Hello, I am a dairy farmer. I milk cows, and operate heavy farm machinery to make a living. At the end of any given day my hands and forearms are typically stained with an earthy muddle of bovine excrement, sanitizing iodine, diesel fuel, and/or hydraulic oil. If I had to climb a silo, my hair reeks of a sour twinge of either corn silage or haylage. During the harvest season I drive grain trucks to earn extra cash.
Last weekend my wife and I went to Madison. We made our way to the Overture Center on State Street in order to watch the Broadway Musical "Rent." I am here to tell you, that I really liked it. I liked it so well that we watched the movie the very next night.
You realize the implications in my publicly admitting my newfound respect for musicals, especially given my blue-collar background. Well, given what popular culture has to offer in the way of entertainment, I don't see much comparison. In fact, take a moment to consider what is in style and considered entertaining. Just the other day, a conversation with a good friend of mine produced this comment, verbatim: My friend asked, "Have you ever seen the show 'Jersey Shore'? You HAVE to watch it - it is so stupid, but I can't stop watching it!"
Tell me, is that a good thing?
I knew very little about "Rent," before Ashley and I went to see it last weekend. As I sat in the audience I suddenly realized the appeal. This is not your stereotypical musical. The songs are catchy, the scenes gritty, sexy, and natural. This is not "The Sound of Music."
What singularly blew me away about the performance was the talent. I suddenly gained a newfound respect for live theater actors - all one take, no chance for an editor's re-cut, no blue screen for digital corrections. If you have seen "Rent," you'll know what I mean when I reference Mimi's dance scene at the Cat Scratch Club. She performs the entire number in front of a packed hall in one take utilizing the entire stage, while singing, and dancing - in heels (having had my share of experience in establishments like the Cat Scratch, I can guarantee the authenticity of her performance, though I've never seen one of those dancers sing). Angel sang her number, jumping on and off a table, also in heels. To this Ashley muttered, "I couldn't even walk in those things."
After the performance, Ashley asked me how I liked it. As I told her, I enjoyed the show for the simple fact that it was not blind entertainment. You had to think about it, you had to immerse yourself into the storyline, and connect with the characters. Was it challenging for me to see Angel and Collins sing a love duet and profess their undying love to each other? Sure it was - I can admit that. But such is the appeal with modern art. Any fool with a digital camera living within two miles of a Walgreen's (which is essentially everyone) can produce a picture of something that looks like something. Modern art, whether it be painting and sculpture, dance or theatre, necessitates the viewer's ability to search within themselves. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City I stood looking at a contemporary painting. A viewer next to me snarled, "My four-year-old could've painted that." Maybe, but that's not the point.
So, I've already admitted my deference for the Broadway Musical "Rent." Let me continue by pointing out that the Super Bowel is on Sunday (yes, you read that correctly). I could not care less. Don't get me wrong - I love football, so long as it is not the NFL. For those of you who may find yourself giggling with disrespect, let me pose a question:
Consider the Super Bowel. As of now, we've already endured months of coverage, hype, speculations, varying scenarios, and downright stupid statistics and useless trivia. A one-hour game will be stretched to encompass an entire day, with weeks of coverage to follow. The halftime show is as hyped as the game itself, with commercial breaks every 30 seconds on either side. In fact, of the millions of viewers who will tune into Sunday's game, a significant portion admittedly watches the Super Bowl only for the commercials. What does that tell you about the game?
Conversely, sit through a production of "Rent." I ask you, which is the bigger theatrical performance?
As I asked earlier, take a moment to regard what is in style, and considered entertaining. Honestly, between the Super Bowl and fantasy football, what's the difference? (If that sounds harsh, someone please ask Brett Favre to pick a color). On entertainment channels, you may see something called Lady GaGa convulsing obscenely onstage (Is she choking? Is she giving birth? Is she having sex with herself?) To top it off, using terms like "you're fired," "big game," and "Super Bowl" can carry legal consequences (thank you for ruining capitalism for the rest of us).
The other day, Ashley asked me if I had any desire to watch the Broadway release of "Rent." If Netflix delivers it by Sunday, we'll watch it then. I have nothing else going on. Plus, at least some pompous, arrogant little Broadway theatre group will never try to own the term "musical."
