Measure in Love: How RENT Is More Than A Show

On Saturday, I attended a concert with a family friend. She was having fun, but I was too busy getting my ears blasted with 10 screeching teenage girls behind me. At one point in the concert, a woman took off her bra and flung it onto the stage. Now I have only been to one concert before (FUN.), and I had fun (no pun intended). There was no bra flinging, drunk people, etc. It was just an arena full of people that loved the music.
Now going back to the concert on Saturday.
I was... confused. There were many families with young kids there. Those young kids saw a woman throw her bra onto the stage. There were ear shattering screams. So why is theatre different?
As the incident occurred, a thought popped into my head: why did Trumbull High's production of RENT need to be cancelled?

Commercial #1 for RENT: School Edition (if you are seeing this via email, click here!)

As a refresher, Trumbull High faced issues with RENT 2 days after the fall production of GAME NIGHT. The principal cancelled the production of RENT: School Edition due to controversial themes. Due to the leadership of Senior student and THeSpian Society President, Larissa Mark (who is being awarded the first ever Dramatist Legal Defense Fund's Defender Award at The Dramatists Guild of America Annual Award Gala on Feb. 24, 2014) organized a peaceful response to get RENT back on track, which has happened. I'll get to that in a bit.

As stated, RENT has controversial themes that are present even in the School Edition, such as homosexuality, AIDS, drug use and others. How can that be bad, but someone throwing their undergarments onto a concert stage not be?

During the 1980s, when the AIDS epidemic began, it was a horrid time. THS Musical Director Jerold Goldstien talks about what it was like to be an actor in New York City during this time. Choreographer Frank Root has even mentioned his struggles as an actor in New York and trying to make rent.

Staging LA VIE BOHEME

The show even was true to those who portrayed the characters on Broadway and even the composer Jonathan Larson. Though he never lived to see RENT's opening night, he left his message of "No Day But Today" loud and clear. Larson had many friends that were fighting HIV/ AIDS and was a struggling artist. The show touched millions during its 12 year Broadway run, many who are part of the show at THS, and those that understand what it is like to be hurt, depressed, and struggling for acceptance.

RENT: School Edition will be playing at Trumbull High School March 27-30, 2014. Tickets available on thsmusicals.com

Once again, email viewers click here, this is Commercial #2 for RENT

The Eight Leads in this production are as followed:
Mark Cohen- Michael Ell
Roger Davis- Zac Gotschall
Tom Collins- Michael Lepore
Angel Schunard- Matt Buckwald
Benjamin Coffin- Dan Satter
Mimi Marquez- Ava Gallo
Maureen Johnson- Emily Ruchalski
Joanne Jefferson- Casey Walsh

There are featured roles within the ensemble, such as Life Support Group, Seasons of Love Soloists, Homeless, Drug Addicts, etc. 

I can guarantee you that this is a show that will stay with you for a long time. 
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Also, our next Sunday Spotlight is March 2nd at 9pm. It will be with Deidre Goodwin (Broadway Veteren, Dancer, and one of the Cell Block Tango Dancers from the film adaption of CHICAGO). To register, here is the link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6242944915769847298

-Nathan Clift
16 Year Old Junior Student at Trumbull High School
Vice President of the New Paradigm Theatre Youth Board