RENT IS DUE!!!

The DVD of Rent the movie is out on the 15th February. I have waited for this date for so long. As I mention in my profile, my life is one big musical, and many days its soundtrack is the Rent Soundtrack. I love this show. I fell in love with it at university in 1998. My roommate, Jeff, was a big fan. He and another roommate, Dustin, went to New York for spring break. Jeff saw the show and brought back the soundtrack.

It was about a year later before I was able to see the show. A touring company came to Orlando in January, 1999. Jeff, Travis and I loaded up in my VW Fox for a day-trip one Saturday and loved the show. I had my oil changed the day before our trip, but the oil light kept coming on the whole trip down. I was worried my engine would blow up, and we'd miss the show. Fortunately neither of the above occurred.

I saw the show again in Gainesville in January, 2000. I was finally able to see it on Broadway in January 2001. In January 2002, just before I left for Uganda and Peace Corps, it came to Tallahassee. The last place I thought I'd ever see it.

Every January, I just happened to be where Rent was showing, so I was convinced that it would be staged in Uganda in 2003. Unfortunately, it did not come. It is 2006, and it's been four years since I last saw Rent on stage.

The soundtrack was an integral part of my time in Peace Corps. It brought several of us volunteers together. Susan and I would have sing throughs when were were together. We knew every word to every song. Sleep overs were so much fun. Some days we'd throw Dawn in the mix and have a sing-along while walking the streets of Kampala. I'm sure we were a sight to see and hear.

Rent never made it to the theater in American Samoa. There is only one theater with only two screens. Many films never make it down here. I've been waiting patiently for the day the DVD comes out. I'll confess now that I got my hand on a copy early, and this weekend, I watch the film no less than five times. One of the video stores released it (illegally) on Saturday afternoon. When I got my hands on it, I felt so nervous and excited at the some time.

The first viewing was a little difficult because it's a movie, and there are changes made to the songs and the script to make it work in that medium. The following four screenings were pure enjoyment and fun. I loved it. I had a couple of issues with a some of changes, but I can live with them. The scenes that were included on disc two put to rest one of my biggest concerns. Like anyone really cares what I think anyway.

I loved Rent the movie. I will buy it. I hope that Ace gets a copy in on Tuesday so I can buy it. Otherwise, I'll rely on Amazon.com to get it to me in two weeks.