When the cast recording for RENT was released in 1996, I was all over it. Bigtime. In my car. At home. With show choirs I worked with. Shortly, I knew every word. Every song. I heard the score, sang along, and thought it was cool as hell. At some point, like after a year, I put it away and continued my lifelong quest into musical theatre geekland (WAY better than Disneyland, by the way). I think SHE LOVES ME was my next obsession.
Fast forward almost 20 years.
Getting a chance to work on a production of the show, I, instead of just hearing and bopping along with the score, actually listened to it (thank you David Cromer). Read the libretto. And was literally shocked by the material. The issues presented (and fleshed out - to a degree) opened my eyes, and provided me the opportunity to share the show through a completely different lens. A gritty lens. A lens that is totes different than the original production, which lost a lot in translation.
Scott Miller (the badass of musical theatre at new line theatre in St. Louis) notes that rock music is not inherently theatrical. Songs are repetitious. The melody, not the lyrics, drive the show. So, audiences leave the theatre remembering some kick-ass songs, with no clue of what the show was about.
So, at our first read-thru last night, we did a read-thru (sans the cleaning). No music.Text only. It was a challenge to move beyond the rhythms we all knew from the songs, but it happened.
At the conclusion of act one, we processed. Cast members were struck by the story. The conflicts within. The reality. "I never knew that Roger..." "I never realized Angel..." "I can't believe that Benny...". Light bulbs everywhere. No push back about not singing through the show. Everyone was listening and learning.
After a smoke break, act two began. Same deal, but very emotional. Tears. Not because of the lovely Seasons of Love melody, but understanding what it means. Sunsets. Cups of coffee. Savor the moments we forget as we move about our lives.
As we ended act two, I threw a bone about the prevalence and significance of the reoccurring theme of fire. Will you light my candle? Light up a mean blaze with posters and screenplays.Truth like a blazing fire; an eternal flame. The fire is out anyway.
That clearly struck a chord. Responses and connections went places I never imagined. I was in awe at how one read-thru spoke to each individual.
We will continue our journey into the heart of RENT with all table work next week, and moving beyond hearing to listening.
Fire. Burning. Blazing. Eternal.
Bluntly,
Brigadude
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