Rowlett’s Rent problem

On February 1, 1896, Giacomo Puccini’s classic opera, La boheme, opened in Turin, Italy. Almost 100 years to the day, on January 25, 1996, a modern day version of La boheme called Rent opened off-Broadway. Since its’ opening, Rent has inspired and moved many, but a small vocal minority continues to attack the musical and its’ fans. Whether out of ignorance, bigotry, homophobia, xenophobia, misogyny, those who choose to attack fail to see the irony in attacking a performance whose central theme involves looking past all that divides us, to see all that which unites us, and to cherish those around us one minute at a time—five hundred, twenty-five thousand, six hundred times a year.

 

Last week, I read about Rowlett High School’s attempt to stage Rent: School Edition, a version of the musical edited for high school performances. Initially, I Googled “Rent school edition” to see how it differed from the original Broadway musical and found that the changes were made with the blessings of Jonathon Larson’s estate, settling my first worry. Next, I felt jealous that a high school had the opportunity to perform one of the greatest works of art of the 20^th Century and wished that I had had similar opportunities in high school. After my fears resided and envy faded, I began to probe into the story deeper. I found the same bigoted response from certain individuals.

 

It is the same bigoted response my friend received a few years ago. He served as youth pastor at a church in the area. An avid fan of Broadway musicals, he hung a Rent poster in his office. When the senior pastor saw the poster, he made several derogatory comments regarding homosexuals and my friend soon found himself out of a job.

 

It’s the same bigoted response I hear when people continually refer to Rent as the “the AIDS musical,” or the same bigoted response I hear from Christian conservatives preying on the fears of others in their community.

 

In the end, it reveals ignorance and a weak faith. Anyone remotely familiar with Rent understands the universal themes explored therein—truth, beauty, love and the relationships that bind us all together. Only those who have never seen the musical, those who go on only what they’ve heard from their pastor, those lacking knowledge or comprehension of Rent’s message—the ignorant—would believe the bigoted responses.