You Are My Sunshine My Only Sunshine

Saturday, June 02, 2007

A High School Version of Rent?

This is a copy of an internet community theatre blog that my friend Brooke found on-line and it made me laugh. I think this might just be an example of going to far.
Here is the reprint:
RE: The possible creation of a Rent: High School Edition..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

After the success of Les Mis: Schools Edition, and all of the Broadway Junior Musical versions, ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />MTI is looking at releasing Rent: Schools Edition. A workshopping of the schools edition happened just a few weeks ago, and if MTI does decide to publish it, it will most likely be released in the next two years. Apparently the schools edition eliminates the swearing and sexual and drug references.
But am I the only person who - one - can't see why you'd do Rent if you didn't have the drug references (Mimi's character would really become redundant) and - two - am just disturbed at the idea of teenagers doing this show? Don't get me wrong - I love the show. It just seems ... weird and inappropriate to release a schools edition.

What? Rent without drug references or swearing? Okay, here goes . . .
Mark: My bohemian lifestyle causes me angst. Plus, I'm broke.
Roger: Mine also. Plus, I'm not leaving the apartment, because of something in my past which I can't mention in this version.
Tom: Hi, I have returned from Boston, where having an actual job and money made me miss the angst and brokeness of your bohemian lifestyles.
Mark: Hi Coll . . .
Tom: Don't call me that. My first and last name together constitute a drug reference.
Mark: Sorry.
Angel: Hi, I'm a highly sympathetic street musician who is dying from a hangnail.
Roger: Where'd you get all that money?
Angel: By helping an old lady across the street. Let's all go to my Hangnail Support Group.
Roger: My angst is too great. I will stay here. (The others leave)
Mimi: Hi, do you have any C batteries?
Roger: What happened to your candle?
Mimi: No fire in front of the kiddies.
Support Group People: Will I lose my dignity? Of course not.
Roger: Is that a donkey you brought in with you?
Mimi: Yep. They say I have the best ass below Fourteenth Street.
Roger: Think we'll get away with that one?
Mimi: No.
Maureen: The cow jumped over the moon.
Tom: I love you, Maureen.
Angel: I thought you loved me.
Tom: Not in this version.
Angel: Okay, then, I love Joanne.
Joanne: I love you, Angel.
Roger: I love you, Mimi.
Mimi: I love you, Roger.
Mark: I love myself.
Tom: I hate you, Maureen.
Maureen: I hate you, Tom.
Roger: I hate you, Mimi.
Mimi: I hate you, Roger.
Mark: I hate myself.
(Angel dies of his hangnail)
Everybody except Mark: Now that Angel is dead, I love you all again.
Mark: Not me.
(Mimi almost dies of prickly heat)
Mark: Okay, if Mimi's going to almost die, I love you all.
(All hug)
Angel: Hey, guys, I didn't really die either.
All: Yay! (They hug again)
All sing: Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
In which nothing bad happens
not really.
(Curtain.)

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