Day 176/365 (February 10, 2009)

So the rent tour started in Newark, New Jersey at NJ PAC. i knew Tuesday was the only night i would be able to go so i got ready to head over and try my luck at their lottery. In the middle of the day i learned that Cary Shields was going to be on as Roger and that meant i knew lots of people going. i really can't properly express the mixed emotions i had. It was weird being in New Jersey, but it was awesome seeing so many people i have come to know because of Rent there too.  We even ran into Rodney Hicks. We needed 11 tickets and highly doubted that we would all get them, i dont know if luck was on our side or if not that many people entered since it was hard to tell because of the set up but we ended up winning way more tickets than we needed. This resulted in us all being in the front row reminiscent of times of the past.

Walking into the theatre was a surreal experience. It was not the nederlander but here was this semi-familiar set. There was no funky smell and it was smaller and slightly different but it was still the same basic thing i was so used to. When the cast first walked out i began to cry, and during a good portion of the first act i just kept crying. It was a strange thing to e watching the show in someplace that was not the nederlander and knowing that this was most likely the last time i would ever be seeing it performed live. The cast was so incredible strong and i liked them all (with a few momentary exceptions). It was funny at one point because when joanne says My maureen during TM the microphone didnt echo so mark couldnt say patched. Then finally it started going een een een, so anthony was able to say patched and it continued.

SPOILER: I didnt like the change to Angels eulogies it came off kind of like an army and too mechanical in my opinion, and i dont understand why Gordon doesnt get to come back out during the end of Another Day. There were also some choreography changes... i kin of liked the way paul and steve dance at the end of LVB b better, but dont know why mark didnt use his camera during High Holy Days.

END SPOILER: Stage door was weird because i ended up standing next to the girl i sat next to at the final show! I was sad i didnt get to see Adam Halpin (who was great as Gordon), but it was nice chatting with David (who blew us stage kisses), Nicolette (who noticed my haircut), and Andy. Who had told us seeing us all in the front row made it kind of feel like we were back at the neder but not.

MINOR SPOILER: The lyric change (for tour purposes) of you can take the girl out of jersey, but you cant take the jersey out of the girl got crazy applause, and there were lots of annoying screamers in the audience!

MINOR SPOILER OVER: After Jess, Jennifer, Carina, and myself made the trip back to New York and it was nice to just have that time to catch up. I really had a great time, and am glad i was able to go.

The list of us that i know names: Jess, Jennifer, Carina, Jerri, Kim, Heather, Rae, Her sister, the blonde one, some girl named Alana, and her friend.