- Dan Wegmueller is a columnist for The Monroe Times. He can be reached at dwegs@tds.net.
Last weekend my wife and I went to Madison. We made our way to the Overture Center on State Street in order to watch the Broadway Musical "Rent." I am here to tell you, that I really liked it. I liked it so well that we watched the movie the very next night.
You realize the implications in my publicly admitting my newfound respect for musicals, especially given my blue-collar background. Well, given what popular culture has to offer in the way of entertainment, I don't see much comparison. In fact, take a moment to consider what is in style and considered entertaining. Just the other day, a conversation with a good friend of mine produced this comment, verbatim: My friend asked, "Have you ever seen the show 'Jersey Shore'? You HAVE to watch it - it is so stupid, but I can't stop watching it!"
Tell me, is that a good thing?
I knew very little about "Rent," before Ashley and I went to see it last weekend. As I sat in the audience I suddenly realized the appeal. This is not your stereotypical musical. The songs are catchy, the scenes gritty, sexy, and natural. This is not "The Sound of Music."
What singularly blew me away about the performance was the talent. I suddenly gained a newfound respect for live theater actors - all one take, no chance for an editor's re-cut, no blue screen for digital corrections. If you have seen "Rent," you'll know what I mean when I reference Mimi's dance scene at the Cat Scratch Club. She performs the entire number in front of a packed hall in one take utilizing the entire stage, while singing, and dancing - in heels (having had my share of experience in establishments like the Cat Scratch, I can guarantee the authenticity of her performance, though I've never seen one of those dancers sing). Angel sang her number, jumping on and off a table, also in heels. To this Ashley muttered, "I couldn't even walk in those things."
After the performance, Ashley asked me how I liked it. As I told her, I enjoyed the show for the simple fact that it was not blind entertainment. You had to think about it, you had to immerse yourself into the storyline, and connect with the characters. Was it challenging for me to see Angel and Collins sing a love duet and profess their undying love to each other? Sure it was - I can admit that. But such is the appeal with modern art. Any fool with a digital camera living within two miles of a Walgreen's (which is essentially everyone) can produce a picture of something that looks like something. Modern art, whether it be painting and sculpture, dance or theatre, necessitates the viewer's ability to search within themselves. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City I stood looking at a contemporary painting. A viewer next to me snarled, "My four-year-old could've painted that." Maybe, but that's not the point.
So, I've already admitted my deference for the Broadway Musical "Rent." Let me continue by pointing out that the Super Bowel is on Sunday (yes, you read that correctly). I could not care less. Don't get me wrong - I love football, so long as it is not the NFL. For those of you who may find yourself giggling with disrespect, let me pose a question:
Consider the Super Bowel. As of now, we've already endured months of coverage, hype, speculations, varying scenarios, and downright stupid statistics and useless trivia. A one-hour game will be stretched to encompass an entire day, with weeks of coverage to follow. The halftime show is as hyped as the game itself, with commercial breaks every 30 seconds on either side. In fact, of the millions of viewers who will tune into Sunday's game, a significant portion admittedly watches the Super Bowl only for the commercials. What does that tell you about the game?
Conversely, sit through a production of "Rent." I ask you, which is the bigger theatrical performance?
As I asked earlier, take a moment to regard what is in style, and considered entertaining. Honestly, between the Super Bowl and fantasy football, what's the difference? (If that sounds harsh, someone please ask Brett Favre to pick a color). On entertainment channels, you may see something called Lady GaGa convulsing obscenely onstage (Is she choking? Is she giving birth? Is she having sex with herself?) To top it off, using terms like "you're fired," "big game," and "Super Bowl" can carry legal consequences (thank you for ruining capitalism for the rest of us).
The other day, Ashley asked me if I had any desire to watch the Broadway release of "Rent." If Netflix delivers it by Sunday, we'll watch it then. I have nothing else going on. Plus, at least some pompous, arrogant little Broadway theatre group will never try to own the term "musical."
- Dan Wegmueller is a columnist for The Monroe Times. He can be reached at dwegs@tds.net.
