#51
Posted: 1/25/06 at 1:55am
10 years. That is a long, long time. I want to re-post part of a post made here when production for the film had just begun , as what Anthony had to say still hits me hard.
After the reading, we had the peasant feast, which as most of you probably know is a continuation of a tradition that Jonathan started for his friends back in NYC. He would cook a turkey and they would bring side dishes and share a holiday feast that they were all too poor to have on their own. In 1995, Jonathan held his last peasant feast, but instead of inviting his friends, he invited the cast and artistic staff of the Off-Broadway production of Rent, because he wanted all of us to know our job was to embody his friends, to honor them, and he wanted all of us to begin our road to lifelong friendship. It was a very special night, and after his death, his family took it upon themselves to continue the tradition for all of the future companies of Rent that they could get to. They have literally held them around the country, and around the world.
And at the feast, in addition to some delicious food, each of Jonathan's six friends shared some memories of Jonathan, in an effort to bring him even that much more present. It was very moving to watch them struggle at times to get through their own tears as they talked about how special he was in their lives, about how much they had seen him fight to get his work out there in the world, about how much he did try to live each day to the fullest. His friend Eddie Rosenstein talked about their fellow obsession with numbers, especially the numbers three and nine, and how perfect they were: three is the emobodiment of the building blocks of the universe (beginning, middle, and end; proton, neutron, electron, etc.), and nine is the embodiment of rebirth (it's "three on steroids," as Eddie said, and the length of human gestation, etc.). Then he fought back tears as he remarked that wasn't it perfect that this film was starting almost exactly nine years to the day of Jonathan's death, given Jonathan's interest in such cosmic notions?
At the end of the night, we got to watch a little bit of video of Jonathan performing songs from his one-man version of Tick, Tick... Boom! It never ceases to amaze me how full of life and anger and joy and talent he was, and it was right up there on the screen for us to see. He sang Johnny Can't Decide, Sunday Brunch, and Why, and as usual I was pretty much destroyed by the end of Why. It is such a cruel irony that he was gone right at the cusp of his life changing forever, after he gave so much of his life to his work. But his legacy will certainly live forever in people's hearts and memories, and now with the film, we have the opportunity to make it last longer, in an even more tangible way. We only get to do the film once, and Chris said to the Larsons that he promises to make a great film, and I am certain that he wouldn't make such a pledge if he didn't mean it.
I personally believe Chris lived up to that pledge, and I honestly think that Jonathan would be so proud of what was made. To see his show brought to the big screen, so even more people who had never experienced it on stage could see and feel the story. I know a lot of people hate the fans of Rent that became fans because of the film, but you know what? Jonathan would have welcomed them with open arms. They wouldn't be a fan of story if it hadn't affected them in some way, and isn't that what Jonathan wanted to do? To open the eyes and hearts of people with something so powerful that it could help make a difference?
There's really nothing more to say on the subject of Jonathan's death. I've been a fan of his since the first time I saw Rent, and then finding ttB a few years ago.. that just solidified it. His work changed my life and I am eternally grateful to him for that. And even though I didn't know him and sadly never will? He was a great, great man and is missed more often than is expressed.
After the reading, we had the peasant feast, which as most of you probably know is a continuation of a tradition that Jonathan started for his friends back in NYC. He would cook a turkey and they would bring side dishes and share a holiday feast that they were all too poor to have on their own. In 1995, Jonathan held his last peasant feast, but instead of inviting his friends, he invited the cast and artistic staff of the Off-Broadway production of Rent, because he wanted all of us to know our job was to embody his friends, to honor them, and he wanted all of us to begin our road to lifelong friendship. It was a very special night, and after his death, his family took it upon themselves to continue the tradition for all of the future companies of Rent that they could get to. They have literally held them around the country, and around the world.
And at the feast, in addition to some delicious food, each of Jonathan's six friends shared some memories of Jonathan, in an effort to bring him even that much more present. It was very moving to watch them struggle at times to get through their own tears as they talked about how special he was in their lives, about how much they had seen him fight to get his work out there in the world, about how much he did try to live each day to the fullest. His friend Eddie Rosenstein talked about their fellow obsession with numbers, especially the numbers three and nine, and how perfect they were: three is the emobodiment of the building blocks of the universe (beginning, middle, and end; proton, neutron, electron, etc.), and nine is the embodiment of rebirth (it's "three on steroids," as Eddie said, and the length of human gestation, etc.). Then he fought back tears as he remarked that wasn't it perfect that this film was starting almost exactly nine years to the day of Jonathan's death, given Jonathan's interest in such cosmic notions?
At the end of the night, we got to watch a little bit of video of Jonathan performing songs from his one-man version of Tick, Tick... Boom! It never ceases to amaze me how full of life and anger and joy and talent he was, and it was right up there on the screen for us to see. He sang Johnny Can't Decide, Sunday Brunch, and Why, and as usual I was pretty much destroyed by the end of Why. It is such a cruel irony that he was gone right at the cusp of his life changing forever, after he gave so much of his life to his work. But his legacy will certainly live forever in people's hearts and memories, and now with the film, we have the opportunity to make it last longer, in an even more tangible way. We only get to do the film once, and Chris said to the Larsons that he promises to make a great film, and I am certain that he wouldn't make such a pledge if he didn't mean it.
I personally believe Chris lived up to that pledge, and I honestly think that Jonathan would be so proud of what was made. To see his show brought to the big screen, so even more people who had never experienced it on stage could see and feel the story. I know a lot of people hate the fans of Rent that became fans because of the film, but you know what? Jonathan would have welcomed them with open arms. They wouldn't be a fan of story if it hadn't affected them in some way, and isn't that what Jonathan wanted to do? To open the eyes and hearts of people with something so powerful that it could help make a difference?
There's really nothing more to say on the subject of Jonathan's death. I've been a fan of his since the first time I saw Rent, and then finding ttB a few years ago.. that just solidified it. His work changed my life and I am eternally grateful to him for that. And even though I didn't know him and sadly never will? He was a great, great man and is missed more often than is expressed.
Updated On: 1/25/06 at 01:55 AM
