The Rent Boys Are Back

More than a decade ago, in 1996, my best friend Brent and I had only two things on our minds: Alanis Morrissette’s Jagged Little Pill, and a little rock musical double-disc soundtrack called Rent.

We. Loved. Rent. Couldn’t get enough. The word “obsession” is applicable.

We were two good little boys in the Midwest—thirteen-year-old former boys’ choir members—but when we got our hands on that soundtrack it was like a musical crack transaction. We knew every word of every song, learning each actor’s breathing, cadence, and delivery.

Walking down the street we’d break into Angel’s “Today 4 U” rap (so ingrained was it that I can still do the whole thing) or wildly duet Roger and Mark’s “What You Own” or “Take Me Or Leave Me” at the top of our lungs in the living room. How our parents didn’t know immediately that there was something, um, “special” about their boys is beyond me.

All of that nostalgia may be part of why I loved seeing Rent so much last night on Broadway. Anthony Rapp, the original production’s Mark, and Adam Pascal, the original Roger, have returned to the Nederlander Theater to reprise their characters in a special six-week summer run.

The audience must have shared the nostalgia, revering the soundtrack and poster art during teen and twenty-something years, because when Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal stepped on stage the screaming and applause was deafening. It was beyond anything I’ve ever heard on Broadway—more than Spring Awakening, more than Grey Gardens, and rivaling that of a rock concert—and the actors had to hold for almost thirty seconds until Anthony cut us off by beginning the show over the din.

I felt like I was a teenager again, breathlessly listening to the soundtrack in a Midwestern basement. The boy who had read the press clippings about endless lines of theatergoers at the Nederlander was suddenly there. The voices I grew up listening to on the soundtrack came to life, performing in front of me. Over the years my love for Rent dissipated and collected a layer of dust, but as soon as Anthony and Adam opened their mouths, it all came flooding back.

Anthony and Adam are in thirties now, but neither has aged significantly, and their voices were on point. (Adam, I should mention, still oozes boho sex appeal.) And when Adam ripped into “One Song Glory”? I almost passed out.

Tamyra Gray, the American Idol finalist from Kelly Clarkson’s season, played Mimi, of which I was initially suspicious. But as soon as she started singing I knew it was going to be alright. The girl is a vocal powerhouse. Indeed, she attacked “Out Tonight”, Mimi’s piece de resistance, with such verve that she became an instant favorite.

I do have to be honest: Some of the show felt a little . . . off. Maureen was played almost as a slapstick stand-up comedian instead of as an ambitious, slyly comedic sex kitten. Collins fell flat. And, frankly, sometimes the show felt like it suffered from Xerox Syndrome: It’s been done so many times that it feels like we’re watching copies of copies of copies. Occasionally a certain dullness surfaced.

Nevertheless, the show is a milestone in musical theater history, and was a turning point for many gays and lesbians in their youth. And seeing the show with Anthony and Adam? Now that’s priceless. The raucous, seemingly endless standing ovation said it all.

--Josh H.

Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal are in the show as Mark and Roger through September 9. You can get $65 tickets at TKTS or, if you’re a college student, you can get $25 lottery seats.

Comments

[Christian]

Nice write up of a show that inspired and truly taught so many of us to live our lives for each day, free from fear. This show had an incredible effect on my late-teen years as well, and I'm sure I'm one of millions.

[Becky]

What a wonderful experience, to see those two in the roles and hear that outburst of audience appreciation. RENT has a special place among friends in my life, too.

[KD]

Love this show! The soundtrack never leaves my car.

[Ruben]

I am SO EFing jealous that you guys got to see Anthony and Adam!! I've seen the musical like 7 times and would die to see the originals.

....thinking about catching a flight from DFW just to go see it.

[roy]

I saw the musical before it went to NY, AGES ago! It was fantastic! I loved it from the start, and, like you, was VERY obessed with it and knew all the songs, and still do! Glad you enjoyed the show, and it is weird to see it so many times with so many different people. It gets disjointed to me at times, but the story and songs still do it for me!

[Shannon]

I have seen rent twice. .both times at the Ordway in St. Paul and both times had sound challenges! I hope to see the show in a different venue at some point as I think I would greatly enjoy it when the sound is good. For now, the movie and the sound track are my best options. Ironically, Rent will be back at the Ordway again next year.

[Michael]

So jealous.........sooooo jealous

[zeff]

aww i love alanis :)

[Mark]

I love it when a piece of theatre stirs up so many emotions and memories. Sounds like you had a great evening. I saw the guys do the show when it opened here in London and they were amazing.

