elizalavelle | (no subject)

So today is my 9 year RENT anniversary (9 years from the first time I saw the show) so I'm going to ramble about that a little bit, but not much as I figure the much longer ramble will come next year.

The fact that this was 9 years ago now is making me feel so old. I can still remember lining up for this show and hearing people talk about camping overnight in line and thinking they were all nuts, who on earth would camp outside on the streets of TO for a show?! ... and then 4 months later I was one of the people who started the 5 night 5 day line up for the last show. Oops.

While I wouldn't count myself a RENThead anymore, I have no desire to see the show right now, I'd go for certain cast members I'm sure and eventually I'll want to go again, but not soon. However I still feel so glad that I found this show because it has done a lot for me. The line taught me a lot more self confidence and was something that made me realize I could meet strangers and by the end of the day part as friends. Nice feeling that.

The show itself teaches you humanity and hope and while that's something I couldn't articulate at the time when people would ask why I kept going back I think that's it. Just the humanity that pours from that show into the audience every night, the connection is amazing! Also throw into that I truely think that most, if not all, RENTheads have obsessive personalities (clearly I'm more than an example of that) so we get hooked easily :)

And of course this year has been such a full circle year for me what with being able to go and see Tamara Podemski sing again, going from being nervous to even show up to a gig to being welcomed at them has just made my year that much brighter :)

So yes, 9 years, much music, many trips to NYC, and I still have some fantastic friends who I met because of this show. That's pretty powerful for one musical!

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According to your LJ it is July 4, 2007. Wow, time flies! ;)
My 9-year RENT-iversary will be September 5th of this year. I am crazy old.

Oops, not sure how I messed up the LJ date, fixed now :) You'd better not be crazy old because that makes me crazy old!

Dude, I am 27! I am in my LATE 20's! Old I tell ya, old. ;)

no no no it doesn't because I'm hitting 26 in a couple of weeks and am telling myself that can't be as old as it sounds! I think I should just stay 25, 25 has been a good year, I can do it again ;)

Hee my one year anniversary will be August 16th 2007 - but I did have to travel from Australia to NY to see it.

I can't wait to see the show again, but I have no idea when I'll be able to.

I agree with everything you wrote, it is hard to describe it to people who haven't experienced it. I mean, I've only seen the show once but when you meet someone who also loves Rent it is like an instant connection.

Happy 9 year anniversary :D

I used to have the toughest time when people would ask "so what exactly do you like so much about this show?" I think that either you get it or you don't. For me I love it, I wouldn't do the line for it now or really much of the RENThead stuff at all anymore but it was a show that was there for me when I needed it and I love all that has come from me being a RENThead :)

I never saw the stage show, but my daughter came home one day with the soundtrack; I liked the songs, but didn't really get what it was about. Then we all went to see the movie, then bought the DVD, then bought *that* soundtrack. While I wouldn't call any of us RENTheads, I think it was a good thing for two teenagers to experience. (and their old man, of course.)

Definitely a good thing. I think most fans discovered the show as teenagers and perhaps there's something in there that's most powerful to that age group. I can't see myself lining up for it now but then it was all that I wanted to do.

I don't like to line up for anything -- my theory is that if it's good, it's good enough to watch on DVD or listen to on CD. I know that's not true, but I *really* hate crowds ... and waiting in the cold's not high on my list, either.

I once lined up from 3am - 10am for rush seats for the final show of Les Mis in TO and the whole first I'd say 85% of the line were scalpers who spent much of the night trying to scare my friends and I away. It didn't work. The freaking BLIZZARD that started around 7 sucked but by then I was determined to get my ticket.

Boy, that story didn't make me any more eager to face either lines *or* crowds. :-)

*dances* I wish I could've done stuff like that, but was lucky enough to see the show at all! When I first saw it, it was 1998 and I was in my last year of high school.

'98 was when I was seeing the show as well :) I was in grade 11 at the time though, midway through high school :)

I went with my vocal music class - we were studying "Seasons of Love," and I feel head-over-heels in love with RENT.

For years, though, the only connection I had was the OBC (borrowed the CD set from a friend and taped it, being that in the late 90s no one had CD burners), so I totally went nutso again when the movie came out!

hehe I totally had a tape of the OBC cast as well originally, and then quickly moved to bootlegs of the TO cast :)

I have one bootleg a friend sent to me a few years back with some OBC performances, and one of the touring cast.

I want to see yours too, but... dial-up. *growls at it*

The one I uploaded was audio, not video (I would do a heck of a lot to get a video copy of the Canadian cast!) if you'd like I can burn you a copy to CD and mail it.

I could trade you for a copy of my video if you'd like - not Canadian, but still shiny and fun!

Sure :) Sounds shiny to me, thank you :D Email me at elizalavelle(at)yahoo(dot)ca and we'll work out details :)

I am obviously beyond slow, but I am finally getting around to this!