Hardcore Arts and Media recap

I knew RENT couldn't hide from me for long.  The show came back to Cleveland Jan 6-11.  Guess who got to go opening night?  MEEEEE!!! (Danny surprised me with tickets)  Guess why I was so excited to go?  Cause original cast members Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal and Gwen Stewart were in it!  The first half of the show I was in awe that I was actually watching these actors live and grateful that they agreed to reprise their roles 10+ years later.  Then the second half I was able to enjoy it.  Gwen Stewart plays many roles including the homeless lady, but her amazing gospel solo in Seasons of Love is what I was looking forward to most.  She didn't disappoint me by sounding exactly like my RENT CD.   I walked out of the theatre on a goose pimpled RENT high and promptly bought at $20 poster that had Anthony and Adam on it.  The next day I looked at the poster and kind of second guessed that purchase, ha ha.  It will look good framed though.  

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Because of all the annoying snow and single digit temperatures, I had no desire to go out so I was able to read Anthony Rapp's biography, Without You.  It satisfied my urge to learn about how Anthony got involved in RENT and the early productions, but a huge chunk of the book was dedicated to Anthony's struggle with his mom dying of cancer.  Which was sad!  I almost cried.  I also commend Anthony for being so honest about his early sexual experiences which are really interesting.  

In my self-imposed seclusion from the outdoors, I also watched the first season of Big Love.  I have never done that before, watched a whole season of a show all at once on DVD.  It was intense, but good.  Danny's parents have HBO so I told him to tape the first show of Season 3 for me which aired this past Sunday.  I really like Chloe Sevigny after watching her in the movie Gummo in my Motion Picture class in college.  She plays the part of pioneer hardcore Fundamentalist Mormon perfectly.

Danny and I ALSO saw Revolutionary Road in the theaters last Monday.  We have never seen an Oscar worthy movie together (hey, our first movie was Boat Trip!) so that was different for us. The story line was "heavy" as I like to say but the acting was really great.  And I secretly loved the fact that Leo and Kate Winslet were together again after all these years since Titanic.  Now only if Britney and Justin would get back together, ha ha.