Need some splaining from theatre people (Page 2)

Rant on

My best friend did a whole e-mail rant on the destruction of american theatre by American Idol "also rans"...this was in ref. to our main professional theatre closeing this week.  Appearantly they were doing a production of Tarzan in conjuction with a theatre in Atlanta...the Atlanta theatre spent the 2 million dollars fronted by our theatre on other shows and projects, and two weeks ago, contacted our theatre and said...we have no more money and no show.  Our theatre was already in debt and struggling, this drove the nail into the coffin.  Bad fiscal managment on both sides.  Out theatre should have had better accountability for 2 effing million dollars...and WTF did the Atlanta theatre think when they spent that money.  of course lawsuits are flying, but the damage is done...AMT (american musical theatre) in San Jose is gone!  Ok...Rant over

Hmmm... not sure this is the wise choice but here it goes...

It was not the production.  It was the story.  maybe I was just in a bad mood (I guess my wife was too then) but we both thought it was a lot of people feeling sorry for themselves.  For not taking responsibility for their actions.

With the risk of sounding too harsh (and yes I'm simplifying) we came away with "boo hoo, I'm gonna die of AIDS that I got via drug use or unprotected sex.."  I guess I don't feel sorry for people who make bad decisions and then expect sympathy.

Overall I thought it was a REAL downer...we actually thought about walking out at intermission.

And I'd like to be clear that this has nothing to do with being pro or anti-gay 

FLAME ON...

All I will say is if you consider the context of when the show was original conceived (late 80s), and the story behind the author, etc, "sympathy" is not really what they're after. Historically (in the 80s), the AIDs epidemic was still new, information about what it was, how it was spread, etc, was still pretty new. Yes, drug use and unprotected sex are risky behavior, but it's not what the show is about. It's about love and friendships and keeping each other going in a time of crisis. The particular crisis was the rise of the AIDs epidemic, specifically how it affected the bohemian NYC community.

The play itself isn't very specific as to the timeframe, as I recall, but the new movie version is, which I think is very important - it sets it in 1989. That puts things in perspective a bit.

It's also not just about AIDs. It's about artistic struggle as well - Mark with the video camera, Roger with the songs, Maureen with her performance art, Benny selling out and opening a studio, etc. This theme is fairly common among writers of plays, books, music, etc. Artistic integrity in the face of what is new, what sells, changing times, etc.

five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes...

Now I can't get it out of my head, AGAIN.

It is perfectly ok to not like a show...I can't stand most of Edward Albee plays...I ran lights for Who's afraid of virginia wolf last year...and after the tech weekend, I turned to the guy running sound and said, I am not sure I will last the whole run of the show.  For similiar reasons.  I like Rent, I like the music and some of the message, and having many friends who are HIV+ and have been since the mid 80s...I understand where the play is coming from a bit more.  The saddest part of the show to me, is that Jonathon Larson died just days before it opened of an aortic aneurysm that had been misdiagnosed.  It is believed that if it had been properly diagnosed he would still be alive.  He never saw his Opus on broadway.  I cried when it won the Tony and his sister accepted the award. 

Oh and I hate Kiss me Kate!!!!...What shall we do when it is "So darn hot" out...how about a high energy dance number! 

To each his own!  At least it wasn't a show you liked that was performed badly!

I can't wait to see what they decide.  I imagine they'll take out the lines like, "You used to tie me up.  It's a living.  I didn't recognize you without the handcuffs..."

I used to use Rent as my background music for cleaning the house until my kids got old enough to understand or at least repeat all the swears.