Yes, it's true- High School RENT- Page 2

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 5/23/06 at 11:57pm

Okay, I am completely 100% opposed to this, ESPECIALLY after reading the cuts. Integrity of story has already been compromised when they've toned down the grittiness to make it high school friendly (GAH! It's not SUPPOSED to be high school friendly, the topic is NOT high school friendly!!!!) and I have a really, really, really, reaaaaaaally hard time believing Jonathan would be okay with his work being turned into this. If high schools cannot do the work as originally written then THEY SHOULD NOT DO IT. I do not understand why that is a hard concept.

Updated On: 5/24/06 at 11:57 PM

[RENTingFAME]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 12:04am

Hahaha, bravo, Colleen. BRAVO.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 12:10am

I pretty much agree with Colleen - its one things to make slight trims for time or to change keys for high school voices - but to eradicate the drugs, language and sex is to lose the entire point of the show.

[arapp721]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 3:45am

I agree that this shouldn't be in high schools either, cutting out songs and words, isnt' just about taking away the edgy-ness of the show, but it takes away something from character development and from the story arc from a lot of the characters as well as cutting out a lot of the heart and soul of the show. it completely miss the point of why the song is even being sung i.e. LVB.

BTW, reading about the cuts, it reminds me of watching a PG 13 or rated R movie on network TV.

[Katurian2]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 8:17am

Yes, except that one of the main messages of the show depends on some of the subject matter that they cut out from it.

[OasisBroadway]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 8:37am

Colleen, I agree with you 100%.

I can imagine the giant disaster of a show that RENT is going to be remember as once many high schools start performing it.
Updated On: 5/24/06 at 08:37 AM

[soapguy17]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 9:16am

If the show's message can't survive it being toned down then how deep was the message in the first place?

[directorkid]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 9:44am

first of all, let me say that i am in high school and would love to get a chance to be in rent! however, i absoulutely agree in saying that if you can not handle the grittyness of the show there is no way you should be doing rent. i am a huge fan of high school editions having been in les miz HSE, and ragtime HSE and seen Miss Saigon HSE. i think they offer a great oppurtunity for young artists to be in some of the more modern musicals without having to meet the grueling standars of modern musical theatres. also, although there are some theatres around me that i could see pulling this off, i can't imagine rent working unless you know your cast can sing it. in conclusion, although i love rent i would much rather see in performed regionally and in colleges

[EverythingIsRENT]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 11:28am

I still think no high school should toush RENT...ever. it's too easy to mess up, even if you were fortunate to have a good cast. It's jus ta bad idea all around

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 11:30am

I read the article and.... **headdesk**

There are shows that high schools just shouldn't touch.

[ShuQ]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 12:34pm

It's not that I'm gonna get that MAD that high schools are doing it...but my questions is WHY? If you have to make those cuts, doesn't it seem like the essence of the show is lost? There are tons of great musicals that high schools could be pulling off and touching lives with without having to do a watered down, uneffective version of RENT.

[darkmist115]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 1:32pm

*scratches chin*

hmmmm.. too much to say and not enough time. maybe i'll revisit this later.

[beav]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 1:40pm

I teach voice lessons at a high school, and whenever the school musical comes up, some kid always says, "We should do RENT!" I understand the draw to the material, but I can't imagine it actually happening, at least not at my school. The school administration turned down Urinetown because they thought it was "inappropriate". My concern would be that kids would trash their voices trying to mimic the soundtrack. Although, I would definitely enjoy a good chuckle at all of the parents outraged that there is a 14 year old boy on stage in a dress.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 2:23pm

and I have a really, really, really, reaaaaaaally hard time believing Jonathan would be okay with his work being turned into this.

$$$

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 2:26pm

If the show's message can't survive it being toned down then how deep was the message in the first place?

Um, they took out all the same sex kisses. That's part of the message; the unconditional acceptance of these characters, something which is unfortunately entirely too rare in America. Is that not deep enough for you, or do you not have a problem with the school deciding that the straight kisses were okay, but gay kisses weren't?

[soapguy17]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 3:07pm

Orange, I seriously doubt the SCHOOL feels that way. I think its the school attempting to please parents. These parents DO support their program and if they anger even a handful of them the production could be scrapped all together. These parents do drive their kids to and from rehearsals, pay for costumes, and lobby for people to view these shows. And with a cast as small as Rent’s a few bigot parents of a few talented kids could ruin a production. And even on top of that, THIS particular school took the kisses out. I'm sure there are schools or teen theater companies that will add the kisses back in.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 3:15pm

And a school that isn't willing to keep in the homosexual kisses should NOT do this production. The have immediately compromised a major theme of the production by diminishing the same sex relationships.

ETA: And since this is the first workshop of the high school edition, and MTI is likely very involved, this production will be setting a precedent for the high school version as a whole and for that reason will be, and deserves to be, scrutinized.

Updated On: 5/24/06 at 03:15 PM

[erinrebecca]

Posted: 5/24/06 at 4:11pm

Keep in mind, people, that this was a workshop production. MTI worked closely with them in prep for it and now that it's over, will meet with them to discuss what worked and what didn't. They will then also meet with the Larson estate to explore whether or not this is a viable project, and if they should further explore it with other test productions. The content of a school edition is not 'set', as should be evident in a workshop situation. The 'outrage' in this thread is premature.

[rjbjmako]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 5:01pm

I have a question. Do you know anything about Truman High School Drama Dept.? The school asked to do the first show. What do you know about Truman High School in general? I can not speak for other schools and what they may do or not do in this show or any other show. If there is a director, cast, school, music dept, tech crew, which can get together and pull off a show it would be Truman. The director will be on his 34 year at that school when “RENT” opens on that fall night. But all you know that. RIGHT? You also know this school did “PAGENT” two years ago, and “HAIR” in the mid 80’s. You also know this was the school that was picked to do the first “Les Misarabe” in a high school. If you knock the show before you see it, (the HS run) that is just sad. Every Friday, Saturday , and Sunday night all across this grate land, a high school bashes, destroys, and flat out turn people off to musicals / plays. Talk about them, and try to support the few schools that know, “If we can not do the show the way it should be done/ was meant to be done WE WILL NOT AND SHOULD NOT DO THE SHOW”.

[BroadwayGirl107]

Posted: 3/11/07 at 5:35pm

"They will then also meet with the Larson estate to explore whether or not this is a viable project, and if they should further explore it with other test productions."

That's comforting, because the Larson estate was really helpful in keeping the integrity of the movie.

The plight of this show in all incarnations over the past 7 or 8 years or so saddens me. It used to be something that had a lot of dignity and life-changing power, and it seems like every new thing that comes about, be it a new cast on Broadway, the movie, or high schools performing it sinks the show into a worse place.