Characters of RENT

[broadwayfan24]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 10:40pm

Ok I'm going to go see RENT in either Sept. or Oct. and the only thing I know about it is that it is about AIDS. Can anyone fill me in on the characters and what they are like? And whos dating who? I usually like to try and get the backgraound before I see a show.

[insomniak]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 10:41pm

Oh. Wow. This is a long post, give me a minute to type it all.

[zoran912]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 10:42pm

There's a good synopsis on the main site, as well as a tasty picture of Drew Lachey.

[broadwayfan24]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 10:44pm

thanks for the site

[insomniak]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 10:59pm

Ok, I started off with a nice little semi- synopsis/explanation, but then I deleted it on accident and I'm lazy and won't type it out again. So here's a cheat sheet.

Mark(filmaker, the narrator of the show)- Straight, HIV negative, used to date Maureen, best friends with Roger.

Roger (ex-junkie guitarist, trying to write one great song before the virus kills him)- Straight, HIV positive, last girlfriend killed herself and gave him HIV before the show starts

Benny (owner of the soon-to-be CyberArts)- Straight, HIV negative, used to date Mimi, Mark and Roger's former roomate until he married a yuppie girl and bought the building that he used ot live in with his friends and the lot next door where he plans to build an internet company.

Mimi- (S&M dancer)- Straight, HIV positive, was with Benny but now is interested in Roger, though she doesn't know they know each other at first

Collins (Computer genius, teacher and vagabond anarchist who once ran naked through the parthenon)- Gay, HIV positive, friends and former roomate of Mark and Roger

Angel (drag queen and street drummer)- GAy, HIV positive meets Collins and his friends at the beggining of the show, falls in love with Collins.

Maureen (performance artist, the dramam queen)- Gay, HIV negative, dumped Mark for Joanne before the show, protesting Benny's company

Joanne (lawyer)- Gay, HIV negaitve, dating Maureen, and other stuff I don't feel like typing

So that's the basics. Any questions? There will be a quiz on this.

[broadwayfan24]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 11:03pm

thanks insomniak, much appreciation

[insomniak]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 11:05pm

No problem. It's my duty as a REnthead to help people out. (I was incredibly confused the firsti time I saw it because I didn't know a single thing about it going into the theater, so I want to help others avoid the confusion.) There's a little character map thing and short explanation in the playbill, that'll help you as well.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 11:39pm

You'll love Rent! A tip: make sure you pay very close attention, as sometmes it can become a little confusing. The Playbill has a synopsis of Act 1 (or at least the tour did), so enjoy that, but pay attention to Act 2! Its sad/powerful/happy/amazing! Let us all know what you think!

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 8/21/04 at 11:46pm

Mark, Roger, Collins, Benny, and Maureen lived together all at once. It wasnt at seperate times. Just thought I'd clear that up.

In the playbill, they will have a little family tree of sorts that explains everyone's relationship. That is always fun to read!

Also - just because this always bothers me - it isnt clear who got AIDS first, Roger or his former girlfriend April. She is the one that found out about it first. Left him a note saying "We've got AIDS" and then slit her wrists in the bathroom.

[Paul LW]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 12:08am

Oh my.

"All I know is its about AIDS"

that literally made me laugh out loud.

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 12:15am

My sister's boyfriend said he "didn't want to see a show all about gays." - I replied, "its not only about gay people, you have drug addicts and strippers in there too!"

*rolles eyes* He is just being stubborn.

[NoDayButToday2]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 1:35pm

THANK YOU insomniak, I was just about to DIE when I read the post... sorry i know that not everyone knows about rent, but seriously, I would think that when it was being described it would be more than 'its about AIDS'

i find that extremely offensive to jonathan larson and to the show

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 2:10pm

hey insomniak..how do you figure out you're a rent head?

[NightLaughs]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 2:13pm

I'm sure broadwayfan24 will appreciate it as more than just a show about AIDS once he or she sees it. :) And I mean every show has some kind of main stream identifier. Wicked: the one with the witches? Hairspray: the chubby girl on Bandstand? POTO: The one with the guy in the mask? And so on and so on. These shows are about more than just that one thing, but this is what people relate them to I suppose.

You'll love Rent! I would assume so anyway. Have a blast, it is a great show to experience.

Updated On: 8/22/04 at 02:13 PM

[LongIsland Grl]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 2:15pm

Rent is not really about AIDS, it's about love.

[NightLaughs]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 2:20pm

That it is.

[Jon]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 2:34pm

I always liked when the obsessed fans of SIDESHOW would get so angry if you said "It's the show about the Siamese twins" or "It's a show about freaks".

"It's NOT a show about Siamese twins - and if you don't see that, then you just don't GET IT!"


...and CATS isn't a show about cats.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 2:56pm

I saw the video of CATS, and the fact that there were cats was the only thing I got out of it lol

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 3:25pm

Here is the link to know if you are a RENThead.

RENTheads

[Becky]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 6:32pm

Also broadwayfan24, the first ACT is one day - setting up the characters/situations. ACT 2 is the rest of the year. That can be a little confusing.....

[insomniak]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 6:36pm

Act one takes place entirely on Christmas eve between nine pm and about one am.

And GITF beat me to posting that link, so sad...

As for who got HIV first, Roger or April, it's never stated but we know that April found out before Roger did and that's why she killed herself.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 8/22/04 at 6:51pm

what about muffy..oh sorry...allison? lol. sorry i couldn't resist! you don't have to answer that.