I first "fell in love with" RENT in November of 2005...when the movie came out. I know it's cliche, but I had just really started getting into musical theatre, and RENT really shaped that. (This comes from my first "favorite musical" being Phantom of the Opera, which is even more cliche, to me.) RENT changed my views on many issues and really made me rethink things and learn never to take anything for granted.
So, in October of 2006, it was my fifteenth birthday, and when my parents asked what I wanted, I knew exactly what to say.
We went on November 18, 2006. It was my first ever Broadway show, and I remember coming up onto the street from Penn Station and thinking, "I'm going to see RENT." It was surreal.
I remember not knowing that the original cast was on the wall of the theatre and I remember yelling, "Oh my God, Mom, it's Adam Pascal!!!" As many before me have, I took pictures with them and we went into the theatre. I saw the show with my mom, my cousin, and my mom's good friend. We were in the very last row of the rear center mezzanine, but the effect was nonetheless overwhelming. I actually broke out into hives over the excitement!! (They are clearly visible in the stagedoor pictures!) The cast included Tim Howar (Roger), Christopher J. Hanke (Mark), Jamie Lee Kirchner (Mimi, and my favorite ever), Nicole Lewis (Joanne), Maggie Benjamin (Maureen), Mark Richard Ford (Collins), Justin Johnston (Angel) and D'Monroe (Benny). Frenchie Davis was also part of the cast at the time. The show completely floored me, and I cried harder than I could ever remember crying. I respected the show on a much higher level. Nothing, to me, could ever compare.
At stagedoor, we met Hanke, Howar, Davis, and D'Monroe. D'Monroe was the nicest, when he found out that I was from South Jersey and it was my first Broadway show at 15, he was appalled and told me to come back soon!
Needless to say, I did three weeks later with my school's drama guild. We attended the RENT Student Live Workshop, and my best friend read a monologue that she had submitted on the stage. It was such a great feeling to see her be able to do something so wonderful. After the workshop we saw the show again, seats in the orchestra section this time, 5th row, and it was no less spectacular.
The third and last time I saw it was August 25, 2007. This time I went with my mom, the same cousin, her boyfriend, my grandmother, my aunt, my best friend who read onstage, and my other best friend, Jim. It was his 20th birthday, so we took him along to see Adam and Anthony. It was his first time. If ever there was a spectacular performance, it was this one. I didn't stop crying through the whole performance, because I never though I would see those two together again.
At stagedoor, I met D'Monroe again. I brought the picture of the two of us from my first time and reminded him that he told me to come back soon, and he gave me a big hug and signed the picture. And then, Anthony Rapp came out, and my dreams were coming true. We didn't get the opportunity to meet Adam because his wife and kids were there that day.
I don't want to see it again before the closing, because I want to keep A&A in my mind, but I am terribly upset to see it go. Since my first time at RENT, I have seen five other shows, but RENT will always be my favorite and will always have a warm spot in my heart. June 1 will be a horrible day for me, but, as Larson wrote in "Without You", life goes on, and all of RENT's loyal fans will have to help its message live on by simply following what Larson told us in his show. As Adam Pascal said, Long Live RENT!!! It will surely never be forgotten.
And when the night has finally gone, and when we see the new day dawn, we wonder how we wandered for so long, so blind. The wasted world we thought we knew, the light will make it look brand new, so let it shine..."
--ntn
Sorry for the TRIPLE post.
