I Own, No Emotion, I RENT!!!

Right before we were leaving for Europe my brother called me and asked if I would like to go see Rent with him. He had seen it live and told me after he went that the next time he went he wanted me to go too. He is super sweet like that. Anyways, he calls as I am packing and checking the weather and my life was quite insane so I told him to send me the dates and I would get back to him. Of course I wanted to go, I just couldn't quite think about it at that time.

But we ended up going to see Rent at the California Musical Theatre in Sacramento and it was beyond fabulous!

It was also super special because Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp are on this tour and they are original cast members! They are fabulous and every scene that included just the two of them was awesome, they have incredible chemistry. Plus it's cool to think, wow I just watched you in the movie. :)

Here is my super cool brother who put the whole thing together:

Here is Aaron, mi hermanos novio (pchsshh, my Spanish is SO good). For those of you English speakers that means: Here is Aaron, my brother's boyfriend.


Pictures of the ticket...no importance but I am really into close up print photos lately.

My mom came too, isn't she so cute? This is right before she smacked me and told me to "call [my] brother" for the 400th time.

So I don't really know what to say besides the fact that it was absolutely wonderful. I am a fan of the movie but it is just made for the stage. The whole experience made me re-remember why live performances are so great. The energy and improvisation and simplicity of the set really make you appreciate the actors. And their voices! Ugh, what I wouldn't give to be able to sing like them!

Flare for the dramatic much?

I think what I love about theater is the instant gratification, you act, we clap, you sing, we clap some more. It is right there, it is responsive. You should have heard the audience when Anthony and Adam walked on stage, they went crazy because people wanted to see them especially.

Most of the plays/musicals I have been to before have been complex in their sets, which is awesome and I always admire how timely and coordinated everything is. With Rent it is rare that the lights go out for a set change, they just use what they have.

Rent is also so great when it comes to subject matter. People still don't talk about AIDS and the homeless and homosexuals and death. Rent has always affected me on an emotional level and I find that every time I listen to the soundtrack or watch the movie or musical I find myself relating to a new line that runs over and over in my head for weeks. This particular time it was "I own, no emotion, I rent"...I often feel this way. In fact one of my goals is to feel my emotions 100%, to be sad when sad and happy when happy and be present. It's difficult but I think capturing our own emotions helps us discover and find ourselves.

I loved the musical so much that I went home and told Cody about it right away. For just a second he got a flicker in his eye of "oh-I-wish-I-could-have-gone" syndrome and I was online buying tickets for the next night. I couldn't help it, I wanted him to see it, and he wanted to see it too. So we went the next day! He loved it too. And now, I am on a theater kick...

My Way anyone? A musical tribute to Frank Sinatra? Count me in! Or what about this one...?

I would love love love love to see Wicked.

I have already decided the next time we are in London we are seeing a show in the West End. You should see the tube station, you can't take a step without seeing a new poster for a new show. On any given night you can decide between at least 20 different shows. Sounds wonderful to me!

Thank you Rich! La vie boheme!