A Scenic World

RENT was one of those musicals that changed my life. I first heard about it in the spring of my senior year of high school - around April 1997. One of the news shows was covering the macabre story of its conception, how the young playwright, Jonathan Larson died the night of the dress rehearsal; he never lived to see his play open on Broadway. At the time, my friend Sharlie was planning to be in the pageant of our high school and was looking for a song she could sing. On the news broadcast, they played a snippet of “One Song Glory.” I found it so hauntingly beautiful that I went out and bought the soundtrack. I played the song for Sharlie and begged her to perform it; she declined, but I had the soundtrack now and was hooked.

I’d gotten the internet earlier that year and did some research on the musical. It was playing at the Nederlander Theatre in New York City. NYC was exotica in the extreme for this little South Carolina girl who had never really been to a big city. And “Nederlander Theatre!” It sounded like another world. I printed the information and took it with me to school to next day.

As luck would have it, I was early - extremely early. It gave me time to work up the nerve to call the theatre to find out how much the tickets were. To me, Broadway was something only rich people did; I expected the tickets to be $500, maybe even $1000. When they told me they had tickets for $75, I nearly laughed. I could afford that! So I bought four, even though I hadn’t discussed my plans with anyone.

I ended up with a rag-tag crew to accompany me. Lee went because he had an online girlfriend in New Jersey he was frantic to meet. Paul went because he loved the music as much as I did and wanted to see NYC. Amanda - I don’t know why she went. Honestly, I think she had some idea of staying, of running away from home, but luckily she came back with us.

It was my first trip without my parents. It was my first time to the magical city that I’ve grown to love and visit numerous times since. And when I watched RENT performed - all those songs I knew by heart, that story that pits art against money, survival against death, good against evil - it all came to life right in front of me.

I’ll miss you, RENT.