Wizard on Broadway part 2 -- Rent Review

This was originally going to be one long post, but it ran so long I'm going to break it into three pieces. Here is part two on the musical Rent.

I would describe Rent as a 90s version of Hair. Much like Hair, it is a period piece, focusing on a group of friends, with a number of loose interweaving stories going on once. The central focus is an economy apartment, seemingly with no heat, as the various characters pass in an out of. The first half was a bit more plot-driven. Something about trying to scrape up rent money, rezoning the building as a business, and a vacant lot next door where the homeless were camping out. I didn't fully understand how these pieces all fit together, they seemed to rush through the explanations between songs.

By the second half a whole host of characters and plot lines had been introduced and my head was spinning try to keep it all straight. Everybody seemed to be arguing with each other and the group was struggling to remain as a group, in favor of going their separate ways.

I lived in Baltimore when Rent first came out, and seemed to be the hottest ticket on Broadway. It was not uncommon for Baltimoreans to take weekend trips to New York, and the topic of Rent often came up. Never do I recall hearing a bad review. The show seemed so hot at the time that it would be a sacrilege to say anything bad about it. So, let me be the first.

I didn't care for Rent. There you have it. Nothing against the actors, stagecraft, music, or any of that jazz. Maybe it is just me, but I think a good story should be what carries a show. As I already mentioned, Rent had several different stories going on at once. The many characters were constantly appearing and disappearing, interrupting each other, and talking about multiple issues at once.

Even with a loose story line you can still have a great musical with great music. For example, I have seen Hair three times, and would be happy to see it again. That had almost not plot at all, but the music carried the show. The music of Rent seemed to be deliberately loud and shocking. Sometimes there was something soft and slow, but that seemed consistent with the chaotic and unpredictable tone of the show. Some music doesn't sit well the first listening, but you have to learn to like it. Perhaps Rent is like that. All I can say is that based on one listening, I would be in no hurry to put the soundtrack in my CD player.

So, there you have it, I didn't like Rent. Tie me to a post and poke me with pitchforks, but it did little for me. The entire time if I wasn't struggling to keep the names and issues straight I was looking at my watch, awaiting my rush for the door out. If you do plan to see Rent, and have no idea what to expect, I would recommend doing some advance research. Based on my experience, I would not see it totally cold off the streets, as I did. Rent was adapted into a movie, which I have not seen, but perhaps that would help.

My mother did not like rent either. It is a very confusing story if you do not know what is going on. I remember the first time I saw it I found the way the show was done to be strange.

So were going to have a screening of the rent movie or the filming of the final broadway show right?

Quote: NicksGamingStuff

My mother did not like rent either.

It is nice to know I'm not alone. It is not very PC to dislike a show where half the characters have AIDS. I give them their due social points for that, but doesn't necessarily make it an entertaining show.

Quote: Wizard

It is nice to know I'm not alone. It is not very PC to dislike a show where half the characters have AIDS. I give them their due social points for that, but doesn't necessarily make it an entertaining show.

Rent is a little bit dated now. I have always felt funny going to a touring show in New York. I usually try and stick to one of the standard theaters.
Internet Broadway Database.

I would say that I like to see a play as well as a musical, but Broadway seems a little thin on plays.
Other Desert Cities
The Mountaintop
War Horse

London always has a wider selection of plays between the RSC and NT.

Rent is one of my favorite shows. I would put it in my top two or three all-time. It is based on the opera "La Boheme." The original Broadway production closed in 2008, so the one you saw was an Off-Broadway revival, and a very new one at that. That may have colored the performance.

It was revolutionary when it came out. It still holds up well, in my opinion. Sorry to hear you didn't like it. Taste runs the gamut. I can't stand "Les Miserables," for example.

Quote: teddys

Rent is one of my favorite shows. I would put it in my top two or three all-time. It is based on the opera "La Boheme."

I prefer "La Boheme" even though the story is ridiculous. La Bohème is a worthy tribute to the ideal.

Don't forget that the Wizards favorite show is The Phantom of the Opera!

Quote: Wizard

I didn't care for Rent. There you have it. Nothing against the actors, stagecraft, music, or any of that jazz. Maybe it is just me, but I think a good story should be what carries a show. As I already mentioned, Rent had several different stories going on at once. The many characters were constantly appearing and disappearing, interrupting each other, and talking about multiple issues at once.

