger, and amusement. But as he exits his car, everyone has one thing to say to Benny.

“We’re not gonna pay.

We’re not gonna pay.

We’re not gonna pay

Last year’s rent

This year’s rent 

Next year’s rent

Rent, Rent, Rent, Rent, Rent

We’re not gonna pay rent

‘Cause everything is rent.”

Benny asks Mark and Roger to come down and talk to him. As they begin to walk downstairs though, we see Roger make eye contact with a girl who lives below then. It doesn’t look like they know each other. We can tell that there is some sort of tension between the three characters and we can deduce from their conversation that Mark and Roger have kind of shunned Benny from the group because he married the daughter of the owner of their lot. We also learn that his father-in-law was upset a protest being held by a girl named Maureen Johnson, who we find out dumped Mark for a lawyer named Joanne and is protesting because Benny is turning her performance space into a digital cybernetic interactive studio. Benny wants Mark and Roger to convince Maureen to cancel her protest in exchange for continuing to forego their rent. 

Cut to a man with drumsticks and a plastic tub performing on the street. He hears a noise and goes to figure out where it is coming from. He finds Collins who is hurt and bloody. The man offers his help to Collins and introduces himself as Angel. He then walks with Collins to get cleaned up and we learn that Angel is a part of a life support group for people with AIDS (which he has). We also learn that Collins as AIDS as well.

In this brief scene, you can see that these two characters immediately have a connection and that they could be possible love interests. 

Cutting back to the loft, Mark decides to go find Collins and asks Roger if he wants to go with him and that maybe they could grab dinner while they were out. Roger tell Mark to zoom in on his empty wallet. Mark doesn’t pry any further. He just reminds Roger to take his AZT before heading out the door. Roger goes up to the rooftop of their complex and starts reminiscing about the life he used to have as he sings “One Song Glory.” We see flashbacks of him with his then-girlfriend April. We see that they were both drug addicts and that April and he tested positive for HIV. But as he sings, we hear his plea.

“One song, glory

One song before I go

Glory, one song to leave behind.”

He goes back to the loft and the girl who had met Roger’s eye came in asking him, “Would you light my candle?” Roger knows that she wants more than just him to light her candle so she could see and continues to try and keep her at bay. We learn that she is a junkie and that Roger had gotten through his drug addiction. Roger tries to hide her stash as she looks for it all over the loft, but she ultimately finds it and leaves, but not before telling him that her name is Mimi.

The next day, Mark finds out about Mimi, but Roger refuses to go any further with her. Collin’s shows up and brings the boys a bunch of snacks and booze and introduces them to Angel, who we discover is transgender. 

Maureen ends up calling Mark, asking him to help Joanne fix her sound equipment. Mark goes down to the studio while Angel and Collins head to a life support meeting and Roger just stays at home. 

Tango: Maureen
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Cut to Mark walking in and meeting Joanne for the first time. The camera follows them as Joanne reluctantly allows Mark to help her with the sound system. Pretty soon, they start comparing their relationships with Maureen in “Tango: Maureen”.

“Mark: Has she ever pouted her lips

And called you ‘Pookie’?

Joanne: Never

Mark: Have you ever doubted a kiss or two?

Joanne: This is...spooky”

Mark fixes the sound system and joins Angel and Collins at life support and ends up filming a bit for his film. You see people talking about their fears and looking desperately for a solution.

Cut to Mimi dancing at her job and soon after, walking the streets to her loft. This is during the song “Out Tonight”. She eventually goes up to Roger’s place and is begging him to take her out. Roger pulls away and begins singing, “Another Day” where he is trying to get Mimi away from him. You can tell that he has enough baggage of his own and he is afraid of taking on someone else's. Mimi is trying to reach him.

“There is no future

There is no past

I live this moment as my last.

There’s only us

There’s only this

Forget regret

Or life is yours to miss

No other road

No other way

No day but today.”

But even with her persuading, Roger doesn’t give in and ends up hurting her feeling. Even though all of this, you can tell that Roger is into her. After this, Roger ends up going to a life support meeting with Collins, Angel, and Mark.

After the meeting, Roger and Mark go to help Maureen with final sound checks. Collins and Angel are alone together and end up declaring their love for each other in the song “I’ll Cover You.” Angel even buys Collins his iconic jacket which he wears for the rest of the film. 

Cut to Roger finding Mimi just outside of Maureen’s show. He apologizes to her for being out of line and asks her if she wants to go have dinner with them after the show. She agrees and the whole gang goes to see Maureen perform her protest piece “Over the Moon” which ends with the cops stepping in.

