Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / Nov. 5, 1998, edition 1 / Page 11
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r?3rSr!« '2-i4wieiee»>-^ lA & E — .'Rent': A musical for all November 5,1998 Lisa McChristian The Pendulum I had the privilege of seeing one of the best American musicals of our generation, “Rent.” The award-winning musical by Jonathan Larson covers everything from sex, drugs, rock n’ roll, homosexuality vs. heterosexuality, poverty, true love, friendship, life and even death. move forward in their lives when all the mistakes in their past come back to haunt them. Furthermore, thesong“LaVieBoheme” encom passes our generation with a thought provoking tune about young adults fighting for acceptance and ac knowledgment from the world. One of the most touching things about “Rent” is the show’s touching love stories between Roger and Mimi Marquez nd Tom Collins id Angel Shunard. om Collins is an IV positive com- uter genius who is ugged on the itreet and rescued y Angel, a trans- estite street drum- The show is based on the concept of the classic opera “La Boheme.” I saw the Angel Touring Com pany, which is one of the two “Rent” casts that travel to major cities in the United States. The other cast is the Benny Tour cast. This cast will perform the musical at the Greens boro Coliseum from Dec. 16- Dec. 20. “Rent” follows the lives of roommates and best friends Roger Davis and Mark Cohen. Roger is a struggling musician whose only wish is to write one great song be fore he dies of AIDS. Mark is a filmmaker whose drama queen girl friend dumped him for a female lawyer. Mark and Roger face homelessness when their old room mate Benny threatens to evict them from their building. Benny married a wealthy woman and left his friends behind. What follows is the show’s first major song titled “Rent,” where the entire cast is introduced and gets the audience pumped with a pure rock song questioning how they can pay rent when they cannot even pay for heat and how can they imer. Collins and ngel make the en- ire audience laugh ut loud with the ance mix song Today 4 U” and ade the entire au- ience weep with the song “I’ll Cover You.” Angel is a character of love and generosity who was claimed too young by the deadly disease that is taking too many lives. Mimi is an HIV positive dancer who meets Roger when look ing for a heating source to fix her heroin. Roger is afraid to commit and confesses his love to Mimi be cause he saw his girlfriend April die and does not want to see AIDS claim Mimi as well. Something that makes the show even more touching is the story behind the show’s creator. The 35-year-old Larson died before “Rent”s’ opening night. One of Jonathan’s old girlfriends found an old letter by Jonathan saying “When I die... whenever or wherever that maybe, I wish to be cremated, and I want my ashes to be thrown to the sunset with music and dancing and crying.” So, if you get an opportu nity in December to see the show in Greensboro, I would definitely rec ommend it. You don’t even have to be a theater lover to have one of the best nights of your life. We Need ENTHUSIASTIC Individuals to EARN BIG $$$ Selling Advertising in Your Official Campus Directory and on the Internetl We Provide Training, Support and Offer FLEXIBLE Hours! Excellent Experi ence in Advertising/Sales/Public Relations. Call COLLEGE DIRECTORY PUBLISHING 1-800-466-2221 x233 ;v.wnm.caf^ Poet promotes, represents literary works at Elon Johannah Lawrence The Pendulum On Wednesday, Oct. 28, Yeager Recital Hall was filled with students who came to hear the works of poet Michael Chitwood. Chitwood, who is originally from Roanoke, Va., is a freelance journalist. His work regularly ap pears in a number of North Caro lina newspapers. Addtipnally, he is also the author of two poetry books; “Saltworks” and “Whet.” Chitwood’s latest works in clude “The Weave Room” and “Hitting Below The Bible Belt.” “The Weave Room” is a book of poems that depict the life of a textile mill throughout a decisive social and human movement. Chitwood ’ s aspiration for the book was fueled by his own experience working a maintenance job in Rocky Mount, Va., weave plant. Working in the plant gave Chitwood an opportunity to ob serve and record the lives of those who worked in the looms. Chitwood’s poems are nar rative and are written in the lan guage and dialect of the people of Rocky Mount. He sets the setting for the mill by discussing the sur rounding happenings, such as the Vietnam War. His book is inter esting in that it is both serious and amusing, tragic and jubilant. One poem that the audi ence seemed to enjoy was a poem titled “American Manhood vs. American Bandstand.” The poem depicts Chitwood as a young man who, as he tells the audience, was a hippie at heart, even though his father made him cut his hair every Friday night. The first stanza of this poem is as follows: “’Isn’t she pretty’ he’d say to the TV when the American Bandstand camera zoomed in on Herman or one of the Hermits. He’d just be passing through the living room on the way back to the lawn or garden or car or what ever he was doing, which was always something as it was noth ing for me, privileged as I was to waste a morning with the ‘inintelligible screeching of sis sies.” Chitwood’s appearance at Elon was a great chance for stu dents who are studying his works in various classes to hear him read and bring to life the poems with his strong southern accent. For those who did not attend or did not know about Chitwood’s ap pearance, copies of “The Weave Room” are available in the col lege bookstore. You can also hear Chitwood regularly on North Carolina Public Radio. where 'h On Tour ATTENTION!! The Student Union Board presents Comedian MaryEllen Hooper & special mystery guest on November 14 at 9 p.m. in McCrary Theatre! Tickets are FREE! ♦Nov. 5: Candleljox, The Ritz, Raleigh. ♦Nov, 6: V/idespriead Panic, LJVM Coliseum, Winston- Salem. ♦Nov. 10: Marilyn Manson'v Ovens Auditorium, ^ Charlotte. ♦Nov. 17: Cherry Poppin Daddies, The Ritz, Raleigh, ♦Nov. 21 & 22: Shania Twain> Dean B. Smith Center in Chapel Hill; Charlotte Coliseum. ♦Nov. 22: Journey, Greensboro Coliseum, ♦Nov. 28: Dave Matthews ^ Band, Greensboro Coliseum On Staae ♦Nov. 5*8: The D^artment of Performing Arts presents *^Chil(iren of Eden/18 p.m." Thurs.-Sat. and 2 p.m. $nn; ♦Nov. 10: Ensemble Galilei petforras ancient spidtual ~ music, McCrary, S p.m. Free with Elon ID» $10 without. ♦Nov. 14: The Elon Chamber Singers* Whitley, 7 p.m. Free. On Screen West End Cmema (538-99ft0)!: 5 ijlllllllllll Pleasantvill^^ A Night At The Roxbury What Dreams May Come Practical Memo ’ f Vampires * Beloved Urban Legend Something About Mary '^ Holy Man Apt Rush Hour . SrideoXCIf^ky .... t' 4 * 'if; • : ■~l '.i '.i' Li ■*
Elon University Student Newspaper
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Nov. 5, 1998, edition 1
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