Rent

At a staff training one day, we were given a multiple intelligences test. There were dozens of questions that asked about our interests and preferences, and I’ve always been curious as to where I am the most intelligent, so I took it seriously.

The highest possible score for any given intelligence was 40. I remember scoring in the 30s for pretty much everything but enjoying nature. But the score that most of my colleagues were impressed with was my music score. 40. According to this test, I should be a musician, or involved in the music business. Teaching doesn’t really come close to that, but I’m not complaining. If I didn’t love music so much, I might not fall in love with shows like Rent.

Rent will not get the endorsement of Focus on the Family, for sure. But the story is truly beautiful and can be summed up in one of the most powerful lyrics: “Forget regret or life is yours to miss…no day but today.”

The cast is amazing–they all do their own singing. I was most impressed with Rosario Dawson, whose voice I like better than the actor who originated the role on Broadway. (All but two of the actors created these roles back in 1996.) Now for the warning:

This is not a pretty, wrapped-up story. There is drug abuse, there are gay and transsexual relationships, and some of the choreography made even me, the liberal black ewe of my family, squirm. But being the liberal black ewe of the family, I stayed through it and by the end was in tears. Good tears. 🙂

If you see this film, you will probably cry, you might be offended, but I hope you walk out of the theater with a desire to be a better friend. I sure did.