I first heard of RENT around Spring of 96 (or it was 97???) and my mom bought my friend Aubry the RENT cd's for her Conformation gift because she loved the show (and she saw the OBC!). But I thought nothing of it, except I wondered what it was about, why the characters look weird, and why that guy in the right top hand corner looked like Tom Everett Scott (he did a little!).
January 2, 1998 was where it all started! A small group of us (me, Andi, Steph and Jill) were all going to Steph's house for the day. Well in the car ride we listened to...RENT! The only songs I could make out were "La Vie Boheme" and "I Should Tell You". So we asked Jill to make us a copy. Andi kept hogging the tapes so I rarely got a chance to listen to them. The first time I heard it I didn't like it much so it took a while to grow on me. After listening to it all the time I memorized the cast and found all these wonderful boards and links (thanks Jill). But I was also very upset that I couldn't get to see the cast that was on the CD and by the time I heard that Anthony Rapp had left, it was wayyy too late. Then finding out that he was Daryll from Adventures in Babysiting REALLY made my day!
Then...that one faithful day in February...I saw the pic of the man whom I want to marry (Kidding, but close enough)...LUTHER CREEK!! He was in a Program/playbill of the early Angel cast that Andi's teacher had. So Jill told me who this guy was and that he had BRIGHT hair (therefor Jill gave him the name Bright@$$). And I wanted to find every pic of this guy and who he was. Jill helped LOTS! She gaves me disks with pictures and sounds...I was a happy person! Then I heard that Luther was going to be in Canada after he left the Angel cast (which I had no clue what that was at the time). So we found the RENT in Canada message board! So I kept up with that cast, what he was up to and so on. Made TONS of great friends from there!! It was a GOOD year!!
Along with loving Luther Creek came the infamous "Folder" with the many Luther pictures, the nicknames are for Luther (Loser Freak, Rat-boy, Rat-munk, and so on!!) and my nicknames too (Rat-girl, Creek lover, CreekPhreak, ect). BUT it was a very very momentus day!! I was SOOO excited! After almost a whole year of talking about him I was finally going to see him and one August 8, 1998 I did!! GREAT DAY! Luther I miss you and luv you lots! HEY, he saw the "Folder", he knows!
So as the year went on I learned more and more and more about each cast and each cast member and so on!!
And one day I read one the boards that the Angel cast was going to Philly...you can imagine my happiness. So our aunt said she was going to pay for our tickets as an early birthday present. I coldn't believe it, I was FINALLY going to see Rent!! What a joyous day!! So we planned a group thing. Andi, Jill, Steph, Erin and I went and saw RENT for the first time! And it was the Angel cast, who I heard so many good things about. So on July 8, 1998 in Philly...we saw RENT. Unforgettable day!!
RENT has been such an inspiration show and such a thrill to see and I am so glad I became a fan of this show. If not I would've never made such wonderful online friends, was open to new music (such as Idina, Tony, Chad, Jen, Sas, Cary, Adam, Laura *Maya* etc) and so on...RENT is everything, it's life. I'm not saying that everything I do revolves around RENT, but it is now a big part of my life and I will always carry a place for it in my heart.
I also try and keep track with the RENT actors who were cast in movies such as Daphne in "Wild Things" (I even marked it on my calendar!!), Taye Diggs in "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" and "Go!", "Adam Pascal in "SLC Punks", ALL of Anthony Rapp's movies (I was finally able to meet him in DE for Charlie Brown) and so on!! OH and Jose in that Circut City commercial and Jacques Smith in the Burger King commercial!
RENT is great and if you haven't seen it...SEE IT!! Most of my friends and classmates are sick of me (and our RENT groupie) talking about RENT and the cast members. I would be too, but it's something I love and enjoy talking about and I can't get enough of it. Even if they keep saying "I hate RENT" "Why would I want to see that, it sounds so stupid!" Do they know what it's about? NO. Have they heard it before? Should they see it so they can FINALLY understand?? If they don't see it or hear it then what right do they have to say whether it's good or bad?? It holds a beautful and powerful message and that's one of the main reason the show is so wonderful. Plus the greatness of the music, songs and, of course, the amazing actors who are a pleasure to meet!!!
That's me and RENT and thank you for reading!!
