March 18, 2014
Ladies & gentlemen! What a hectic morning! Just watched cast members of Paramount’s RENT sing “Seasons of Love” on Dean Richard’s WGN Morning Show while catching up on the reviews coming in and congratulatory emails and texts…my heart is full…overflowing with gratitude for the soulful work that has been put into this contemporary rock opera composed by the beloved Jonathan Larson. Everyone it seems who has had anything to do with this production instills and invests a piece of themselves into the work. From the backstage running crew to the front of the house and our ushers, from the follow spot operators to the film & video crew, scene painters, stitchers, our rockin’ house band! The list goes on and on to include hundreds of people…folks who put a lot of personal pride and heart into what they do…with one thing in common…RENT. There is a spirit in all of this that brings us all together in this action, this collaboration of taking something from the page to the stage. Something I can only describe as Fate. That all this is meant to be. That it has a purpose and a life of it’s own and we all get to play a part in it’s growth. Gathering in the theatre to give life, beauty and humanity to a story is a privilege we all are now experiencing and realizing the great gift we now have to share, artists and audiences, together.
I’m late as usual for a meeting up in Evanston at Kevin Depinet’s office making final plans for the CATS set with Director Shawn Stengel and Choreographer Harrison Mc Eldowney! Again, forgive my brevity and haste! And know how much love and thanks to you for your support and partnership is still to come!
See you at the theatre!
Jim
