When you heard or see the word “rent”, what is the first thing crosses you mind? To many people the word “rent” it is associated with a house, and an apartment. Yet the word “rent” it could mean anything to different people, such as, divide apart as a community, families, or relationship. However, the first time the word “rent” came across my mind, it had thought of rent payment for an apartment, yet another object came across was the musical Rent. Rent is a rock and pop musical with book, lyrics, and music by Jonathan Larson. It is loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera LA Bohème. Rent is a story of a group of impoverished young artist financially struggling to survive, and under the shadow of HIV and AIDS in the neighborhoods of New York
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Why did Jonathan Larson write a musical about HIV, AIDS and homosexuality? Larson’s work is best known to explore the social issues of multiculturalism, addiction, and homophobia. In 1981 through 2000, CDC’s has reported HIV and AIDS cases from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. territories (HIV and AIDS – United States, 1989-2000). When Larson first began to write the musical was a tribute to his childhood best friend, whom died with HIV positive. According to Kathryn Utke talks about, Larson had a strong connection to the gay community, yet his childhood friend came out to him. Unfortunately, his friend was diagnosed with HIV positive; moreover, his friend took Larson’s to a support group called “Friends in Deed.” Thereafter, Larson began his volunteering work at the meetings. Throughout, his volunteer work for the meetings; it inspired him to wrote the song “Will I?” (Utke, “How Rent Revolutionized Modern Musical Theatre”). In the lyrics from “Will I?” Jonathan Larson …show more content…
In this scene, Mark is a documentary filmmaker and Roger is a struggling musician who is HIV-positive, they are young artist financially struggling to pay their rent. As they return back into their apartment, they found an eviction notice, yet they decided not to pay their rent. This musical number, it demonstrates the realism of people is struggling to pay their rent. Writing lyrics for a song or writing a musical, the best advantage is to write from life experiences. As Miller states, “In real life, Larson himself actually had to throw his keys down to the street for people to get into his apartment, and he had run orange extension cords all over his apartment to make up for the lack of outlets” (Miller, Inside Rent). Larson’s examined the social issue in the real world of the artist is struggling to pay their rent, yet continued to pursue their dream as an
Why did Jonathan Larson write a musical about HIV, AIDS and homosexuality? Larson’s work is best known to explore the social issues of multiculturalism, addiction, and homophobia. In 1981 through 2000, CDC’s has reported HIV and AIDS cases from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. territories (HIV and AIDS – United States, 1989-2000). When Larson first began to write the musical was a tribute to his childhood best friend, whom died with HIV positive. According to Kathryn Utke talks about, Larson had a strong connection to the gay community, yet his childhood friend came out to him. Unfortunately, his friend was diagnosed with HIV positive; moreover, his friend took Larson’s to a support group called “Friends in Deed.” Thereafter, Larson began his volunteering work at the meetings. Throughout, his volunteer work for the meetings; it inspired him to wrote the song “Will I?” (Utke, “How Rent Revolutionized Modern Musical Theatre”). In the lyrics from “Will I?” Jonathan Larson …show more content…
In this scene, Mark is a documentary filmmaker and Roger is a struggling musician who is HIV-positive, they are young artist financially struggling to pay their rent. As they return back into their apartment, they found an eviction notice, yet they decided not to pay their rent. This musical number, it demonstrates the realism of people is struggling to pay their rent. Writing lyrics for a song or writing a musical, the best advantage is to write from life experiences. As Miller states, “In real life, Larson himself actually had to throw his keys down to the street for people to get into his apartment, and he had run orange extension cords all over his apartment to make up for the lack of outlets” (Miller, Inside Rent). Larson’s examined the social issue in the real world of the artist is struggling to pay their rent, yet continued to pursue their dream as an