RENT. [Rantlike Blog]

A lot of people assume RENT is just about a bunch of homosexuals who have AIDS and sing. It's not. It's got a message of acceptance and friendship that everyone could benefit from. I'm gonna talk about two of the characters I really learned from and like. .

But first, let me make this clear to those of you unaware. HIV and AIDS are two different things. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is caused by human immunodeficiency virus. Not every gay person has AIDS or HIV.

Continuing.

I'm gonna start with Angel. Angel was the transvestite percussionist who came to the aid of Collins (a complete stranger at the time) putting herself at risk. Angel taught all of them how people should act. Like the story Mark told at her funeral. She helped a group of tourists who were lost in the city. She didn't mind that people looked at her a little strange. She lived how she wanted to live.

Then there was Roger. What I learned from Roger was that you can't run from your problems. You have to face them. He had been afraid to get close to another girl after April killed herself because they had HIV. Then he got close to Mimi (who also had HIV/AIDS) but when she started to get sick he ran away. Literally. From New York to Santa Fe.

The point is. My theatre teacher had to take down his RENT poster. And no, not because it distracted me. Because parents, teachers, administrators said that it was bad. That it was promoting drugs. That it was offensive because they had AIDS/ HIV. The truth is, he had to take it down because I live in a hicktown where homophobes are more prevalent than cornfields. There is nothing negative about RENT. Sure, La Vie Boheme may be a little offensive. But that's one song out of... twenty or thirty. Just because it teaches acceptance, friendship, and equality, it's been banned in a good deal of American schools. And I'm offended by that.

I was listening to a video of one of the original Broadway cast members. He was talking about RENT going off Broadway and it's messages.



I have to say that people should consider the big picture in this case. The minute details are the reasons RENT has been banned by school administrators. The main message is something that everyone should understand and incorporate into their own lives. If they did the world would be a better place for it.


I leave you with the lyrics from the opening song of Act II
COMPANY
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure,
measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In
inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In 525,600 minutes - how do you
measure a year in the life?
How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of
love.

SOLOIST 1
525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan. 525,600 minutes - how can you measure
the life of a woman or man?

SOLOIST 2
In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried. In bridges he burned, or
the way that she died.

COMPANY
It’s time now to sing out, tho the story never ends let's celebrate remember a year in the life of friends. Remember
the love! Remember the love! Remember
the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.


-Thank you for reading-
Posted on December 28th, 2008 at 10:40pm

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