"Actual Reality! Act up! Fight AIDS!" :: a review

The raw emotion of it all was overwhelming, and I was a complete basket case by the end -- totally overcome by the beauty of Jonathan Larson's message: "No day but today." 

I've heard it said that with RENT, Jonathan Larson was unknowingly writing his own obituary. And what a beautiful message to leave with the world. At the end of the show, during the finale, they screen the film that Mark has been shooting the whole show. It is a montage of pictures and video footage of the characters and the things they do throughout the show. In the production we saw last night, the director {a personal friend of Mr. Larson's} chose to include pictures of Mr. Larson at the end of the montage. It was so powerful hearing the cast's repetition of "I die without you/No day but today" at the end of "Finale B" while pictures of Mr. Larson were flashing on the screen. It was an incredibly touching and humbling experience sitting there, being so moved by the performance, looking at the cast and the pictures of Mr. Larson, all the while knowing that he was never able to experience the success of his show that I was so enjoying. I am so grateful to Mr. Larson for writing RENT, and for those other individuals who saw how special it is, and wanted to produce it. Thank you, Jonathan Larson. You've inspired me, and changed my life. Going to see RENT has been a venture six years in the making. I first discovered and fell in love with the show in high school. Since then, it's been a goal to see it live. And as life goes, it never toured near me, nor did I have enough money to take a trip to New York to see it. Finally, last night, it was my turn. And it was well worth the wait.