Wizard, next time I come to visit, you and I are going to have some trivia time on musicals...

I'm VERY GLAD to hear you don't like Rent. This is a pedestrian musical that was targeted to a very specific demographic. Had Jonathan Larson not had a tragic death (unrelated to AIDS, ironically) RIGHT before the show opened (like the day before opening night), I don't think it would have been as popular. Just as some artists are appreciated more after their death, this musical gets the same treatment.

As a result, it has become what I call a "pedestrian musical." These are shows designed to appeal to a wide variety of audiences, whose music transcends Broadway and becomes its own phenomenon. Ask most people what their favorite show is, and most will answer one of the following musicals: Phantom of the Opera (Lloyd Webber), Wicked, Rent, Cats, Les Miserables. This is a separate group from the TOURIST musicals: Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Billy Elliot, Hairspray (although that does have a musical theater following), basically anything by Disney.

Unfortunately, Broadway is a business, much like the casinos, and they have to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Steven Sondheim is the most brilliant composer, but most of his musicals are not accessible to the general public (save Sweeney Todd, but even then, it's pretty complex). Artsy shows appear less and less and theme park shows (Green Day American Idiot, Rock of Ages) get all the rage. They don't USUALLY (Lion King being the big exception) garner many awards, but look at what lasts on Broadway.

I agree that Hair's music may be one of the best ever written, from a pop culture standpoint. The show is hazy at best (of course, what do you expect about a show centered around drug culture). The movie is an abomination of the original play (although the performance of Easy to be Hard is one of the most heart wrenching... I would love to see that number on stage). Rent's music is, again, pedestrian, attempting to appeal to both theater goers as well as the general populace. Just say the number 500 25 Thousand 600 Minutes... Now that song is stuck in your head.

Please check out my endorsement of Book of Mormon. I can't say enough good about it, and that's just from hearing the music!

Spamalot was pretty funny. The song "A song that goes like this" was an inspired bit of parody.

Quote: Tiltpoul

Wizard, next time I come to visit, you and I are going to have some trivia time on musicals...

I'm VERY GLAD to hear you don't like Rent...

I'm afraid I won't do too well on the subject of musicals. I've probably seen more than the average person, but still am missing lots of classics. Now, NicksGamingStuff, who is moving to Vegas shortly, should be able to give you a run for your money. Perhaps I could come up with some questions and let the two of you square off.

Regarding Rent, thanks for backing me up that I'm not the only one who didn't like it. I certainly did not know all that background information. At the time it came out everyone seemed to be falling all over themselves praising it. The next time in New York I'm going to go more by topics that interest me. The subject matter of Rent did nothing for me, but I felt obligated to see the musical of the 90s. At least I can cross that off my list.

Quote: Wizard

I'm afraid I won't do too well on the subject of musicals. I've probably seen more than the average person, but still am missing lots of classics. Now, NicksGamingStuff, who is moving to Vegas shortly, should be able to give you a run for your money. Perhaps I could come up with some questions and let the two of you square off.

LoL... I don't know, I'm a chip off my father's block, and it would be tough to stump me...

My Dad and I could probably cover any show from any era (my Dad gets opera and early broadway, I take on more modern shows, and 80s/90s trivia). He has music directed over 100 shows, including Music Man 11 times.

Quote: Tiltpoul

He has music directed over 100 shows, including Music Man 11 times.

The original Music Man had 40 songs, can you imagine? 22
were cut for the Broadway version. Robert Preston did over
1300 performances of MM, I don't know how they do it, day
after day, night after night for years. He was replaced by, of
all people, Eddie Albert, of Green Acres fame. Dick VanDyke
did 21 shows for the revival in 1980.

Quote: EvenBob

The original Music Man had 40 songs, can you imagine? 22
were cut for the Broadway version. Robert Preston did over
1300 performances of MM, I don't know how they do it, day
after day, night after night for years. He was replaced by, of
all people, Eddie Albert, of Green Acres fame. Dick VanDyke
did 21 shows for the revival in 1980.

That's the kind of trivia he could tell you. Actually, most of the time he's directed it was in Iowa, and every community theater is obligated to do the show every few years in Iowa. Meredith Wilson was from there, and actually wrote the Iowa fight song as well.