Scene moves to Life Cafe. The group waits for Mark inside, unsure of where he is. He makes his way

La Vie Boheme
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into the cafe and tells Maureen that he sold his footage of the protest to a news station. The group finds a place to sit at the cafe and they see Benny. Benny starts to patronize them for the way they live their lives as he begins the song “La Vie Boheme”. 

“Bohemia, Bohemia’s

A fallacy in  your head

This is Calcutta

Bohemia is dead.”

The whole group decides to celebrate the Bohemian Life and begin to mock Benny in front of his investors.

During this, Roger and Mimi have a heart to heart and begin to open up and accept their feelings for one another. We learn that Mimi is also HIV positive. They decide to be together and rejoin their friends for one last round of “La Vie Boheme” and celebrate “...people living with, living, with, living with, not dying from disease!”

The next year of their lives, no one expected. Mark and Roger became squatters in their own loft thanks to Benny. This forces Mark to get a job he hates in order to have money to pay for rent. Joanne and Maureen are having many quarrels, and in the middle of their wedding shower, have an explosive argument and break up. Benny decides to give back the loft to Mark and Roger, free of rent, after talking with Mimi about it, but Mark gives him a check to pay for it. Roger starts to get jealous of Benny and starts becoming distant. Mimi stops taking drugs in order to be with Roger and Angel’s health worsens. Roger ends up catching Mimi buying drugs from a dealer and breaks up with her. She ends up going back to Benny, even though he is married. Angel eventually passes away in Collins’s arms.

The funeral is held on Halloween. Everyone speaks at Angel’s funeral and Collins reprises their love song “I’ll Cover You”. After the service, Mimi and Roger, as well as Joanne and Maureen get into an argument about Roger and Maureen being too afraid to love them. Collins has to stop them in order for them to realize what they are doing. 

Maureen and Joanne seem to make up, but Roger pushes away from Mimi and heads off to Santa Fe.

Mark and Roger are being haunted by past ghosts in “What You Own”. Roger sees Mimi everywhere he goes and Mark is always hearing Angel. Neither of them are happy with their current lives and end up doing the scary thing, following their hearts. Mark quits his job to focus on his own film and Roger moves back to New York after finding his song. 

Benny calls Mark and tells them that Mimi is missing. The whole group, especially Roger, are trying to find her but to no avail. 

Ending Scene
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“December 24, 1990, 10 pm Eastern Standard Time.” Collins comes to visit the boys again and ask them if they have any news of Mimi, which they didn’t. Soon after they pour themselves a drink, Maureen shouts for Mark to help them with Mimi. Joanne and Maureen had found her living in the street. Roger and Mimi share a tender moment and Roger plays his song for her before she goes. After telling her that he loves her, she passes away. But soon after, she comes back to life and tells them that Angel told her to go back and be with Roger. The movie ends with them all watching Mark’s film and reminding themselves of one very important lesson. 

This lesson doesn’t just apply to them, it applies to all of us. We all need to realize that we have no clue what the future holds and we need to just go for it. There is no day but today.

Rosenthal, Jane (Producer), & Chris Columbus (Director). (2005). Rent [Motion Picture]. United States: Columbia Pictures.

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Story: Time I Was Sick During A Show

A performer's worst nightmare. You have been rehearsing a show for weeks, sometimes months, and a few days before the show opens, the unthinkable happens. You get sick. We have all been there in one way or another. Either you are in the beginning stages of coming down with an illness or you have an actual cold and are coughing on stage. The latter happened to me about a year and a half ago during a production I was in.

Original Logo

I had started off my senior year of high school by rehearsing for a show that was about three weeks from opening. The show was called CinderOz and it was with the same company I did the worst show I have ever been in with. I had a supporting role as the advisor to the Wizard of Oz and I absolutely loved the show. Everything was going smoothly and there were very few hiccups along the way.

Now, as many of you may know, when school starts there is generally some sort of cold going around. People are getting sick and it just keeps spreading. We fast forward to the week of opening. We opened on Thursday, August 11th and went on until Saturday, August 13th.

On Tuesday, August 9th, two days before we open, I come down with a cold. Now, this isn't just any cold virus that's going around, this is the one that lingers for about two weeks. I woke up that morning and just felt groggy. I knew right away, I was sick.

Of course, I go into slight panic mode because I know I have a performance in two days and I can't be feeling all kinds of awful on stage. So immediately, I start my cold regimen and focus on getting better. I went to school that day and once everything was all said and done, I went to dress rehearsal.

