FROM OUR OFFICIAL RENT BLOGGER: WHY DO YOU LOVE RENT?

During the summer of 2010, I was lucky enough to be cast as Roger in a production of RENT. Unbeknownst to me, I was about to embark on a journey that would solidify my love for RENT, and its ability to create beautiful friendships and relationships with its amazing message. It turned out to be one of the best summers of my life.

I've always liked RENT, but that magical summer was what did me in. The power of being in the show itself is like nothing I've ever experienced. I developed some amazing friendships with the cast and crew, and even met my current girlfriend – a fellow cast member. I cried like a baby when we closed. Before that I had NEVER cried closing a show, nor have I done since.

Since then, I've been trying to recapture the electricity I experienced during that production. ("How could a night so frozen be so scalding hot?") I recently suggested we throw a fundraiser where we would perform a concert version of the show. Our cast would reunite for a few nights to raise money for our community theater.

After sharing my ideas with the cast, a former member told me that she thought I was obsessing over RENT. She called me crazy for loving RENT as much as I did, and for trying to relive the magic of the original production we had created together.

At first I felt embarrassed. Maybe I was taking this RENT thing a bit too far. It's JUST a show, right?

In thinking some more, I've realized no, it's not just a show. RENT is a medium. It's a medium through which connections, relationships, and memories can be made. I love it more than just its story or its songs – I love RENT for its overarching message of love, friendship and acceptance, and for its ability to evoke such strong emotions, in both its performers and audience members alike.

For me, it's like a photo album that rekindles old feelings. Some of my fondest memories are associated with RENT, and the life-changing experience I had performing it.

Everyone is passionate about the good memories in their life. I'm curious to hear about the memories you associate with RENT. Why do you think you love this show? Is it greater than the sum of its parts? Sound off in the comments section.

Oh, and in case you wanted to know what I looked like as Roger, here are a few pictures…

OFFICIAL RENT BLOGGER INTERVIEWS ANDY SEÑOR JR.

Hello folks!

First of all, I hope all my fellow RENTheads living along the East Coast are safe and sound following Hurricane Irene. I realize this weekend was pretty scary for a lot of people, so I hope this blog post finds you well.

In decidedly happier news, I had the chance to shoot off some questions at Andy Señor Jr., former Angel and Michael Greif’s assistant for the new production. He had a lot of interesting things to say about the show's new life at New World Stages in New York City...

Andy Señor Jr.

PAUL: You played in RENT on Broadway at the Nederlander, and now you're involved on the technical side of things in this Off-Broadway revival. One, what made you return to the show? And two, which do you like better: on-stage, or backstage?

ANDY: After being in RENT for so many years with five different companies I'm thrilled to be part of the creative team assisting Michael Greif. I have always wanted to direct as part of the future vision I had for myself. When the opportunity came along I really felt so lucky. It’s a very easy transition to begin this journey with a show and team I know so well. It felt like a perfect fit. Onstage or offstage, I think many people who have worked on this show in any capacity can say that it is very special experience. I love being able to watch the actors discover the show for the first time as I once did. It's a beautiful thing!

PAUL: With the announcement of this revival, my (and many other RENTheads') initial reaction was "Already!?" What were your thoughts on the announcement of a revival, and did you feel it was too soon?

ANDY: It's never too soon for RENT. People want to see this show. People love it.

PAUL: We're seeing a common thread throughout this production. We have the return of Michael Greif to the director's seat, Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum and Allan Gordon producing again, Angela Wendt doing costumes, etc. What do you think of the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" mentality?

ANDY: I don’t think anything is being fixed, but rather explored. I think it’s great that we get to return and see the show again from a different perspective. We get to listen with fresh ears and eyes and go on a journey as if for the first time.

PAUL: Though we do see a lot of familiar faces during this revival, as you've mentioned, this is very much a new staging, and a new production. What are some of the new aspects of the show that excite you the most?

MJ Rodriguez as Angel.
Photo by Joan Marcus.

ANDY: Being a former Angel, I LOVE MJ's Angel in this production. I love the costume and the interpretation. I think it's spot on. On a minor detail...I love all the candles flickering throughout the show. It feels like one big memorial. It's also exciting to get to see the show! I've always been onstage!