After the 8th time doing it, he said he would never music direct it again... and swears after the 11th he won't. I will say he's probably the number one authority on HOW to direct it. I was in it twice under his musical direction, and he explains every number and why certain things have to be emphasized.

Quote: EvenBob

The original Music Man had 40 songs, can you imagine? 22 were cut for the Broadway version.

Wikipedia only lists 17 for the soundtrack. Which song is missing?

1. Rock Island – Traveling Salesmen, Ensemble
2. Iowa Stubborn – Traveling Salesmen, Ensemble
3. "Ya Got Trouble" – Robert Preston, Ensemble
4. Piano Lesson / If You Don't Mind My Saying So – Shirley Jones, Pert Kelton
5. Goodnight, My Someone – Shirley Jones
-. Ya Got Trouble/Seventy-six Trombones – Robert Preston, Ensemble
6. Sincere – Buffalo Bills
7. Sadder but Wiser Girl – Robert Preston
8. Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little – Hermione Gingold, Biddys
9. Marian The Librarian – Robert Preston
10. Being in Love – Shirley Jones
11. Gary, Indiana – Robert Preston
12. Wells Fargo Wagon – Ensemble
13. Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell You – Buffalo Bills, Shirley Jones
-. Gary, Indiana (Reprise) – Ron Howard
-. Lida Rose (Reprise)
14. Shipoopi – Buddy Hackett, Ensemble
15. Till There Was You – Shirley Jones
16. Goodnight, My Someone – Shirley Jones, Robert Preston, Ensemble
17. Seventy-six Trombones


All of the show's songs were retained for the film with the exception of "My White Knight", which was replaced by "Being in Love"; this new song included some of the original song's lyrics.

Quote: pacomartin

Wikipedia only lists 17 for the soundtrack. Which song is missing?

Rustle of Spring is listed elsewhere, but not on Wiki.

I would have to say that being a fan of rent is like being one of the people who goes to the rocky horror picture show every week. It is a definite group of fans that go all the time (using the $20 per ticket lottery). From a purely technical point of view (meaning how the music is written etc..) Jon Larsons other show Tick Tick Boom is supposed to be better (the show is about him writing rent). I thought the rent movie (the 2005 one) was terrible! I would like to see the new production of rent.

Quote: pacomartin

Wikipedia only lists 17 for the soundtrack. Which song is missing?

1. Rock Island – Traveling Salesmen, Ensemble
2. Iowa Stubborn – Traveling Salesmen, Ensemble
3. "Ya Got Trouble" – Robert Preston, Ensemble
4. Piano Lesson / If You Don't Mind My Saying So – Shirley Jones, Pert Kelton
5. Goodnight, My Someone – Shirley Jones
-. Ya Got Trouble/Seventy-six Trombones – Robert Preston, Ensemble
6. Sincere – Buffalo Bills
7. Sadder but Wiser Girl – Robert Preston
8. Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little – Hermione Gingold, Biddys
9. Marian The Librarian – Robert Preston
10. Being in Love – Shirley Jones
11. Gary, Indiana – Robert Preston
12. Wells Fargo Wagon – Ensemble
13. Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell You – Buffalo Bills, Shirley Jones
-. Gary, Indiana (Reprise) – Ron Howard
-. Lida Rose (Reprise)
14. Shipoopi – Buddy Hackett, Ensemble
15. Till There Was You – Shirley Jones
16. Goodnight, My Someone – Shirley Jones, Robert Preston, Ensemble
17. Seventy-six Trombones


All of the show's songs were retained for the film with the exception of "My White Knight", which was replaced by "Being in Love"; this new song included some of the original song's lyrics.

I believe there is also a reprise of Til There Was You, it takes place after Goodnight, My Someone and before the end (there is no finale, the kids all come out in the band uniforms and play the instruments horribly, but the parents are enamored with the sight and forgive Harold Hill).

Quote: Wizard

Rent was adapted into a movie, which I have not seen, but perhaps that would help.

I did not see the musical, but the movie was horrible. Save your money and time.

Quote: pacomartin

Spamalot was pretty funny. The song "A song that goes like this" was an inspired bit of parody.

I've enjoyed the Monty Python movies. But I was totally underwhelmed
when I saw the traveling show of Spamalot. The tag-line says something
about being "ripped off from the motion picture".

I'd say that sums it up pretty well.