<p>I have mixed feelings. Rent is a show that has had a tremendous impact on directions the industry has taken and is a show that has been so very moving and touched so many deeply. Unfortunately, I think it ultimately became such a part of “pop” culture so as to have its importance lost amid the noise of audiences that were there for the “Rent Experience” but who really didn’t understand the pathos, inspiration, social commentary and values it embodied or didn’t care. I had the opportunity to attend with my wife and daughter the recent run in NYC in which Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal returned for their original roles. Simply put, the audience was an abomination. Cheering, whistles, yelling, each time Pascall or Rapp appeared on stage. They couldn’t even deliver their initial lines in each scene without waiting for the audience to quiet down. It quickly became clear that the audience was there to see what they viewed to be “pop icons” and not to listen to and feel the performance they gave. It was a stark contrast to when we saw Rent many years ago when audiences were there to be part of the story and to share in the portrayal of the lives of the characters. At the end of the show, we concluded with sadness and disappointment that Rent had become a victim of its own popularity and marketing to “pop culture”. It had become “Rent the Spectacle” and was no longer Rent the show. Just my opinion.</p>