PAUL: RENT obviously takes place in a much different New York than the one we see today. How do you bring RENT to a new generation and still make it relevant?

ANDY: How? You just do. The show is written with so much truth and love...two things that can never be outdated.

PAUL: I've talked with Drew Hodges and Jeffrey Seller, and they are both fans of I'll Cover You and the Reprise, and they both have a particular fondness for Collins. So, I must ask, what is Andy Señor Jr.'s favorite character/song, and why?

ANDY: I love Roger. I love his willingness to continue to want to create something lasting and impacting despite the circumstances he faces. It takes something to still be willing to pick up a guitar and write a song. There must be an undercurrent of hope and life still inside. I think that’s beautiful. That’s what I love about the show. I feel that all the characters do this.

PAUL: And for favorite song?

ANDY: I love Without You. Why? Because it's humanity never fails to move me.

I want to give a big Thank You to Andy for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with me. And for you reading, be sure to keep checking back here for more great interviews with the cast and creative team!

Paul

Click here to view Andy's photos of the RENT cast in rehearsal. (You must log in to Facebook to see these photos.)

Follow Andy on Twitter: @andysenorjr

THE JOURNEY BEGINS FOR YOUR OFFICIAL RENT BLOGGER

I woke up around 5:00 am E.S.T. after a night of barely any sleep. I grabbed my luggage and suits and threw them into my car. After passing an accident that involved a big rig and a moose, I met up with my friend, Katie and we were on our way. Yes, I was going from one of the most rural towns in America to NYC, the urban/artistic center of the world. Fish out of water? You could say that.

We arrived at the beautiful Roger Smith Hotel prior to our room being ready, but a meeting with Drew Hodges at 3pm meant I needed to be ready now. So imagine, if you will, two hicks from Maine changing out of their travel clothes and trying to quickly put on a decidedly nicer attire in the bathroom of a fancy hotel in NYC. Oh the things I'll do for you, RENT.

We burst out of the front doors of the hotel, looking as nice as one could look by Maine standards, and I took the first steps on my journey as your RENT blogger.

The next day, I stood inside New World Stages with excitement pumping through my veins. I grabbed my camera and began interviewing people outside the theater. (This video would've been posted, had the audio not been messed up.) I met Kristy and Terry from New Brunswick, and three people who had just met through their love of the show. (One guy was from Ireland.) Before I could find someone else to barrage with questions, the doors swung open and the crowd, including me, made their way into the theater.

The stage for the RENT revival is very reminiscent of its predecessor, but gone is the monument of steel that sat proudly on Stage Left. The set is dark and intricate; a mass of scaffolding spreads out and hugs the entirety of the stage. It works. Roger strolls onto stage with his guitar in hand, just like he always did, and the show begins… on Christmas Eve.

RENT is very much the same show. The new musical arrangements will be hard for even the RENTiest of RENTheads to put their finger on… Which is a good thing. The occasional changed or dropped lyric will jar your attention, but that's because we've all listened to the old arrangements thousands of times. A RENT virgin will have no clue that anything was changed. And when you think about the changes critically, you can understand why they were made.

The costumes are new, but recall the same aesthetic feel as the originals. Mark's glasses and sweater have been turned in for a beanie and a plaid shirt; the latter of which recalls Mark's old jacket. Angel's costumes are the most drastically changed. The Santa outfit has been replaced with a costume that makes him look more like a tree ornament, and his Pussy Galore has never looked better. I could go on and on about all the changes, but I don't want to ruin them for anyone.

Jonathan Larson wrote RENT as an ode to his friends living in NYC, some struggling with AIDS. So, the attention grabber of the night was the characterization of Mark… He. Was. Jon. Look up videos of Jon playing his piano on YouTube. Those mannerisms and charismatic qualities were all funneled into our narrator. I applaud the direction, but also the fantastic work done by Adam Chanler-Berat. It was the most wonderful and beautifully poetic thing I took away from this show. It just seemed right.

In my opinion everything about the RENT revival seems right. The cast, the costumes, the set, the sound, the lighting, the direction… EVERYTHING is spot on. Michael Greif said that with so little time between RENT's run at NYTW and its move to Broadway, things that he wanted to update and improve in the show were impossible due to the time constraints. RENT on Broadway was very much the same show it was at NYTW.