[Jeff]

I caught Adam and Anthony last week and loved it. I was able to catch the entire original cast back in '96 and to see two of them come back was a treat. I hadn't seen the show in nearly three years (this recent visit was my 11th) and it was great to see it live once again... and to be with such a loud and happy audience. I agree with you Tamyra was great (so often replacement Mimi's have not been... the Spice Girl who was in the show a few years back was terrible). I'm tempted to go back one more time while these guys are in the show. By the way, cheaper than tkts is picking up tickets in the back row of the mezz. It's only $45 and the Nederlander is small enough the view is just fine.

[Alisha]

OHMYGAWD

This post brings back memories of a different time, Joshie, and a different place...and Brent telling me that I had the best ass below 14th street in front of our Jr. High lockers in Central Minnesota.

Thank you for this post. I love it.

Miss you--

Lishy

[Adam]

Kind of a side note: did you guys know about this?

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/6004

[Roy]

Never seen Rent, but now will have to. Hav always like Anthony Rapp, from the first time I saw him in School Ties. Boys, Boys, Boys, so to stand out in a crowd like Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnell,Brendan Fraser, and Ben Affleck, was pretty good.

But I digress from what I want to say. You boys are just too... So I cruised your archives, and like what I see a lot. I must admit have a huge cyber-crush on Josh K. Never fear, I am an old guy tucked away in Texas only getting to mingle amongst the "rich and famous" online.

Thanks for the blog - I am sure that you did it all for me. No?,thanks anyway.

[Schroeder]

Wow... I just do not get the Rent love. I completely hate this musical. I don't care for the music, and I think the storyline is a bit unmoving. They don't want to pay rent. Why the hell not? Because they're artists they feel they do not have to?
I sometimes wonder if Rent got as much publicity and motivation because of Larson's death and because it had been a slow year on Broadway the year before.
I mean, it's interesting and acceptable to see others who love this show, but I just do not care for it and don't see the appeal.
Perhaps, if I had been 13 when it had come out, but I wasn't. I was near ... 19? At the time. Small town, like you were, but still... didn't touch me the same way. I was always wondering why the hell they felt they didn't have to pay rent.

[tekay]

Thanks for the review Josh, that was awesome...I'm going to the city next week, I'll definitely have to check out the show and see the guys again. Those were truly some special days. Glad you had a great time!

Personal quibble: As a big old theatre queen, could you say Cast Recording instead of soundtrack in your post. Both Ant and Adam are on the Original Broadway Cast Recording and the Movie Soundtrack. Two very different beasts.

Have a great weekend.

[Carissa]

I'm going to see them on Tuesday for my 6th time. Thanks for the review. :)

"Forget regret or life is yours to miss, no other road, no other way, no day but today" became my new life motto after I first saw it in November of 1996. It game me the courage to tell the guy I liked that I liked him. He in turn told me that he was gay. No regrets. :)

(And you don't have to be a student for the $25 tickets, you just have to be lucky.)

[Jenn]

I saw RENT for the 8th time on Broadway, but last weekend was the best because I also saw it with Adam and Anthony and I couldn't help but laugh when you said you almost passed out during one song glory, because i nearly did too. It is my favorite song of the show and hearing Adam croon in only a way he can made me shiver. There are some great clips on youtube if you havent already found them. Viva la le boheme!

[Bud]

I know I'll probably get roasted for this but anyway....it's a cast album, not a soundtrack, soundtracks are from films, cast albums are from musicals on the stage. Thank you and love your site.

[Vance]

The last time I saw Rent, it was with Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp in London. I've waited 9 years again to see it but it was definitely worth it. But I agree, too bad Jesse L Martin and Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel couldn't come along because the Collins, Angel, Benny and Maureen were just not as good.

And maybe because of the xerox feel, it left some of the clunkier moments in the middle a little open to show its flaws because Rent was THE favorite musical of all time but I think Spring Awakening has overtaken it (though I do wonder if I will feel that way again in 10 more years or if it's just cause of the xerox feel).

Still, Rapp and Pascal were standouts. When they sang together in What You Own, the rush of my teenage years came flooding back!

[joe to hell]

arent they.....a little old to be playing the same parts?

[JustJenny]

OMG! I just saw them on Rent today in Austin. Amazing stuff. Even better than in the movie!!! I love Rent and they totally embody the characters...I dont care how old they are. THEY ROCK!