Instagram Photo 

Now I can't fully remember if this happened on Tuesday or Wednesday, but I decided to take a nap
while everyone was rehearsing. Now you may be thinking, "But didn't you miss your scenes during this?" And the answer is, no. My character, Pin, was on in the opening scene of Act 1 and then didn't show up again until the opening scene of Act 2. This meant I had about 30-45 minutes to nap. So I took off the jacket I wore, folded it up, placed it on the edge of the table, and rested my head on it. Now it wasn't very comfortable sleeping hunched over in a chair, but it was the best I could do.

I have to mention that there were many actors in the show who were under the age of 10 and here's why. As I started to try and fall asleep, one of the little girls in the show decided to tell me, "You're falling asleep."

I opened my eye and told the little girl very politely, "I know I am. I just really don't feel good and need to rest." (or something to that extent). She left me alone and I closed my eyes for a bit.

I didn't fully fall asleep as the light in the green room was very bright and my brain was listening for when I needed to wake up. As a result, I ended up just resting my eyes, but felt a lot better after doing so. As my scene approached, I woke up and the same girl told me, "You were asleep for 30 minutes." I just said thank you and went to my place backstage while I waited for my cue.

Fast forward to opening night, I was still feeling awful, but the show must go on. I got into costume and went on to perform my little heart out.

Friday Performance

I was using a different voice for my character during this show, which helped with the fact that you could hear how sick I was while talking. I was able to disguise it a little bit whilst performing but I could still hear how sick I was, plus the fact that I was coughing on stage a little bit.

The second night, I felt much better, but I still had a nasty cough. This was a major set back for me, but I was able to go through the show without any major coughing fits, so I was happy.

Saturday was the worst though. We had three shows that day and the first one really didn't go too well for me and my illness.

I was backstage after my scene in Act 1 and I suddenly felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I was having a hard time breathing and was wheezing really bad. I told my director and asked if my dad could bring me my inhaler during intermission. She agreed and I called my dad, asking him to bring it to me. I actually almost didn't get my inhaler before Act 2, but thankfully my dad brought it to me in time and I was able to breathe again. And the show went on.

We completed all three shows that day and I have to say, even though I loved the show, I was very happy when it was over so that I could focus on getting better.

Cast

But know I know something very valuable in terms of acting; the show must go on and sometimes you need to act like you're not sick.

Have any of you ever been sick during a show? Let me know your experiences and how you have overcome them via Twitter, Instagram, or the comments.



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Becoming Apart of the Rent Family

Rent got a film adaptation in 2005, three years before it closed on Broadway. Even though the majority of the was the original Broadway actors for Rent, there were still some new faces to be seen.

Rosario Dawson as Mimi
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Rosario Dawson was cast as Mimi Marquez, “a beautiful dancer who happens to be a hopeless heroin addict who is also HIV-positive.” She mentioned in her interview with Jet Magazine that she wanted to audition because “the show can change lives as well as attitudes about AIDS, homosexuality, poverty and illness.” She also felt drawn to the character because she could identify with the setting of Rent. Jet Magazine describes the setting as “...an area populated by homeless drug addicts, drag queens, musicians, and actors. Many illegally live as squatters in buildings scheduled to be renovated and, for many months, haven't paid any rent.” She mentioned in her interview that, “...she knew she could play Mimi was that she had grown up squatting in the same area the show is set- the lower east side of Manhattan.” This shows how much she wanted this role and felt that the movie had an issue that needed to be addressed.

Tracie Thoms as Joanne
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Another actress compelled to audition was Tracie Thoms. She landed the role of Joanne, a lawyer
who is dating Mark’s ex-girlfriend, Maureen. Thoms is a huge rent fan (otherwise known as a Renthead) and landing this role was a dream come true for her. She mentioned in her interview with Jet that “Rent was a little bit of an obsession for me for a while...So, to actually be a part of it now, for someone to say to me, 'Okay, you, the big fan of these actors ... come be in the movie with there'--it was great and really scary at the same time.”

Many may wonder what the rest of the cast thought of these actresses entering the Rent family. Jet Magazine sat down with Jesse L. Martin, who portrays Tom Collins, says, “Rosario and Tracie found a way to become part of our family almost instantaneously...They fit like a glove. I'm so glad they were there because I got to make two new friends as well.”

With two new faces entering the family of Rent actors, this makes for a compelling new adaptation of the Broadway hit musical

(2005). Rosario Dawson: gets to show her singing and sexy dancing skills in movie version of ‘Rent’. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T003&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm¤tPosition=32&docId=GALE%7CA139434580&docType=Biography%2C+Cover+story&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=&prodId=ITOF&contentSet=GALE%7CA139434580&searchId=R2&userGroupName=azstatelibdev&inPS=true

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