But now, it seems with RENT returning to its roots, that this is the best way to see it. Its own sentimentality and newly injected energy sends it over the top. I was sad to think of RENT no longer being what I knew it to be when I saw it those years ago, but that chapter is over. It lives on in our memories, and in our DVD collections.

RENT's new life is something I'm very excited for, and you should be too. RENT opens today. If you are reading this, you NEED to experience it. I promise you won't regret it.

Paul

www.siteforrent.com

OFFICIAL RENT BLOGGER INTERVIEWS DREW HODGES

Official Blogger, Paul, recently sat down with Drew Hodges, Founder and CEO of SpotCo, RENT's advertising agency. Check out Paul's interview with Drew now!



For tickets and information about RENT at New World Stages, visit www.siteforrent.com.

OFFICIAL RENT BLOGGER INTERVIEWS PRODUCER JEFFREY SELLER

Official Blogger, Paul, recently sat down with Jeffrey Seller to talk about the new Off-Broadway production of RENT, now playing at New World Stages. Watch Paul's interview with Jeffrey to find out more about why RENT is back in New York City and which song from RENT is Jeffrey's favorite!



Look out for more interviews soon! For tickets and information about RENT, please visit www.siteforrent.com.

A WORD FROM YOUR OFFICIAL RENT BLOGGER

In short, I'm an acting, singing, guitar playing, theater guy, who has green eyes, straight teeth, and bites his finger-nails. I discovered RENT in January of 2005. I was given tickets to a touring cast for Christmas by my dad's then-girlfriend's mom. (Get all of that?) I went into the theater not knowing anything about the show or the music. I was going to be a blank canvas for RENT to make an impression on.

I sat quietly in my seat as the play unfolded before me. After the last note rang out, and the house lights came up I stood with the rest of the audience for the standing ovation, but, I had made my decision... I didn't like it.

You're probably thinking, "WHAT!? -- How can this CLOWN be MY official RENT Blogger?"

Well, I'll tell you. It just so happens that during intermission I was still undecided about the show, so, using some leftover Christmas cash, I bought the cast recording.

I listened to that 2-CD set (that I'm sure you probably own) occasionally, but I never really heard it, or listened to its message. I never really gave RENT my full attention until my great grandmother died 2 months later.

"Great Nana" was a wonderfully kind and loving woman. (One of those "living saint" types.) We were very close, and her sudden death took a huge toll on me. She was the first person to die that I was very close to, and it was her death that opened my eyes and ears to RENT's message.

The songs took on a whole new life and meaning. "Measure your life in love." "No Day But Today." "Forget Regret." Every word resounded within me now, and Jonathan Larson's music elevated my spirits and helped me through one of the hardest times of my life. I've been a RENThead ever since.

I'm not a RENThead because of the number of times I've seen the show. (My count is at four: two touring casts, and twice in NYC.)

I'm not a RENThead because I own the movie, or any other amount of merchandise. (A keychain, a button, and a T-shirt.)

I'm not even a RENThead because I know all the lyrics to the songs.

I'm a RENThead, because like you, RENT has touched me in a very special way. I believe in RENT's fundamental message, and it makes me a better person. That's why, if you're reading this, you're a RENThead too.

Welcome to our brand new site for this exciting new production of RENT in New York City. I'm so happy to be your Official Blogger, and I can't wait to share my love of RENT with you. (And vice versa)

No Day But Today,
Paul

ENTER THE BIGGEST RENTHEAD CONTEST BY MAY 19!

Calling all true RENTheads! Do you love RENT more than all others? Is your knowledge of RENT’s history, cast, and storyline superior to that of everyone you know? Have you memorized all the lyrics to “La Vie Boheme”? Now is the time to put that knowledge to good use!

We are looking for the Biggest RENThead out there to be our Official Blogger. The winner of the Biggest RENThead Contest will be given unprecedented access to the new production of RENT, including meeting and interviewing the cast, attending rehearsals, and much more! Our Biggest RENThead will then blog on www.siteforrent.com, sharing their insider knowledge and experiences with fans all over the world. Click here for details on how to enter!

Contest entries must be received no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time on May 19, 2011.