What's with all of the teens obsessed Wicked and RENT!? — Page 2

There's nothing wrong with groups of fans being "obsessed" with certain shows. In all media, there are those single-viewing experiences that some individuals more often than not take or leave. Then, think of a movie that's touched or inspired you. It made such an unbelievable impression that you needed only to see it once for it to become part of you, to satisfy your curiosity. Sometimes, once is enough -- you give it a chance and it either is or isn't your cup of tea.

Then, think about those movies, books, and television shows that some people watch over and over and over and over -- the ones for which they can recite every single line, describe every actor's twitches, or create a frame-by-frame, shot-by-shot storyboards. Fans do these things because they love what they see and want to engage with the piece in ways that the more casual consumer doesn't or won't.

The beautfiful thing about the media available to us today, across multiple channels, technologies, and times, is that both ends of the spectrum can be nourished and satisfied. This discussion board is a case in point -- for those of us who really like professional theatre, especially stuff presented in New York, online conversation enables us to extend the conversation beyond our own experiences and engage with others who are more invested than other friends who have a passing or more casual interest in theatre.

WICKED and RENT, with their long runs in New York and extended tours, can support a very large fan base with lots of diverse conversations about actors, singing styles, timing, etc. There is very little to distingush the girl who giggles simply at the thought of one of Elphaba's punch lines ("Not all of us can come and go in a bubble") or the kid who leaps to the top of heap in the playground and rallies his mates like Luke Skywalker ("May the Force be with you").

Fans are good. Fans are what help to morph and create myths. If Jonathan Larson and his collaborators hadn't appreciated Puccini, then RENT might not have happened. If Gregory Maguire hadn't been a fan of THE WIZARD OF OZ, then WICKED might not have happened.

Updated On: 1/3/07 at 11:50 PM

I'll admit it. I am 16, I am straight, and I love Wicked.

Now, am I some uneducated theatre newbie who squeels when I hear anything about Idina Menzel? No, that's not the case at all. But, put me near Chenoweth and I'll be jumping up and down like a schoolgirl.

BUT, let me continue with this point that I am trying to make. Why do people like you have to insult those people who only like Wicked and Rent? Are they somehow beneath you? Does it make you feel big to insult them?

It's people like this that I cannot stand. People that like to bash other people because they like to think that they know more. Knowledge shouldn't be used as a form of boasting, it should be used to educate. If you know someone who is obsessed with Wicked or RENT, then why don't you kindly introduce them to other shows instead of jumping down their throats?

I hate the self titled 'theatre elitists' who have nothing better to do than make stupid jokes against Wicked or against Idina, or whatever. It's rude, and it's just plain ignorant. Why can't you just be happy with their success? Why don't you just let people do what they want instead of making stupid posts like this where you have to act like you are somehow better than them?

RENT has a great message of hope and tolerance. Wicked shows that there is good in everyone, and to that little kid who is watching the show it can mean so much. It could give them a little dose of magic and captivate them. It can make them fall in love with theatre. Why should you want to discourage that? That's cruel.

There is nothing better about you than anyone else just because you know more shows than other people, or because you don't like Wicked or RENT. You may have all that knowledge, but if you are just going to be stupid than you might as well not have it at all.

Amen, brdlwyr.

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>> Wicked shows that there is good in everyone

Okay, I'll bite. Did you actually see the show? Do you really think that's the "message"?

Truly, we must have been watching different shows in different theatres.

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Okay. I'm a 14 year old girl who loves both Wicked and Rent, but that's because they're great pieces of musical theater that people can relate to. I'm pretty sick of being steryotyped because I say I like Wicked or I like Rent, because I love what a lot of people consider "real" musical theater too. When I was three years old and my little brother was born, the first thing I thought was that he'd have the same birthday as Oscar Hammerstein. Not a normal thought for a three-year-old. Yes, I hate people who say that they're big theater fans and they only know Wicked or Rent (especially the so-called "rentheads" who only know the movie) but I think people really have to put up with those people and not automatically assume that all teenagers who like wicked and rent are ignorant when it comes to "real" musical theater.

Okay. Done ranting.

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D2's depraved on account of he's deprived!

I've always contended that Wicked has an almost magical appeal to teenage drama queens who identify uncannily with its protagonist. Elphaba looks funny, acts funny, and is tragically misunderstood despite being the most talented girl in her school -- at least she knows she is, even if everyone else in Shiz prefers the pretty, perky Galinda.

Gee, if that doesn't describe every self-absorbed Broadway wannabe I've ever met, I don't know what does.

I love RENT and Wicked.. more so RENT... i just think teens relate a little more to them than to like Les Miz or something. Pretty much all last year all i did see was RENT and Wicked but this year i have started to open my horizon. I am seeing Drowsy this weekend and i saw Spring Awakening last weekend. and i really wish i could see more but tickets are really expensive. But RENT was definatly my gateway to other shows. Im 21 by the way so i am not all teenager hehe.

Amen, Kristeliz!

I may not love your shows, but I love you all.

That's...beautiful.

I haven't read every word in this thread, but the title always makes me chuckle when I scroll past it...maybe not so much the Wicked part, but after almost 11 years of Rent being *the* musical of MTV-bred whippersnappers (and for obvious reasons), it strikes me as funny that someone would ask a question like this ("What's the deal with these teens and their Rent obsession? Is it the rack of coats? Those bright red, anti-establishment folding chairs?").

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"What's the deal with these teens and their Rent obsession? Is it the rack of coats? Those bright red, anti-establishment folding chairs?"

It's the paper lantern, actually. Vulnerable illumination. Speaks to the round and thin skinned.

Musicals have always had there obsessed fans that can be rather annoying to older fans not so much into the shows the 'obsessed' fans are into.

The big BIG difference is the internet didn't exist in the days of "Annie", "Once upon a Mattress" & "Cats".

If it helps, I first heard Wicked when I was 16 (going on 17!) and disliked it. And I mean, I wasn't really a musical theatre elitist back in those days, not yet anyway, seeing as how I discovered all of the shows I now love during senior year of high school. And then I lent the OBC to my friend, who fell in love with it... Go figure.

Back in freshman or sophomore year of high school, I was into RENT very hardcore for about a year or two, then I just burnt out on it.

I think RENT appeals to teenagers because it embodies youthful and liberal ideals: living life for art, rebelling against authority, carpe diem, etc. I think as you grow older you might start to think about the characters: "Why don't they just suck it up and get jobs?" and such.

As for Wicked, it appeals to teenagers because it's about a girl who doesn't quite fit in and is hated for it. Plus it has ridiculously shallow messages that are overall feel good and make people feel like they've learned things. And... well, the music is pretty poppish.

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About a year or two ago all you would've seen on my iPod was Social Distortion and Green Day. I feel that Rent bridged the gap between musicals and rock, I became very obsessed with it and it was a fine introduction into musical theatre. I have a lot of respect for the show, but as I've discovered that there's more to Musical Theatre I seen the errors in the show and it is hardly a favourite of mine. What attracted me to it was the combination of Rock and this visual story which I've always grasped for. (The music that I listen to other than showtunes and the like is by very expressive artists that paint a picture with their music.)

Now, that's why I loved RENT. As for Wicked... I've never understood it really, there are similar shows to it that are more honest and better executed.

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