Editor’s note: Arachnophonia is a regular feature on our blog where members of the UR community can share their thoughts about resources from the Parsons Music Library‘s collection.

Today’s installment of Arachnophonia is by student worker Meghan (class of 2020) and features a filmed performance of the musical Rent. Thanks, Meghan!

Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway

Rent is a Tony award-winning musical production that originated on Broadway in 1994, and has since been remade into a movie and has been touring since its 20th anniversary in 2014. The story follows a group of New York City bohemians who are struggling to make their rent payments, while juggling the challenges of the AIDS epidemic that directly affects a few main characters. We see the ups and downs of their lives, all set to catchy rock music.

This musical is a personal favorite of mine. I remember stumbling across it about 8 years ago, when I was entirely too young to really understand what was going on. I can remember my attraction to the upbeat rock music, which I had never experienced in a musical theater setting before. However, as I got older and began to grasp the story line that the talented actors were portraying, it suddenly clicked: it is such a powerful work targeting tough social justice issues.

From homelessness and poverty, to the AIDS epidemic, drug abuse, and homosexuality, this musical puts faces, names, and stories behind people who grapple with the challenges associated with these and the experiences they have. Especially for those who were born in the 1990s and after, they don’t really have an idea of what the AIDS epidemic was like in the United States. This musical is a way for us to get a glimpse into what the lives of affected individuals were like. We see a heartbroken romantic partner and devastated friends lose a loved one, we see others struggle with past losses, and we see others just wondering when it will be their turn. At times, it can be hard to watch these characters go through this, especially because the writing and acting is so realistic and authentic. However, I think it is important to watch, as it gives us a chance to reflect on our own privilege, and how lucky we are today. We never know when our time is up in this world. We must treat every day like there is “no day but today”, and we must hold onto what is important. There’s only 525,600 minutes a year: how will you measure your year?