Rent National Tour - Most recent cast was LIT! #proud2bewojcikseay (more photos below!)
Hi Friends! I went crazy in my kitchen today - went a reorganization frenzy. As I was doing this I thought, you know what would make this more fun - blasting the original cast recording of RENT. So I did. And, wow, this brought back a lot of memories.
I was a sophomore at NYU and living in the East Village when Rent hit the scene. I saw the closing performance at the New York Theatre Workshop and it blew my mind. It literally became the soundtrack of my generation. Listening to it today brought me back to my tiny studio apartment, which I shared with 2 people, on Avenue A and 2nd St and all of the excitement of being young, mischievous and eager.
But it also brought me back to another New York. I was still in this apartment for 9/11 - my roommate and I had a clear view of the towers from the roof. And then another New York - a move to Stuytown and a city wide black out. And then another New York - Astoria and Hurricane Sandy. Side note: I actually had my appendix out at Mt. Sinai in the middle of the hurricane and am forever grateful for that amazing staff - still risking their lives today to get to work and save the lives of others.
Being in New York directly following 9/11 was one of the most life affirming and incredible experiences of my life. I learned so much about the person I was and the person I would like to become from taking in the people of New York all around me. Over the phone, mom begged me to “come home” and I remember responding, “This is my home”.
There have been so many hard times that we have faced as New Yorkers in just the past 30 years. Every single time, New Yorkers rise to accept the challenge with open hearts and determination. It’s totally inspiring. When you hear that applause at 7pm, when you see a post about your dear friend that is making thousands of masks, when you read about that Medical Professional going the extra mile to save lives….Take it all in - this is the beauty of humanity you find in the darkness. This is New York.
xo Holly
