Is the AMERICAN IDIOT "Writing Wall" disrespectful to the legacy of RENT?

[CapnHook]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 12:45pm

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo_Coverage_Signing_Wall_at_AMERICAN_IDIOT_and_Michael_Mayer_20100411

While it is a brilliant marketing move by the producers, my initial reaction to this was that it was disrespectful to RENT's legacy. Perhaps disrespectful isn't the right word, but I do think the writing wall that the FANS started during RENT is something special that is in poor taste by the producers to try to replicate.

I'd feel differently if the fans started it, but it was clearly a marketing move. You can see that they constructed the wall and supplied the sharpies.

It's not too big of an issue. I just wish they could have let RENT have that bit history and came up with something else.

[romgitsean]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 12:52pm

Yeah, to carry on a tradition that started from a musical like Rent, which took plenty of sweat, blood and tears to produce and then re-use it for a cheap musical like American Idiot is pretty distasteful.

It's all about the money though...it's always about the money. Unfortunately, it doesn't surprise me. Why should it?

[sundaymorning6am]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 12:52pm

I think it's something that Green Day wanted.

They had the same thing in Berkeley, except it was black paper that was attached to the wall.

[Mark_E]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 12:53pm

Not at all, It fits perfectly with the show to be honest. And it looks awesome.

[winston89]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 1:07pm

Capn, I can see where your coming from. However, when you were talking about the wall a The Nederlander during Rent, were you talking about the back wall that was signed by the famous people who came to see the show? Or the actual front wall of the theatre outside that was signed by fans towards the end of the shows run? Only asking because the outside walls of the theatre that was signed by the fans was not what the producers wanted and considered it vandalism to the theatre. Sad part was that they kept painting over it time and time again and the fans never caught on that they should stop.

As for What is going on at The St James, they are only writing on one wall. As your going in there are two sections of the wall a top part that is painted in red and the bottom which is a chalkboard. But, I can see how the whole writing in wall notion can look like it came from Rent. But, as it was said really, it came from Berkley for this show.

[sundaymorning6am]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 1:09pm

@ romgitsean: Do you think it was EASY to write 'American Idiot'? I mean the original album, not Tom Kitt writing the orchestrations. Why don't you write a multiple award winning album and come back and tell me how easy it was.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 1:13pm

It's all about the money though

Because the artistic integrity of ReNT was never ever compromised. Cough*themovietonameonlyoneexample*Cough

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 1:36pm

It's been said before, but I think it's just trying way too hard to be every other rock musical.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 1:46pm

Is it disrespectful to the legacy of CATS to name specialty drinks in the lobby bar after show characters since the Winter Garden was the first to serve the "Rum Tum Tugger and Coke"?

Get over it, people.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:01pm

By the "legacy of RENT" do you mean when the tween audience members who weren't even born when RENT began decided to graffiti the front of the theater with their names and how much Adam and the other one whose name escapes me changed their existences?

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:09pm

Are you talking about the Rent stans graffiti-ing the front wall/doors of the theater with the pictures of the OBC on it? If so, no. That wasn't even something that Rent started, it was something that the fans/"Rentheads" started after it was announced that the show was closing.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:10pm

It's been said before, but I think it's just trying way too hard to be every other rock musical.

Word.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:16pm

RENT has a legacy???

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:21pm

It's about as disrespectful as having kids play dogs in 101 DALMATIANS is to the legacy of ANNIE.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:30pm

Ha, well based on the footage I've seen, Jordan, 101 DALMATIONS is altogether disrespectful to the human race. Yuck.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:33pm

I thought that show was a testament to the human spirit.

[tazber]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:34pm

What NPH is doing to the memory of Rent at the Hollywood Bowl is waaayy worse than this.

[noradesmond]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 2:59pm

The way you people are whining about the "legacy" or the "memory" of RENT it sounds like a deceased grandparent or something.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 3:05pm

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 3:05pm

They had the same thing in Berkeley, except it was black paper that was attached to the wall.

Exactly. When I saw that at Berkeley Rep, the connection to Rent didn't even occur to me. Probably because there is none.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 3:07pm

Is the writing on the wall thing disrespectful to the legacy of vandals?


BTW, brill Phyll!

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 3:07pm

Hmm... another connection to RENT.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 4/11/10 at 3:11pm

Phyllis, you should post that in the Adam Lambert thread as well...