These are the finishing words of RENT, a show that many say changed the face of musical theater for generations to come. The show is daring and candid, raw and irreverent at times, but it's over arching message is one of hope, love and belief in the power of community above all else. Its use of rhetoric in the infamous song, "how do you measure a year?" asks us all to evaluate how and where we spend our time and energy – what does one consider to be the currency of their life…
I fully admit to having a deep love for this show – I've loved it since high school, and I've seen it several times (on both coasts) and sung belted the score for what seems the better part of my angst-y teenage years. It's become an old friend, and I couldn't believe that I had made it into the show when I got the call. In so many ways it was a dream finally realized! I couldn't believe it!
Looking back now, having finished the show several months ago, it's come around full circle. Once again, my life became consumed with RENT and the lyrics took on new meaning with this new stage of life that I find myself in. I realized new value and depth in words I'd only glossed over before. It's like I was falling in love all over again (cue sappy music).
The rehearsal and production schedule was intense - rehearsals five days a week, five hours a night, and once the show went up, we had five shows a weekend for five weeks. I lived and breathed the theater – it turned my life upside down – but I wouldn't change it for anything.
So here are some pictures chronicling the rehearsals and the performances.
The Rehearsal Stills:
The Production Stills:
Pictures by Eric Chazankin
