RENT

Alright, I'm just going to start off tonight's blog by saying this: My life is complete.

Today, around 10 am, my best friend came to my house, and about 20 minutes later, we set off for Sacramento. About 2 hours later, we pulled up, went for lunch, and went to the theatre to see RENT, with two of the Original Broadway Cast members, Adam Pascal as Roger Davis and Anthony Rapp as Mark Cohen. It was my first time seeing it, although I've watched the movie many times.

It was nothing short of spectacular.

The costumes, the set, the staging, it was drama heaven... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

First of all, it was considerably different than the movie, but in a great way. Extra songs, less dialogue, more narration, less scenery, it all fit together to build the perfect NYC onstage. The language and such was raunchier than the movie, but again, it all worked.

The cast: fantastic. Having only ever seen the movie cast, with the OBC, Rosario Dawson, and Tracie Thoms, I was pleasantly surprised. Justin Johnston made a fabulous Angel, and Lexi Lawson was a gorgeous Mimi. I was a bit shocked by how Benny was acted, portrayed as more of a bad guy than in the film, but a great singer nonetheless. Maureen was superb, and I thought that the portrayals of the "extras" were hilarious. (Honest living, honest living, honest living) The cast interacted so well together, and had I not known better I would have thought they had been acting together for years.

The extra songs, including "Voicemails #1-5", "Tune-ups #1-3", and "Contact" filled in the story wonderfully. The voicemails were funny and short, and the tune-ups were vital information, while still interesting and to the point. "Christmas Bells" and "New Year" were funny and sad at the same time. "Contact", however, was like a grotesque nightmare scene, terrifying and fascinating at the same time, a collision of the need for touch and contact, and the terror of death.

While my favorite changes every week, I'm going to have to say that for now, it's probably the reprise of "I'll Cover You". The sorrow of a love ballad turned mourning song was overwhelming, and the final, haunting note layered over the final chant of "seasons of love" was beautiful.

Of course, while the show itself was absolutely phenomenal, afterwards, my friend and I raced to the stage door. I got a poster and a t-shirt, and we managed to get autographs from:

Roger(!!!!!!!! He almost never comes out, so I was ecstatic)
Angel
Mimi
Maureen
Joanne
Many of the random Bohemians

And, just as I was losing hope... out came Anthony Rapp. I saw Anthony Rapp. I was less than a foot away from Anthony Rapp. The Anthony Rapp. I nearly hyperventilated when I got his autograph. Understand, I have a thing for him, of fangirl proportions, although I do respect the fact that he has a boyfriend. But still, that man is... wow. *squeal* He is so cute in person, oh my god...

I apologize for that. But, I also saw who I'm 90% sure was Johnathan Larson's dad, which was pretty damn cool.

The point is, I can't say more good things about this show. It's a true shame that today was the last day of this tour, and that the two leads are probably not going to reprise their roles again. Considering this came out a couple of weeks after my birth, I consider today the end of an era. The end of seeing Adam Pascall and Anthony Rapp belting out "What You Own" together, or watching the Mark dance wildly like a dork, or tango with Joanne, or watch the Roger sing his love to Mimi.

But, it couldn't stay the same forever. So, to every other RENThead out there, viva la vie boheme.

Because there's no day but today, right?