You’ve seen RENT dozens of times
Can’t even count the number of times you’ve listened the cast recording on repeat
It’s been a while between visits
You go to see a high school production
To support one of your camp kidlets
And walking down the hallway to the auditorium
You’re moved by the messages scrawled in black sharpie
On the white plastic drapes adorning the walls
No day but today!
Today 4 You
ACT UP!
And the production itself is astonishing
A bare bones set
With a giant rectangular platform in the middle of the stage that with some ensemble muscle
Becomes a revolve
The vocals blow you away
You almost forget these are high schoolers
And then you catch a glint of silvery braces
And even though you can still recite every lyric from memory
They make you see the show in a whole new way
With their original line deliveries
And subtle contemporary hints
Like La Vie Boheme with Cups choreography
The girl playing Maureen (who already has a Broadway credit to her name)
Delivers the most epic Over the Moon you’ve ever seen
The energy of it
The vocal gymnastics of it
The comedic timing of it
The way the audience got to participate
Like we were in the lot
MOOOO!
And although you love their energy
And the spirit they bring to the show
It’s funny to side with Benny now
“A state of the art, digital, virtual interactive studio
I'll forego your rent
And on paper guarantee
That you can stay here for free”
Excuse me
Did Benny just offer these bohemian artists a rent free loft apartment in the Village with studio space for making art and high tech equipment?!
Sorry Maureen. The protest is off.
At the end of the show, the audience leapt to its feet
In the lobby, the buzzy energy of kids on a post-performance high
Proud parents and older siblings carrying bouquets of flowers
You hug your camper and tell her proud you are
What a joy it is to see her shine
And you head home
With a lightness in your step.